Businesses have transitioned huge swaths of their operations to the cloud in recent years, and the messaging around the shift has included at least one key pitch: the cloud is more reliable and more secure than legacy technology. This is a big claim but does not tell the full picture.
The cloud is, in many ways, easier for some businesses that don’t have the tools to secure their systems. It puts a lot of the responsibility on the platform provider, rather than the user, but the scale of these tools can also make them ideal targets for bad actors. That’s why it’s important for businesses of all sizes to carefully manage cloud security risks.
Be transparent
One of the most significant risks involved in relying on cloud-based programs for business operations is a lack of overall transparency. When teams use unsanctioned applications, the IT department may not appropriately secure them. Though the programs themselves aren’t necessarily unsafe, the way they’re used could be. That’s why it’s important to be clear about all the programs involved in business operations, though that’s easier said than done.
For businesses trying to get a handle on the full scope of their application use, one option is to use a SaaS dashboard to gain program management insights. These dashboards have numerous practical applications for businesses, providing systems awareness along with a means of combining insights across tools to fuel business growth.
Bad actors abound
Another major issue for businesses operating in a multi-cloud environment are hackers, who aren’t concerned with whether you use cloud services or legacy systems. These bad actors just want a way in. Particularly nefarious individuals can even hire hackers as a service, and they can find a gap in how separate applications fit together or an unpatched vulnerability. Cloud services may be more up to date on issuing patches than IT departments managing legacy systems, but a skilled hacker can navigate through almost any security system.
Too much access or not enough?
Among the advantages of cloud-based computing systems for business is the ease of access for those who need it. Cloud-based programs have made it much easier for teams to work remotely since the pandemic took hold, but sometimes they emphasize convenience a little too much.
When using various cloud-based platforms to support your business, it’s important to temper convenience through the application of identity and access management and ensure users have access to documents and programs, but only the ones that they need. When businesses give too many users access to different areas of their cloud infrastructure, it may allow for quick and easy collaboration, but it also makes it easier for one careless password to compromise the whole system. Businesses can expect their employees to practice good security hygiene, but they have to support those efforts by employing appropriate permission limitations.
As is often the case with absolutes, it isn’t helpful to say that the cloud is or isn’t secure or to offer far-reaching claims about its benefits. Once a business is invested in cloud-based SaaS platforms, it still needs to stay vigilant and prioritize systemwide security. The cloud offers innovation and benefits, certainly, but security responsibilities remain the same as ever.
Editor’s note: Learn more about cloud fundamentals as part of ISACA’s Certified in Emerging Technology (CET) credential.