Everyone talks about how wonderful the cloud is, but there are inherent risks with everything and if you are trusting the cloud with your business’ data you need to be aware of the potential pitfalls of cloud usage!
Less Control and Accountability
Unlike data centers which are run by on-premise IT professionals, the cloud is a third-party operated system that is housed off-premise. Cloud providers will make sure your data is secure, however, they are not as invested in your security as you are. It is nice to have automatic system updates and maintenance, but it is important to remember that ultimately you are still trusting your sensitive information to a third-party.
Insider Threats
Recent leaks and hacks that have been in the news have not been attacks from outside forces but rather were found to be inside jobs. Once someone gains access to your cloud account or passes that information on to someone else, all the information is compromised including confidential information and intellectual property. This brings up a great opportunity to remind you that your passwords should be uncommon and kept secure and private. If a password must be shared, keep records of who has permission to use them and consider drawing up an exclusivity document where they agree to keep the password private. Having signatures involved creates the perception that the password access is controlled and that users are held accountable for possible leaks.
Potential Government Intrusion
Thanks to recent leaks about government surveillance programs we know that the government has an interest in private citizens and their businesses. Security is always going to be something that needs to be accounted for when using cloud services, but the threat of government intrusion is heightened with cloud services since they no longer need to visit your physical address to collect the data they are looking for.
With any technology there are concerns especially over security; contact us to learn more about the potential dangers of the cloud and what your options are.
Michael Durante spent his teenage years into his early 20s climbing the ladder in a branch of a successful banking firm, starting as a teller and ending as a Sr. Branch Manager within 6 years. In 2003, he left the banking world to join his father and create TIE National, a telecom company 60 years in the making. Together, they grew the company from a two-man operation solely working on telephones to a multi-million dollar international business with employees in over a dozen states, covering everything from phone systems to cloud products and computer systems. You can find Michael on LinkedIn.