In the future, almost all important data will live in the cloud. As businesses transition to cloud storage, consumers understandably worry about data security. Major corporate breaches often make headlines. Why does that happen, and what can companies do to prevent it? Here are three things you might not know about cloud security.
Cloudbleed
Image via Flickr user Kai Hendry
Cloudflare is one of the world’s largest internet security companies. In early 2017, a Google employee noticed that the Cloudflare system had a flaw. It handled tokens in a dangerous way. Without realizing it, users infrequently received web data from other people. Cloudflare passed along information due to a single mistake in their code. One character, a greater than sign, replaced the intended equal sign. The result of this minor error was a massive data breach.
Cloudflare’s popularity worked against it. Since they service several major brands such as Fitbit, Ok Cupid, and Uber, lots of data wound up in the wrong hands. Analysts compare it to a someone sitting down for dinner at a restaurant, only to discover the open purse of the previous diner.
Cloudflare didn’t know of their security flaw for several months, allowing hackers to steal millions of personal data records from customers. It’s that easy to have a breach. Even if your company does nothing wrong, a third-party could leave you vulnerable. You should research how secure your data is. Also, find out from other businesses how they address breaches.
System Weaknesses
Can you name the greatest weakness of every cloud security system? The answer is people. Human error and social engineering lead to some of the worst breaches. Research suggests that while 97 percent of companies have cloud security rules in place, less than half of workers follow these laws. Every employee who ignores proper cloud access practices is a potential data breach. Use employee training to make sure your staff doesn’t cause security leaks.
Social engineering is more difficult to stop. A confidence person tries to gain access to your system by manipulating an employee. These felons will pretend like they’re security experts trying to do system maintenance. They’ll act like email contacts trying to send important links and documents. They’ll even try to piggyback their way on your servers, making actual appearances in your buildings. You should educate your employees on all facets of social engineering. It’ll reduce the chances of a breach.
Encryption Software
One way to protect your cloud data is via encryption. This tactic encodes your information. After doing so, people with an encryption key are the only ones who can decrypt and read it. Encryption software is an imperative in the corporate world today. It guarantees that even when your data records fall in the wrong hands, hackers can’t do anything with them. Please note that you should use a cloud company that encrypts data while it’s in storage, not just during transfer. Otherwise, you’re still vulnerable to the same breaches.
As you can see, cloud security comes with the danger of data breaches. You don’t have to live in fear of them, though. You simply need to educate your employees and seek cloud service businesses that protect your data the right way.
