Keeping your cloud business systems safe

Maintaining a high level of cyber security is just as important for your business systems in the cloud as it is for your on-premise hardware, data and devices. 

Cloud security is incredibly important to help keep your whole IT estate safe.

Cloud business systems like an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that combine all your administrative assets within one application, are quite a handsome target to a cybercriminal: one successful hack could quite literally lead to access of all areas!

Therefore, increasing your cloud security is paramount.

When considering cloud based cyber security, you can replicate many of the best practice measures you have for your on-premise tech. 

The main priorities are the same: implementing passphrases (not just passwords) and enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) with Conditional Access across your entire team. 

The easiest way for a cybercriminal to gain access into your network and business systems is by cracking a simple password. However, passphrases and additional login authentication add vital layers to your security. 

Ideally your IT department will manage this and ensure all staff adhere to a password/MFA policy.

Review your cloud storage facility – make sure it is solid and secure. 

Be wary if you are using a free service as it could be vulnerable to exploitive attacks, with protection only being given to paid for accounts. 

To protect yours and your customers’ data, be sure to encrypt your files before transporting them to the cloud. 

After you have encrypted your data, store both the keys that encrypt and decipher your information in a safe place, in fact your IT team should keep physical ownership of them as well as verifying the strength of the encryption techniques being used.

Your people are your biggest asset but also your biggest threat. Most breaches occur because of human error. 

Getting your team up to speed with social engineering and phishing tactics is crucial. It is worthwhile investing in phishing simulation tools to test your team to ensure they would not fall foul to a cyber attack.

A great way to ensure your cyber security is on track is to go through the Cyber Essentials self-assessment framework. 

As a bonus you will be rewarded with the internationally recognised accreditation, which demonstrates you have all the necessary cyber security measures in place to protect your business against cyber crime.

Take it a step further and go for Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation, which gives you technical verification by an external certification body who will carry out several rigorous tests to check your IT security is robust. 

Great not only for peace of mind but is an attractive asset to investors or when tendering for government contracts.