A commonly held view is that cloud security is inherently inferior to that of a company data center. Many businesses think that the cloud is good only for storing less important data that they can afford to have end up in the wrong hands. Nonetheless, more companies are starting to realize the benefits of migrating more of their operations to the cloud, including those that involve the handling of potentially sensitive data. Of course, not all cloud providers are made equal, but there are plenty of reasons why the cloud can actually turn out to be the ultimate solution to the cybersecurity challenges that today’s small- and medium-sized businesses face.
#1. Secure Development Lifecycles
Traditionally, organizations rely heavily on on-premises systems that are tailored to meet their specific requirements for the sole purpose of maintaining a functioning operating environment. These systems can quickly become outdated, and extremely vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated threats. The unprecedented attack of the WannaCry ransomware back in May, which targeted machines running Windows XP, is a shining example of this. However, the major cloud providers integrate security into the entire development process to continually improve cybersecurity.
#2. Higher-End Hardware Resources
Any serious cloud service provider will be storing data by the petabytes and investing constantly in the most powerful hardware. After all, their sole purpose is to offer affordable computing resources to companies that simply don’t have the resources to build a high-end infrastructure themselves. It’s probably safe to assume that your business doesn’t have the financial capabilities or on-site expertise required to maintain a cutting-edge data center that uses the sort of supercomputing hardware that Microsoft, Amazon and Google can muster. Nonetheless, the cloud lets you take advantage of that very technology, which also translates into improved security.
#3. Stricter Access Controls
Any responsible cloud provider takes security extremely seriously. After all, the continued existence of their business requires it. As such, cloud computing solutions tend to come with stricter access controls than those that are possible to implement in a typical corporate data center. Along with 24-hour surveillance, cloud providers are also relatively immune from things like insider threats, since they’re far less likely to have employees with overarching privileges who could single-handedly compromise security on a far-reaching scale. When your data is stored off site, there are also fewer potential vulnerabilities for attackers to exploit.
#4. Greater Redundancy
In the world of modern business, digital data tends to be the single most important asset of all. If you’re still storing all data exclusively on site, then your business will likely face complete collapse should disaster strike. Whether it’s due to a natural catastrophe or a security breach, there are factors that can quickly render any corporate data center utterly useless. However, by migrating to the cloud, your data will be hosted on servers in multiple physical locations, sometimes even across different countries. As such, even if disaster befalls your own premises, your data will still be safe, giving your business the opportunity to recover with minimal losses.
#5. Constant Monitoring
Your employees might not be working around the clock, but your cybersecurity systems most certainly need to. Even the most basic managed IT services offer proactive care to keep company systems secure at any time of day. These monitoring services cover all your applications and systems to ensure that you’re alerted to any suspicious activity immediately. Additionally, the high degree of automation and repeatability greatly reduces the risk of human negligence, which has always been the weakest link when it comes to cybersecurity. By migrating to the cloud, your IT systems will be protected both during and after office hours.
Truewater understands the challenges facing small businesses seeking to reap the benefits of modern technology. That’s why we offer a highly flexible set of services ranging from hosted solutions to IT consulting in Houston. Call us today to find out how we can help you keep your business moving forward.
