Cloud Data Security: Best Practices for SMBs

13 Nov Cloud Data Security: Best Practices for SMBs

Posted at 10:32h in Security by Simon Spencer

In this article, we’re going to go over the importance of cloud security data, especially for small and medium businesses. We’ll take a look at why it’s so important, as well as how you can implement some solutions to be able to ensure your cloud data security is at a high level.

Importance of Cloud Data Security for SMBs

Cloud technology has transformed the way that businesses operate and the benefits of the technology are very attractive for SMBs especially. But, even more so than with on-premises data storage, security in the cloud is paramount.

Security is a concern when it comes to the cloud for a few main reasons:

Cyberattack Vulnerability: SMBs are very attractive to cybercriminals due to their perceived lack of sophisticated security measures. Especially when it comes to larger attacks, not considering security can cripple your business.
Data Compliance: Compliance regulations like GDPR are vital to follow, as failing to do so will result in penalisation and even possibly litigation towards your business.
Data Loss: Poor security strategies can lead to data loss due to accidental deletion and bad disaster practices, which can affect business continuity and even damage critical data through system failures.

Because of this, it’s vital to make sure that you have the best security tools available to protect your business. After all, your SMB’s security posture is just as important as your office’s physical security — failing to consider it can be costly, and can cause catastrophe in the long run.

Implementing Robust Backup Solutions

One of the most important things for SMBs to consider is backup solutions. In the event of an attack or disaster, a good backup solution will be the difference between maintaining business continuity and completely falling apart.

Backing up isn’t as simple as just moving your data to the cloud, though. It requires strategy, and following some of the most robust backup strategies out there. The best one of these is the 3-2-1 backup rule — a rule that has been used by a lot of businesses around the world and is incredibly effective at protecting your business.

To use the 3-2-1 rule, you must have:

3 Copies: You’ll need to have 3 copies of your data, including the original and at least two copies.
2 Different Media: Using two different types of media will help ensure that your data is accessible in at least one way if the other way fails. This means, for example, if your hard drives become corrupted, your cloud backup will be accessible still.
1 Copy Off-Site: One copy will need to be stored off-site in a separate location from your primary data and on-site backups.

By doing this, you’ll be able to ensure that your system’s most critical data is accessible in the event of an emergency or disaster — no matter what.

Effective Access Management for Security

Access management is essentially your network’s version of a lock on a door. The better, and more effective the lock, the harder it will be for anyone unauthorised to access your business’s data.

However, you can’t just put a simple lock on the door and then give everyone who works in your company a key. This is the same with your IT security — there are better ways to make sure that you have a robust access control system that also lets your business remain flexible and lets anyone who needs to access the files they need.

By using access control tools to be able to limit data access to specific users only, you can restrict who has access to what in your business. Then, using a principle called the principle of least privilege, you can use these access controls to make sure that everyone only has the highest level of access that they need to complete their work — making sure that nobody lower down in your business can access your most critical files, but their work isn’t impacted all-around.

Implementing Data Loss Prevention for Security

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a critical security measure for businesses, especially when using the cloud. It lets you safeguard your data all around and protects it from unauthorized access, theft, and accidental disclosure.

DLP solutions are completely compliant, and go the extra mile to ensure that your data is completely secure and protected. They also improve your incident response and data visibility, to help you take action against threats and take steps to protect your most vulnerable and critical data proactively.

There are a few steps to implementing DLP into your business:

Identify and Classify Sensitive Data: This means essentially determining any sensitive data your organisation handles, such as personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, and intellectual property.
Choose a DLP Solution: You’ll need to choose a DLP solution that works for your business. The most common solution chosen is Microsoft Purview, as it offers a host of tools and features, and is easy for businesses to use.
Configure and Deploy: You’ll need to configure your DLP solution, first defining policies and rules to ensure your data is identified properly. Then, install the DLP solution and integrate it with your system.
Monitor and Fine-Tune: Once you’ve installed the DLP solution, the next step is to monitor its system logs and fine-tune the policies to meet your needs.

How We Can Help

Cloud security is vital for any business, including and especially SMBs. After all, your most sensitive data is going into the cloud, so making sure that its protected and that your business has a robust security, backup, and data loss prevention strategy will help ensure that your business prospers in the long run.

If you’re looking for a helping hand to ensure that your cloud security is up to the highest standard, reach out to us today. Our experts will have you up and running and will ensure that you have everything covered.