Steps to Provide Robust Security to Your Data in Cloud

Popularity of cloud computing is growing by leaps and bounds. The extent of popularity has been summed up nicely by recent Gartner’s report that predicts cloud computing to be the major driving force of IT budgets beginning from the year 2016 itself.

Cloud has been used metaphorically to denote involvement of Internet in the computing services. Therefore cloud computing is nothing but internet based computing brought to users via cloud hosting providers.

Cloud based computing solutions empower organizations with capabilities to use online option of storing managing, and retrieving data by releasing them from shackles of legacy storage options. All these years, enterprise data had to be stored on hard disk drives or tapes that were prone to corruption and crashes.

 Unparalleled Advantages of Cloud Migration

Unhindered Accessibility–

The most important advantage of cloud computing is the unrestricted accessibility. Users are able to access data on cloud from any place and at any time with help of desktops, laptops, or a plethora of hand held device with internet connectivity. In addition to this the data can be shared by users among themselves for effective collaboration.

Remarkable Cost Savings–

Cloud computing services offered by reliable cloud hosting service providers help enterprises to save huge infrastructure related costs, since these services can be availed without relying on any on site IT infrastructure.

This could be the most important reasons for majority of cloud migration instances across the domains of businesses and industries. In addition this, companies need not maintain technically proficient workforce to look after their own infrastructure. Instead, enterprises can effectively channelize their technical brains to work on more creative and profitable projects.

Scalable and Flexible–

Cloud services can be availed subject to demands. These are highly flexible solutions and users can deploy or decommission clouds according their requirements. These services can also be scaled dynamically to cater to demand fluctuations.

Efficient Disaster Recovery-

Cloud based services offered by established cloud hosting providers guarantee ultra fast disaster recovery solutions to liberate organizations from need to chalk out and implement meticulous, time consuming, and expensive disaster recovery plans. It has been confirmed by reliable studies that cloud based disaster recovery services offer four times faster recovery from issues than conventional disaster recovery services.

Cloud Computing and Security

Cloud computing and security have always been associated with some kind of a paradox. It was believed that cloud can never be associated with the attribute of security. Relying on a third party cloud hosting provider for online management of classified information was viewed as an extremely risky proposition.

These security related concerned continued to gain stronger foothold due to extensive adoption of cloud hosting services across different verticals of industry. This has prompted development of cloud security solutions to plug-in the vulnerability gaps in cloud computing.

Cloud networks inherently suffer from easy accessibility to hackers and hence need to be constantly updated in terms of security provisions. The intricacy of cloud networks also raises the difficulty level for designing robust security solutions.

However, growth in cloud adoption, cloud maturity, and improvement of technology has helped design cutting edge security solutions that assure mitigation of risks. Proven cloud hosting service providers implement impregnable security standards by designing stringent security protocols.

Cloud Safety Measures

Enterprises continue to express skepticism regarding cloud data security. One must always remember that there cannot be any data processing system that is hundred percent safe from intruders or hackers. This explains why number of security related applications, anti-malware solutions, and anti-virus programs are being continuously developed and adopted by so many organizations across the globe.

Following security measures may require you to invest some time from your busy schedule but at the end of the day it is worth the trouble for an easy and stress free life with mitigation of risk.

Two-Step Password Authentication

It is shocking to learn according a research that almost 90 out of 100 passwords are prone to hacking and that is the reason why majority of cloud hosting services implement two-step verification process. It becomes virtually impossible for hackers to crack two steps that involve a password and an e-mail or text. Hence even if a hacker is successful in deciphering your password, it will be next to impossible to crack the second step.

File Encryption

Cloud hosting providers empower sensitive data files with a robust measure of protection called as encryption. An ideal encryption program strengthens your data with a layer of protection before the same is being sent out over the Internet. This attribute is provided by reputable cloud hosting providers and therefore you need to confirm the same while finalizing the services.

Getting Rid of Obsolete Data

It is strongly recommended to resist the temptation of hoarding old data files that are no more relevant. It is observed that enterprises neglect deletion of old data files due to economical storage options. It must be noted that presence of old files enhances the chances of the data being accessed due to a longer paper trail.

Anti-Virus Software Installation

Anti-virus software should already be installed on machines, since sophisticated anti-malware and anti-virus programs have remarkable efficiency to block Trojans of=r key-loggers from infecting your system.

Secure Your Smart-Phones

Security is a mindset and it should be extended to all devices that are exposed to internet. Therefore smart-phones, tablets, laptops, and other internet enabled devices need to be protected from possibility of intrusion. Securing your smart-phones with help of a PIN and installing special anti-virus software can be of great help.

Cloud computing offers a plethora of advantages and by taking few steps to ensure that proper security measures are in place, you can certainly reap the benefits of this cutting edge technology while keeping your data away from the evil eyes of hackers.