Did you know that 92% of enterprises already have a multi-cloud strategy?
Cloud network security is now an essential part of any cloud-based strategy. It’s critical just out of businesses’ desire to survive cyberattacks.
Data can be stored in the cloud and accessed from nearly anywhere. This is all thanks to features like scalability, low-maintenance networks, and quick access. To keep your data safe from cyberattacks, it is vital to keep your cloud network safe.
There are several methods to keep your cloud network secure so that it continues to be an excellent solution for your company. But, if you’re unfamiliar with the nuances of cloud security, no worries. You’ve come to the right place.
Keep on reading for our full breakdown of everything you need to know about cloud network security and how to protect your data on the cloud.
Understanding the Basics of Network Security
The first step in securing your cloud computing environment is to examine your present situation and identify potential threats. You may complete the following tasks with the use of cloud security solutions that provide cloud monitoring:
To begin, identify sensitive or regulated information. Data loss or theft that results in regulatory fines or intellectual property loss is your most significant risk. Data categorization engines may help you classify your data to analyze the danger of this thoroughly.
This is the second step in determining how sensitive data is being used.
You can store sensitive data safely on the cloud, but you need to keep track of who has access to it and where it goes when they get there.
Ascertain whether files and folders in your cloud environment have rights, as well as what access context is available to users.
The next step is to find out whether there is any “shadow IT” around (unknown cloud use). For the most part, consumers don’t check with their IT department before making any online storage or PDF conversion decisions. If you don’t know what cloud services are being utilized, you may use your web proxy, firewall, or SIEM logs to find out and then risk assessment.
Now, you’ll need to verify AWS or Azure setups for infrastructure-as-a-service.
Many of the critical parameters in your IaaS installations might create an exploitable flaw if they are incorrectly configured. As a first step, review your network setups and encryption settings to see any gaps in your security measures.
Finally, it’s time to find out who’s doing the bad stuff. Cloud data may be accessed maliciously by both workers and third-party attackers. Analyzing user behavior (UBA) can keep an eye out for unusual behavior and help prevent internal and external data loss.
How to Secure Your Network 101
At this point, you’re aware of how to analyze your current cloud network security status. The next step involves implementing real solutions to your business operations.
Let’s explore them one strategy at a time.
Inform and Train Your Staff
There is a simple reason for most firms’ security threats: untrained staff. You can avoid cloud security issues by educating your personnel adequately.
It’s best to include the whole firm. When they actively participate in protecting corporate assets, your workers are more committed to cybersecurity. Be sure to educate and train the crew on the latest security measures.
Make a game plan and stick to it. Establish a reaction plan if workers suspect an attack on their privacy. In the event of a crisis, provide users with a list of actions they may do in various situations.
You should conduct unannounced security checks often. However, educating your employees is only worthwhile if they retain the information you give them.
Utilize phishing-simulation software to check whether employees respond appropriately when receiving fake emails.
Make Sure Your Data Is Backed Up
As the cloud evolves, the risk of data loss is increasing. Regardless matter what occurs, be sure you have a safe copy of your data. This is more about securing your business than your actual data but provides the same peace of mind.
To provide uniform data protection standards across cloud services, develop a security platform. Key management and policy administration should be avoided whenever possible.
IT administrators must disperse data and applications across several zones. And, they need to adhere to best practices in daily data backup and offsite storage.
Limit Access to Your Critical Information
What matters much more is who can access the data you’ve saved than where it is.
You’re in charge of information technology (IT), so you need to know who’s doing what and why. Manage risk by implementing access restrictions. Secure the identities of all users, including those with no direct connection to your network.
Consider implementing a smartphone access control system so that you can manage users and assign door access from virtually anywhere. This will help ensure the security of your data.
Everyone should use single sign-on (SSO) authentication instead of many different passwords.
End-To-End Encryption of Data in Transit Is Essential
To maintain the best degree of security, all communication with servers should take place through SSL transmission (TLS 1.2).
A cloud provider’s network should be the only place where the SSL is terminated to prevent unauthorized access. This is a critical step, especially when you’re in the midst of cloud migration.
You can check out the “cloud migration services near me” if you’re interested.
The Rest of Your Data Must Be Encrypted
When sensitive data is at rest, it should be encrypted, not only when transported over the Internet. No other method ensures your sensitive information is handled per privacy rules, regulations, and contracts.
AES-256 should be used to encrypt data on disks in cloud storage, and you should rotate the encryption keys regularly.
You should be able to encrypt your data at the field level. Encryption settings should be customizable by customers (e.g., credit card number, SSN, CPF, etc.).
Continuous Testing for Vulnerabilities
The cloud service provider should use vulnerability and incident response tools.
Security audits may be reduced from once a year or three times a year to as little as once a month, weekly, or even daily. You can do so with the help of these incident response technologies’ automated evaluations.
The frequency of vulnerability assessments might vary from device to device. The same applies network to network, depending on your needs. There are two options for scans: planned and on-demand.
Use Protective Layers: User-Level Data Security
User-level data security may provide an additional layer of defense.
You should include RBAC (role-based access control) in the cloud service. This will enable customers to define access and modification rights for their data depending on their role.
You’ll want to comply with both internal and external data security requirements. Therefore, this system should enable fine-grained, access control-based division of functions.
Always Go for Virtual Private Cloud and Network
Cloud storage providers may provide an environment that you only utilize and have total control and access to the data, rather than relying on a multi-tenant instance.
A virtual private cloud (VPC) is what Amazon Web Services (AWS) calls it. It is possible for customers to securely access your corporate data center using an industry-standard, encrypted Internet Protocol security (IPsec) hardware VPN connection.
Consider the Security of Your Password
You use passwords to encrypt and zip files, you must make an informed decision when creating one. 90% of all passwords can break in about a minute.
For a while, there was a belief that passwords including at least eight characters with one number are good enough. Now, mixed-case letters, and non-alphanumeric symbols are more secure.
However, with the advent of cutting-edge technology and software, these may be readily broken. Even though password reuse is common due to our inability to memorize long strings of characters, you should avoid this danger. To keep hackers at bay, choose strong passwords unique to you.
Where does it leave us? Fortunately, SMS passwords, fingerprint requirements, and smartphone access control systems are becoming the standard.
Set up Comprehensive Cloud Governance Policies
The certification process is only the beginning. Ensure that your cloud application governance process complies with all applicable privacy regulations, both internal and external.
Perform regular health checks and risk assessments on your information employees; keep an eye on the ever-changing security scene. For each kind of data, you should implement the appropriate security measures.
How to Secure a Cloud Network: Explained
For those new to the nuances of cloud security, figuring out how to adequately protect and enhance your network security can be overwhelming.
Thankfully, you’re now aware of the best strategies that you can start discussing with your IT department as soon as possible. And, if you’re interested in learning more, you can head to our technology section for all of our other posts and explainers.
