Best practices: Cloud network security and management

The new normal has changed the way we work and with more companies opting for the hybrid working style thanks to the various virtual collaboration tools and enablers available to us. After the pandemic, working virtually as a team has becomeso much easier; colleagues can meet online, collaborate on documents and spreadsheets without having to leave the comfort of their homes.  All this is great, but have we ever considered how secure is the cloud system we use, to collaborate on confidential and critical projects? With every advancement comes the risk, but by harnessing the power of cloud computing, businesses have shown productivity andgrowth and turned sustainable by saving on the voluminous paper pilesthat were by-product of traditional working.

The global cloud computing market size is projected to hit around $ 1614.10 billion by 2030 and witness an impressive growth at CAGR 17.43% from 2022 to 2030. In the last 3 years, we saw an extensive movement in the use of traditional handwritten files to electronic documentation of almost everything. The timing of the cloud computingera and the pandemic synergized and accelerated the adoption of the cloud process, andtoday we are all so used to transfering our documents in seconds. For organizations that want to be relevant, competitive and growth- oriented, such companies are turning towards technology and automation in order to have an edge over their competitors and cloud computing has become their go-to tool, which is one of their transitionary enablers.

With some of the biggest IT global names offering cloud-based services and their plug-ins, managing confidential information and custom applications on the cloud brings in a risk, pertaining to cybersecurity. If a company’s IT infrastructure is in the evolution stage, one must protect against any cyber risk and such companies would need a solid cloud security management approach.

Cloud security is a set of procedures and technology aimed at addressing external and internal security concerns. As companies implement their digital transformation strategy and include cloud-based tools and services into their infrastructure, businesses require to secure  cloud accesseand security. Most cloud providers adhere to standard security policies and actively preserve the integrity of their servers by default, but when it comes to protecting data, applications, and workloads in the cloud, enterprises must make their own provisions for privacy.

The global cloud security software market is expected to reach approximately $ 37 billion by 2026, with the Asia acific being the fastest growing market. Companies can accomplish cloud security by using a combination of the below frequently methodologies:

1. Pinpointing and evaluating cloud services:

As the digital ecosystem evolves, security risks have become more sophisticated. Hence, you need to spend time to figure out which cloud serviceis currently being deployed in an organization or which cloud service is being planned for deployment. After this step is done, try to measure up the service being provided to the need analyzed, evaluate all the safety protocol parameters and ook for all possiblevulnerabilities by studying various published articles and papers on the subject.

2. Examining and modifying native privacy controls:

One must have complete control over privacy and security settings within each application being deployed. It is up to your cloud security team to understand The levels of security customization available, the kind of personalization in customization needed and the permission levels being allowed to both, the admin and users. The ability to fully utilize customization in security settings anddeploy the same across applications being used within the organization, with The highest evel of security is key to privacy controls.

3. Encrypt your data:

With The  increasing se of software applications that access data across different network environments and the cloud, there are multiple interacting interfaces and such interfaces can lay a risk of data being exposed and even mined at times. To proactively prevent any data loss and be in a position to secure data, it is suggested to resort to encrypting data and safeguard your network connections. An important must-have is an e-vigilance system that allows valid network traffic while blocking any suspicious traffic detected.

4. Managing your devices:

The benefit of cloud servicesis that it allows companies to drastically reduce investments in physical infrastructure while still enabling employees to access data and services through specific devices. While the benefits of cloud services are many, the watch –out areas are the convergence points where data leaves a system and this needs to be primarily controlled and monitored. IT departments need a method to manage and monitor devices being used and ensure only authorized devices have access to data.

5. Monitoring and Reporting:

When it comes to data traveling externally, no matter how effective a system is, there will always be hazards. Whether the company has done 100 percent due diligence on the cloud's cybersecurity settings and required permissions, or whether the system checks to find a threat to the cloud computing services or not, it is essential and critical to monitor the cloud activities and understand the details of the reporting to better understand ways to further mitigate risks and control a risk-free operation.

Irrespective of the fears and risks associated with the cloud or regardless of the size of your business, one must invest in trained IT resources as a priority to manage the cloud’s security. Cloud infrastructure supports nearly every aspect of modern computing across all industries and verticals, making businesses agile by implementing operations efficiently. It is important to have a good understanding of the basic cyber security in an individual user level as well as ensure that your network and all devices are protected using a robust security solution that is built for the cloud.

The article has been written by  Abhishek Agarwal, President, Judge India & Global Delivery The Judge Group