Cloud computing is used for almost all business operations from data storage to work communication, but as with most things, it does come with some security risks. It's possible for the unfettered use of cloud applications to expose the organization's network to multiple security vulnerabilities, leading to devastating data breaches. Implement the best practices listed below to ensure safe usage of cloud applications in your organization.
Cloud security must be enforced at the end-user-level to rule out security risks that arise out of compromised user accounts. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires multiple credentials to verify user identity, often successfully thwarting exposure of user accounts.
Ungoverned web traffic often allows the use of malicious websites or web applications involving sensitive data, e-commerce, entertainment, gaming content, or other websites not intended for business purposes. Use cloud app discovery to gain insights on the different categories of web applications accessed in your organization.
Proxies and web application firewalls can filter the web applications accessed over the internet. Through cloud protection, assess cloud applications by calculating their risk score, and block all the high-risk web app requests.
Application programming interfaces (APIs) contain critical information on how web applications interact. If exposed, hackers can use APIs to create a backdoor and gain access to the organization's data. Implement API security tools and gateways to protect your cloud environment from hackers.
A massive amount of data is being uploaded, stored, and processed by cloud applications every day. Encrypt both data in motion and data at rest to provide all-round security for cloud data. Ensure that all web traffic passes only through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) transmission.
Patch vulnerabilities in cloud applications to prevent exploitation by hackers and secure access to data. Regularly watch out for and perform cloud application updates to prevent security vulnerabilities from becoming a backdoor for hackers.
Through session hijacking, hackers can impersonate user sessions to gain access to data. Ensure safe browser sessions with secure cookies and HTTPS-based data transmissions.
The best way to stay on top of cloud security is to proactively anticipate and avert threats on time. Make vulnerability testing and remediation a periodic and continuous procedure in your cloud environment.
