How Often Should You Audit Your Business Cybersecurity?

For many businesses, cybersecurity tends to sit in the background. It’s something we often seem to have a lot of confidence in without really fully understanding it. The only time we pay attention and question its suitability is when something goes wrong.

As it is one of the more important parts of running a modern company or organisation, it pays to step back and have a review of your cybersecurity processes, software and hardware on a regular basis.

According to Forbes recently, cyberattacks are only like to get smarter over the next few years and we all need to be on guard to prevent breaches.

Why You Need Regular Cyber Security Audits

The first thing to note is that you can’t say whether your business cybersecurity is performing as expected unless you carry out an audit. Most IT services will advise that this needs to be done on a regular basis, either monthly, quarterly or even just twice a year as a bear minimum.

A lot will depend on the size of your organisation or business, of course, and how many different departments you have. It’s much easier to keep track of a company that has ten employees than one which has thousands. Another factor is the amount of confidential data you handle and the sector you operate in.

What is a Cybersecurity Audit?

A regular audit is something that can be carried out fairly easily and, in some cases, remotely. It’s a service that many outsourced IT support companies provide nowadays. If there has been an incident or issue with your IT infrastructure, however, it pays to have a more in-depth audit that considers a wider range of parameters.

This kind of audit tends to use more advanced technology and will not only look at the software installed but the practices that you employ in your business.

You may have had a security breach or data loss, for example. It’s important to discover how this occurred and what processes you need to put in place to improve security. Or you may have updated or put in a new system, in which case, you’ll want to ensure your cybersecurity is working well with it.

There can be plenty of other reasons to carry out a more intensive audit. For example, if the compliance laws change for your business (as happened for many companies with the new GDPR). Perhaps you’ve merged with another business and want to ensure IT services across the board are uniform.

Outsourcing Your Business Cybersecurity Audit

It’s important to work with a partner that is able to deliver the kind of audit you are looking for. There are off-the-shelf auditing packages available but these may not be entirely suitable, especially if your company has specific cybersecurity needs.

Outsourcing your business cybersecurity audit to a third party is the most popular route and has a number of advantages, not least that you have access to the appropriate level of expertise. It’s not easy to find suitable companies that have a track record of delivering security testing within a range of organisations.

You should be looking for one that has a deep knowledge of operating platforms and understands how your business security fits into these and other IT deliverables. The other thing you will want is an IT audit service that will give you clear reports which you can then act on. Good communication is key.

While you may be able to undertake at least some of this internally, for a deeper audit most companies will lack the appropriately qualified staff. Even using the latest auditing software, it can be difficult to decipher the results and come up with appropriate recommendations if you do not have expertise in this area.

A competent audit team will be able to:

  • Interpret the data from your audit and understand how to action any changes to your systems.
  • Prioritise which are the most important factors and what steps you need to follow to improve your business cybersecurity.
  • Understand if information is missing and what other software and scans need to be applied to provide a full picture of your current cybersecurity.
  • Set benchmarks so that you have a baseline for future audits and a clear understanding of what you need to achieve.

At Cyan Solutions, we work with a wide range of businesses across different sectors. We understand that each company has its own set of requirements when it comes to fulfilling strong cybersecurity. Our team works closely with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver a robust audit that keeps your business safe.

Contact us today to find out more.

Managing Cybersecurity Solutions for SMEs

Small and medium size businesses have particular challenges when it comes to cybersecurity solutions. Size doesn’t always equate to vulnerability but the fact that SMEs have lower budgets can be a major issue when it comes to protection.

Making the right choices when managing your cybersecurity needs, therefore, is important and the most recent statistic back this up.

In a 2018 survey by Ipsos Mori, two out of five small businesses identified a cybersecurity breach in the previous year. In 17% of these cases, the breach prevented the company from operating properly for at least a day. The more troubling statistic, however, is that only 58% of small businesses are likely to have sought out information or advice about cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity and GDPR

One major change your small business needs to understand is the General Data Protection Regulation. This was brought in last year and basically means that any business that holds data (which means the majority of companies or organisations) has a duty of care to protect it. That includes having the appropriate cybersecurity solutions in place, including what to do if there is a breach.

The problem is that hackers and malware developers generally unleash their nefarious activities indiscriminately and smaller, less protected businesses are a target. It’s not unusual for a hacker to specifically target a certain corporation or larger organisation but it’s rarer than the millions of attack attempts that take place on small and medium size businesses as a whole around the world.

How to Manage Your Cybersecurity Solutions

A data breach or cyberattack can happen to any business and the consequences is not just loss of customer information but damage to reputation. It can take a long time to recover. That’s why your business needs to have certain building blocks in place to help combat any potential online attack.

Here are the vital components that you need to have for your business to mitigate the risk of cyber-attack.

  • Patch management: While they might be slightly annoying on older devices, patches are there to make sure your operating system is up to date and properly protected. You’d be amazed at the number of businesses that turn automatic updating off and leave their systems open to hacking and virus attacks.
  • Regular back-ups: Another mistake that SMEs make is not backing up their data regularly. This is relatively easy to do nowadays and there’s really no excuse for not doing it. If your system crashes or your data is stolen or infected with malware, back-up allows you to recover everything and get back up and running.
  • Data encryption: This should be standard for any business, whatever it’s size. It ensures that any information in transit is kept protected, particularly when it comes to financial data.
  • Firewalls, anti-malware and anti-phishing tools: The tools that we use for our home computers are not necessarily the same that we should be using for a business that has a lot of data. Working with your IT supplier is vital to ensure that you have the appropriate software to suit your industry.
  • Mobile device management: With so many of us using our own smartphones and tablets nowadays, your business needs to understand the risks that this involves. You should have a clear, set policy for staff who use BYOD and regularly make checks to ensure this is being complied with.
  • Two factor authentication: This is where an additional authentication such as an SMS text is used above and beyond the standard password to ensure the identity of the individual looking to gain access to your data. It’s now the industry standard when it comes to logging in to accounts.
  • Secure collaboration tools: Many SMEs make use of a range of collaborative tools including Office 365, Google Docs, Dropbox and the like. Mitigating the risks of using these tools is vital in maintaining the security of your company.
  • Incident response: How you respond to an incident such as a data breach is almost as important as having the processes in place to prevent it happening. Especially since the introduction of GDPR, small businesses have a duty of a care and obligation to have the appropriate steps in place.

How to Review Your Cybersecurity Solutions

It can be pretty easy to pay less attention than you should to your IT and cybersecurity. As a small business, you probably have a lot more to worry about. Failure to spot issues or make sure your security is up to date can, however, have catastrophic consequences.

If you would like to review your current cybersecurity practices, contact the team at Cyan Solutions today to see how we can help.

Tips for Finding the Best IT Consulting Solutions

It can be difficult staying up-to-date with the latest advances in technology or understanding how these can benefit your business if they are implemented. Most business owners don’t completely understand what a managed IT solution can provide or how it fits in with the way their company currently runs.

There are also plenty of companies offering IT consulting solutions ‘tailored’ to your needs out there, each promising the earth. But which one should you chose? How do you separate the worthwhile IT consultants from the ones that are likely to hold your business back?

Your IT partner can make a huge difference to the success or failure of your business and how competitive it is. Here are our tips for finding the right company:

1. Understand What You Need

You need to be able to match the services on offer to complement your business activities. Take a look at your short and long term goals and then find out what IT consulting solutions are going to benefit these.

You might want high levels of security because of the kind of data you handle, or services that constantly monitor your threat status and automatically provide solutions. You may want to introduce new cloud services so that your staff are able to perform more productively.

2. Take Your Time

Finding the best IT consultant to work with can take time. There are lots of options online and you shouldn’t rush, or allow yourself to be rushed, into picking this company or that company. It’s better to take some extra time, including having a cooling off period before you finally decide, to ensure you get the best partner for the future development of your business.

3. Look for Expertise

The best IT consulting solutions are the ones that have a range of expertise available. You rarely get this from one person businesses – they can be stretched for time and certainly won’t have the level of knowledge you are looking for. You should check not only the number of staff they have on board but what their specialisations are.

It’s important to interview your prospective IT consultancy and find out all you can about them. Check for online reviews and ask for referrals.

4. Does It Fit Your Needs

If you’ve made a list of what you are looking for as a business, done your due diligence and matched up the various services you require, the final thing you need to decide is whether the IT service meets your needs and ticks all the right boxes. Some extra areas to consider are how long they have been operating and whether they are able to respond to your changing needs.

IT Consulting Solutions: Why Choose Cyan?

At Cyan we pride ourselves in being a flexible, high tech solution for today’s modern businesses. We offer a range of different services that can be tailored to your needs. If you want to start small and cover just a few areas of IT support, we can certainly help with that. The good news is that our provision is scalable – which means, as your requirements change, so can our service.

We work closely with our customers to identify the areas where they need support. Here are just some of the things we can help your business with:

Managed IT Support: For many businesses, IT can take up much more time than they have to offer internally. A managed IT solution basically takes the weight off your shoulders and provides the full service and maintenance you need at a cost you can afford.

Cyber Security: Safety of data is probably the biggest worry that businesses have nowadays. Your success depends on having a secure eco-system, protecting your from both financial and reputational damage. At Cyan, our expert team helps put in all the processes that protect your business, including managed firewalls and anti-virus software that is fit for purpose.

Cloud Services: More and more businesses are using the cloud to deliver flexibility and agility for their employees. Our subscription-based services mean that you can keep control of the costs and give your staff the tools they need to achieve your goals.

Virtual CIO Consultancy Services: Most businesses don’t have the finances to employ a Chief Information Officer on site. Our virtual service means that you can access the latest advice and technology to drive your business forward at a fraction of the cost.

IT consulting solutions can be complicated and are challenging to get right. If your business is looking for a partner that can deliver tailored services and grow and scale as you develop, contact the team at Cyan today.

Top 5 Ways To Avoid Phishing Emails

Five top ways to prevent phishing attacks

Cyber attacks are on the increase, and it is vital to protect yourself and your business against the rising security threats. For most companies, the employees are the weakest security link, leaving the company open to potential attacks and breaches. Over 90% of cyber attacks start with a phishing email, and recent studies suggest that the fastest growing security threat to businesses is no longer malware but impersonation email attacks.

The reason employees are often the weakest link in your security is due to human error, and cyber attackers have learnt it is easier to trick someone into revealing secure information such as logins and passwords, rather than trying to exploit a secure system. The number of impersonation email attacks sent has increased by 50% quarter-over-quarter compared with malware and harmful files being sent rising by 15%. This means your business is seven times more likely to be subject to an impersonation email attack than a malware attack.

The figures are staggering, and even still there are thousands of companies out there who are not doing everything they can to protect themselves against phishing emails. The most common type of phishing emails is spear phishing; a highly targeted scam email that is sent to a business or individual. If the cybercriminal does enough research into an individual or business, spear phishing can be very effective, and research has shown that 97% of individuals can be tricked by a spear phishing email attack. Here are some of the top 5 ways to avoid phishing emails and protect your business.

Invest In Your Systems

One of the best ways to protect your business from phishing emails is to prevent them from getting through to your employees in the first place. There are many technological approaches to avoid phishing attacks, such as powerful filters and protection systems. Implementing a smart security system can help to identify phishing emails and block them from being received by your employees.

This is a great place to start when it comes to avoiding phishing emails, but even the best technology can’t detect every single phishing email. There will always be some that slip through the filters, so it is vital to have other precautions in place as well.

Educate Your Employees

As personnel are often the biggest downfall for a company’s security, it is essential that they are provided with appropriate training and knowledge to protect themselves against phishing emails. While many phishing emails are poorly written and easy to detect, there are often highly sophisticated attacks that are much more difficult to spot.

To properly protect your business against phishing emails you should develop an effective security education programme to raise awareness among staff of the growing cyber threats.

Go Phishing

One very effective method to identify the weak links in your security and determine where further training is required is to send phishing emails to your employees. Craft an email based on the kind of ones that your employees do receive and then measure for these main four metrics: clicking on the link, opening attachments, reporting the email and response time.

After the ‘attack’, discuss the results of the tests with your employees; it is usually best to keep results anonymous or break them down by department or team to avoid employees feeling like they are being individually called out. Your goal with this exercise should be to raise awareness and educate your employees, not to embarrass them.

Develop A Strict Protocol

Ensure you have a strict and well thought out protocol in place for phishing attacks. Encourage all employees to report all attacks or potential attacks immediately so that they can be dealt with effectively and quickly.

Make it clear that every employee can ask for help if they think they might have been a victim of a phishing email attack and be sure never to punish staff if they do get caught out; it will only discourage your employees from reporting the attacks in future. Once an attack has been reported, take steps to scan the affected devices for malware and change all passwords as soon as possible.

Review Your Digital Footprint

Cybercriminals will use information that is publicly available about your business and employees to make phishing emails more convincing. This information can be found on your website and social media accounts and is known as your digital footprint. Carefully consider what information is necessary for your website visitors and what could be used by potential attackers.

It is also vital to offer support and training to your employees on how to best manage their digital footprint; you should not expect them to remove themselves from the internet entirely but help them understand what information isn’t necessary to share.

Increase your phishing protection with Cyan Solutions

At Cyan Solutions we can develop robust IT security to reduce the risk and prevent cyber attacks. If you would like friendly advice on how to increase your IT security, talk to our experts now.

Myth-busting Cloud Technology

Five Top Cloud Technology Myths

Cloud computing has been growing in popularity in recent years. However, there are still some regular misconceptions about the platform and how it works. In simple terms, cloud technology refers to storing and accessing programs and data over the internet as opposed to using a computer’s hard drive.

With an online connection, cloud computing can be done at any time and from anywhere, which is just one of the reasons that it is so popular among businesses and individuals. For something that has become so mainstream in recent years, cloud computing is still not properly understood by many. This article will reveal the truth about cloud technology and most common myths associated with it.

The Cloud Isn’t Secure

Many people seem to believe that using cloud technology is less secure and safe than traditional IT solutions. In actual face, maintaining cybersecurity is all about staying ahead of the attackers, and this is the same whether you are using cloud technology or traditional solutions. The main difference when using cloud technology is that both you and your cloud provider have a shared responsibility for maintaining the security of data stored in the cloud.

As cloud providers are professionals in the field of cloud technology and security, they usually have the investment resources, experience and knowledge to maintain high-end security technology. When it comes to both security and compliance, a cloud provider can generally invest vast amounts of resources that far exceed what an independent business could realistically manage.

The Cloud and The Internet Are The Same

There is often confusion about what the cloud really means, and usually, we interpret saving something to the cloud as saving it to the internet, which is figuratively true, but the two things are not the same. Put simply; the cloud is a network of remote servers that can only be accessed using the internet. The internet is one huge global network of connections, and within it, there are hundreds of thousands of clouds.

Many people make the mistake of thinking there is one single cloud when in actual fact there are thousands of different clouds located on the internet. These various different clouds could be either public or private. A public cloud is a service that can be accessed by anyone from anywhere with their own individual account, such as Dropbox or iCloud. A private cloud is dedicated to one specific company and can only be accessed by those with access to that particular server.

Cloud Migration Is Difficult

Years ago, when the cloud was a relatively new technology, there were plenty of horror stories around from early adopters who moved their business onto cloud technologies. Just a few years ago, cloud technologies were still a relatively new thing, and the power of them was unproven, leaving enterprises to figure them out on their own with little guidance or help. This led to implementation nightmares and gave cloud technology a bad name.

The technologies have come on in leaps and bounds since then, and now implementing cloud technologies could not be easier. The technology has improved significantly in recent years, and there are experienced and knowledgeable professionals out there to assist businesses in implementation and training. If your current servers are outdated, then some cleaning and architecture revisions may be necessary to migrate to the cloud, but with the help of a professional, the migration process can be seamless.

Cloud Technology Is A Fad

Many people still have this common misconception that cloud computing is simply just another fad. Its fast rise in popularity makes some people believe that the cloud is just another marketing buzzword that will be soon forgotten, but this is not the case. Cloud technology has actually been around since the 1960s and has become increasingly popular in recent years as technologies have advanced and improved.

Hundreds of companies across all industries rely on cloud computing for their day-to-day. IT needs, making it far too big and popular to be regarded as a short-lived fad. Cloud computing is expected to continuing growing and advancing over the next few years and is showing no signs of slowing.

Cloud Technology Is Cheap

It is a common belief that cloud technology is a cheaper way to run a business than traditional methods, but this is not always the case. Moving a company’s systems and data to a cloud platform will reduce the need for expensive hardware and in-house servicing costs, but there is also a financial investment involved in migrating everything over.

While the initial cost of moving over to the cloud may be pricey, the ongoing management costs are generally low and make up for it in the long run. Cloud technology also provides a more significant amount of flexibility and scalability once the transition is complete, resulting in a better performing business.

At Cyan Solutions we are experts in working with our customers to smoothly transition them onto the right cloud platform, tailored to their needs. Contact us now to discuss how cloud technology could transform your business.

Using The Cloud For Your Disaster Recovery Strategy

One of the priorities for every IT department is to ensure there is a sufficient recovery strategy in place should a disaster happen. Small businesses can lose thousands of pounds for every hour that their IT system is down. The best way to limit the costs and the damage of IT failure is to prepare for the eventuality and ensure there is a backup plan ready.

With over 60% of businesses using cloud technology in some form or other for their infrastructure, it is clear that a cloud solution can significantly help with the day to day. However, the cloud can also help with secondary workflows that include backup and archiving to help with your disaster recovery strategy.

Traditional disaster recovery strategies for businesses are expensive and inefficient; they often require multiple solutions as well as labour and maintenance which can increase the costs dramatically. Cloud-based solutions already offer increased security for businesses, and with a cloud-based disaster recovery strategy, you have a secure, scalable disaster recovery strategy.

If you want greater agility and protection for your business, should the worst happen, then a cloud-based disaster recovery could be a cost-saving solution that will help your business to feel prepared for every eventuality.

The benefits of using the cloud for your disaster recovery strategy

Reduced manual backup

A cloud-based disaster recovery strategy will automate the backup process for you. This helps to free up time and resources needs for manual backup. This is particularly helpful for businesses with a small IT team who need to dedicate their time to strategic aspects of IT and the company as a whole.

Taking time to manually backup data means time is taken away from troubleshooting, improving systems and creating efficiencies. Instead, the manual backup will require reviewing archives, monitoring progress and ensuring there is sufficient space and storage for backup. All of these processes could be significantly reduced with an automated cloud solution.

Predictability

Using a cloud-based system for your backup helps to ensure predictability not only for automated backup but also for knowing your costs. Having a cloud system for your disaster recovery strategy typically comes with a set monthly fee which can help you when it comes to budgeting and ensures you know your costs beforehand.

Utilising another provider for your backup and disaster recovery strategy also frees up IT staff, as well as the cost of time and resources, to give you better reliability and assurance that backup is always taken care of through immediate automation.

Immediate backup

When it comes to internal backups, companies rarely check their systems to see if they can recover and restore all data should the worst happen. Many businesses will only complete a backup process at night which means retrieving all data in a situation is almost impossible.

Cloud-based solutions use a continuous backup method which means you’ll lose minimal data should a disaster strike. As the cloud automatically detects and transmits changes to files, there is no manual process involved, and you do not need to worry about when the backup takes place. All of the data restoration is taken care of for complete peace of mind.

Off-site

Even if your business has a robust data recovery and disaster management plan, if your equipment for backup is on the same site as the business then it may not help you at all. Should the workplace suffer from an unforeseen accident such as a flood, storm, burst pipe or fire, then your servers and backup systems are likely to suffer, and you will lose all of your data.

With a cloud-based solution, you have backup data in an external location. This means that should there be a problem in the workplace, your data will remain safe. As cloud backup occurs within minutes, you know that data is safely stored offsite from your organisation which gives peace of mind and can help to relieve any backup issues such as loss of revenue, lower productivity or negative customer feedback.

Security

As many customers who already take advantage of the cloud for their day to day running will know, a cloud-based system can give an organisation additional security. A cloud-based solution keeps data secure by being offsite and using data encryption; this means that only authorised users can access and decrypt the data.

Data encryption in the cloud is also applicable to backup and archived data which can significantly add to the security of the organisation which can help to reduce the risk of security breaches for organisations as well as providing peace of mind to customers.

Plan your disaster recovery strategy

When it comes to planning your disaster recovery strategy, it is essential to not only prepare for the worst but make sure there is always a robust system in place that works for your business. At Cyan, we can help to make sure you have a secure and effective disaster recovery plan in place using the cloud. If you want to protect your business and prepare for every eventuality, get in touch with our team of expert advisors.

Managing Security With Remote Workers

Remote working is increasing rapidly. Staff who are travelling for business, working at home or commuting still want access to the same information they can receive while in their workplace. The increase of remote working undeniably helps organisations as well as assisting remote workers to stay in the loop and be efficient.

With remote working, staff can be more productive, there is a contingency plan in place and data can be shared with ease. However, with the increase in remote working comes an increased risk of security breaches. Those who are accessing work data inappropriately could be breaching the security and confidentiality of the business. For the organisation, particularly with GDPR in place, it is essential to manage and bolster security systems, so that remote working does not leave your business vulnerable.

Why is managing remote working important?

With employees that are keen to access work information outside of the workplace shows a commitment and conscientiousness to your organisation. However, many employees do not realise the risk they pose to the security of your business.

Recent studies have shown that almost a quarter of employees would use free WiFi hotspots to access their work emails. As well as this, 28% of employees will email work documents to and from their personal email address. Many employees do not realise that unsecured connections such as WiFi hotspots can pose a significant threat to cybersecurity, with cybercriminals being able to access information on low-security connections.

Fortunately, there are several ways that organisations can reduce the risk and help to manage security with remote workers.

How you can manage security with remote workers

Strong passwords

Having a secure password can give protection from hackers and more peace of mind if a device is lost or stolen. Organisations can implement password requirements such as having a minimum number of characters as well as asking for multi-characters. Organisations can also ask employees to have different passwords for different systems as well as imposing a two-step log-in process.

Create public WiFi guidelines

It is not always feasible for remote workers to connect to trusted networks, particularly when travelling or staying in a hotel. However, you can create a cybersecurity policy which explains how to use public WiFi with the most care. It is wise to define what systems they can access and which they need to refrain from when using a potentially unsecured network.

Mobile device management

As well as securing mobile devices with passwords, it is also essential to help boost your security if laptops or mobiles are lost or stolen. Utilising mobile device management software or applications can help your business to track lost or stolen devices as well as implementing additional security to protect business assets on the device.

Use the cloud

Hosted cloud desktop providers will use data encryption technology to transport data throughout the company intranet. If employees log in to your system using a cloud-based virtual desktop, there will be added encryption for confidential information between the remote worker and the business. Providers of cloud-based hosted desktops will typically have a range of security certification for additional peace of mind.

Monitoring

Your business can take advantage of 24/7 monitoring of your security systems which can help to quickly identify a threat and help you to prevent or reduce the issue rapidly. 24/7 monitoring will also help your business with future security planning as you can start to uncover common problems that your business faces. Using monitoring to protect your network will include analysing all remote workers as well as all of the mobile devices in your organisation.

Training

Many employees do not receive robust cybersecurity training that includes remote working. Staff should regularly receive cybersecurity training that helps them to understand the risk and how specific actions such as using public WiFi and public computers can threaten security. Using monitoring alongside training can help you to enforce your cybersecurity policies and make it easier to focus the training on specific issues that threaten your business.

Email encryption

As emails are one of the most popular technologies for remote workers, one of easiest ways to improve your organisation’s security is by using email encryption applications. Investing in the management of corporate email and using the safest technologies for email is essential for many businesses who use email without even thinking about its vulnerabilities.

If you need help securing your IT for remote workers, call us today so we can help you plan and implement a robust cybersecurity strategy.

Things to consider before choosing a cloud platform

Cloud based working has become the norm for many business over the past few years for a number of reasons. The implications for simplicity, enhanced productivity and accessibility are a given. But with such a range of providers and services, deciding on where to invest is no mean feat.

Opting to move your business operations to the cloud can do wonders for an organisation. It can help significantly reduce costs, remove the need for in-house IT experts and substantial hardware, and improve security. It can also dramatically enhance workflow due to better accessibility and collaboration between teams..

There is also the added benefit that it actually compliments remote working. In an era when geographical flexibility is become more and more feasible (and attractive), technology that facilitates it is a must. Cloud-based technology empowers remote workers. Cloud platforms allow for remote accessibility of key information and helps enable collaboration.

Why use a Cloud platform?

What makes cloud platforms so attractive for medium sized businesses is that they work to enable growth within an organisation by eliminating the need to focus on time consuming and potentially stressful concerns such as security, maintenance and backup. Cloud computing means that professionals can rest easy and concentrate on what matters, knowing that  IT support is ready and on hand when it is needed.

If you’re in the market for a cloud platform, there are a few things you should consider before investing:

Which cloud services are you likely to require in the long term?

Understanding which types of cloud services that they provide will obviously be important. But you shouldn’t just look at these services from the point of view of what you need right now. Consider what services you are likely to need further down the line when growth permits. You may be able to find a provider who offers these services as add-ons. For example, basic data storage is great but is there a chance you may require cloud computing services such as virtual networking infrastructure in the future?

How easy is setup for your needs and what level of customer service can be expected?

An easy setup process should be desirable for any cloud service. The ability to easily configure your account for your organisation is essential. Customer support should be first rate as you will be trusting a substantial amount of your data with the platform. Be sure to understand and acknowledge the level of technical support alongside the average response time for customer service.

Do they have a poor history of downtime?

Cloud outages are not only disruptive but they can also be very expensive. Cloud providers that repeatedly experience periods of inaccessibility should be avoided, so be sure you know the downtime history of each cloud provider you consider.

How is security monitored and measured?

Clearly security should be top priority for you, as it should also be for the cloud provider. Be sure you know where the data centre is and how safe and protected it is. Take time to read and understand the supplier’s security standards for customer access and privacy.

How do the company address potential data losses?

This is a worst case scenario, but you need to know how the issue of data losses will be rectified. What systems/agreements do they have in place that mitigate the risks of data loss and how would they compensate for data losses? Ensure you ask questions about what provisions are in place to mitigate against potential data loss as this has major implications for the ability of your business to continue trading should such a loss be incurred.

Just how secure is the cloud? (Spoiler: Very.)

One of the most important considerations for all businesses is security of information and networks. With the revolution in cloud technologies and services, there has been much discussion about security in comparison to traditional IT networks and server technology.

Cloud based technologies have had their share of press particularly in relation to security aspects. What is important is to weigh up the facts and fiction relating to security. Maybe some concerns in the past have been justified. But as cloud technology has developed many of these issues have been rectified.

It would now seem that data and apps held in the cloud could actually be more secure than traditional local server and network technology. Security and privacy issues have always been a major concern for many organisations. They’re also the greatest worries blocking cloud technology adoption. Many organisations feel that if they do not control their data and tech themselves it leaves their systems open to security breaches.

Read on to see if these fears are still well founded and find out why the cloud is actually more secure now than ever!

Data storage and security

Security wise, the physical location of where data is stored is much less important than how it is accessed. The same principle applies to cloud based and traditional storage systems. Whilst web application attacks are targeted at both Cloud and on-site environments, the on-site systems have been shown to suffer far more incidents and attacks than the cloud. So the argument that these systems leads to security breaches because you don’t own them is simply a myth.

Cloud based platforms actually perform better in avoiding attacks.  They are constructed to be more robust and secure to ensue they work effectively and securely for their clients.  Traditional systems don’t have that same focus. They are likely to be administered by network technicians who have less knowledge, expertise and up to date resources. On-site systems are simply not as secure and are therefore more vulnerable to more frequent and more catastrophic attacks.

Attackers exploit weaknesses

It has been well reported that attackers know and will exploit the systems with the weakest security. On site environments serving one organisation are less likely to upgrade their firewall security or invest in the latest technology. However, cloud providers must do so for all their clients as they serve a wider number of businesses and operate vastly larger systems.

How can you ensure cloud security for your business?

You should really focus less on the geographical location of data and systems and more on how easy it is to access them. You need to know what data and systems could be vulnerable and the level of security required to safeguard them.

Cloud based computing is often more secure than traditional systems. You should still ensure you understand how a system works in relation to location and data access prior to investing. However, cloud based systems do provide additional security layers against attacks and vulnerabilities than traditional local based technology.