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How can SMBs Protect Their Data in the Cloud?

More and more small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) are using cloud storage. This is due to the huge benefits the cloud brings in terms of productivity and flexibility. However, most SMBs seem to still be suspicious about it. Actually, recent research shows that 61% are convinced that their data is unsafe in the cloud.

Why, and what can be done about it?

SMBs are worried about their data in the cloud

SMBs are afraid to lose visibility and control over their data once they hand it over to a third-party cloud platform. Their first worry is that it’s harder to detect unauthorized access when data can be accessed from anywhere in the world and on any device. On the contrary, when data is stored on-premise, you need to be physically present in the office to access these files. So it creates a natural barrier against unauthorized access from outside the organization. Furthermore, access can be restricted to specific devices only.

SMBs also worry about the fact that it’s harder to stop or prevent data theft from the leaving employees. For the same reasons, it is easier to spot an employee stealing data when it’s stored on the physical desktop computer. With cloud storage, it becomes pretty easy for leaving employees to steal information before they go.

Finally, hybrid storage environment can be complex. Using a mixture of on-premise and cloud storage increases productivity. Though, managing the security of the data stored across multiple environments becomes very challenging.

The attitude regarding cloud storage is not helping

According to the same research, a lot of organizations believe their own data is more valuable than that of their clients. This is pretty disturbing to know that third-party and insider breaches are on the rise.

Those who operate with large and complex supply chains will be concerned by this mentality given the lack of visibility and control over data security once it lives on third-party systems. Furthermore, as we said previously, organizations using a mixture of on-premises and cloud storage systems are having troubles managing the security of data – either their clients’ or their own.

 Besides, almost half of SMBs are convinced that moving to the cloud has harmed their security and 59% assume that the native security of their cloud storage provider is not strong enough to protect their data. Knowing that, it is pretty worrying to see that 80% are only relying on the native security of the cloud storage provider they’re using and only 1 out of 10 organizations is using a third-party cloud file monitoring tool to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data.

SMBs clearly need a more efficient way to ensure their data in the cloud remains safe. Moving your data to the cloud does not reduce an organisation’s need to secure access to and usage of file data.

SMBs’ solution to protect their data in the cloud

The attitude regarding cloud storage needs to change. Nowadays, a majority of organisations share a big amount of valuable data with their clients over email or in the cloud. Knowing that supply chains attacks are on the rise, it only takes one mistake from one supplier to have your data compromised.

Furthermore, most organisations today look into the cybersecurity of their partners before choosing to work with them. It is therefore of great importance that organisations can show that they can keep their clients’ data safe.

To be able to protect your data both on-premise and in the cloud, you need to proactively track and audit on all access to files and folders. You need a solution in place that can provide a single consistent view of the security of your files and folders across all your storage servers – whether on-premises or on a third-party cloud system. It needs to be able to report and alert you in real-time to suspicious file activity the moment it occurs. That way, you are sure that if someone other than an authorized employee tries to access your data, you’ll be the first to know about it and therefore you can react quickly before any damage is done.


By-  François Amigorena – Founder and CEO 


 

 

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