Data security is key within any business. But are you keeping track of your data's whereabouts efficiently? If you are not certain, then it is definitely worth reading on...
Often when we talk about modern IT solutions, we hear the term "the cloud". The variety of cloud solutions available today has rapidly grown over the past decade and became such an integral part of the way we work. One of the biggest offerings and most used is online data storage, with companies migrating their data to the cloud every day for its many benefits and advantages in comparison to keeping your data locally stored.
With that being said, one important question which is often overlooked when reviewing cloud solutions and making the move to cloud storage, is whether or not you have considered the whereabouts of your data and how your staff are using it. Is your data REALLY safe in the Cloud? Would you even know if it wasn’t? There are some key indicators of data security when using Cloud solutions, here we go on to delve into just a few.
Do you know if a piece of classified data is sent on to the wrong person?
It is easy to get behind the idea of moving your data to the cloud, with many solutions offering a feature-rich experience such as collaboration when working on documents and access from anywhere in the world to your data, with easy sharing methods to both internal/external users. Whilst this does make our lives much more convenient and efficient, the possibilities of how you can handle and share company data can easily become a problem, especially when working with classified information.
In most cases, businesses will typically allow users to download or sync data to their devices. Whilst this isn’t bad practice it does raise some questions, such as where is that data? Who is using it? How many copies are there?
There are multiple solutions to this problem, such as auditing when data is downloaded to a device, or when data is sent via email. A more advanced method can be to classify and label specific data. Should you have any information you do not want sharing to external users or copies present outside of company devices, there are methods to preventing users from downloading or sharing such data to devices or external users.
Can I track and remotely wipe data from a lost or stolen device?
Your company data is in the cloud, and users access this company data directly from their devices by methods such as syncing the online shares or downloading copies of documents to their device. So what happens if their device is lost or stolen?
Devices can be protected with management solutions which allow for them to be tracked and remotely wiped should the device be lost or stolen. These management solutions offer a huge level of control to a device with further options available such as making sure that the device’s storage is encrypted and kept up to date with the latest security patches.
Should your company allow users to use their own devices that are not managed by the company? Yes, this is evidently riskier in regards to keeping company data safe, but there are still safety measures you can take. Data can be protected using other specialist methods such as only allowing your company data to be accessed in a contained and managed company app. If a user was to no longer have the device, access to the company app can be removed resulting in the company data no longer being accessible from the lost/stolen device.
Do you know if a large amount of data is moved or deleted?
With large amounts of data, it can be hard keeping track of where specific documents are, or changes made by users. This can often lead to data going missing, for example if files have been moved or deleted.
We mentioned earlier that actions can be audited such as when data is downloaded to a device, there are in fact dozens of ways you can audit company data, including any move/delete activity.
However, all the auditing rules available can be in place for logging actions taken on your company data, but is this information particularly useful if you are not made aware should such actions be taken?
There are methods available for alerting/reporting on incidents involving your company data, allowing you to stay informed and quickly resolve any issues, leaving more time for you to carry out your normal day to day tasks.
If you are interested in hearing more about our security services and how Resolve can help you keep control of your company’s data and its whereabouts, give us a call us on 0114 299 4050 or drop us an email on hello@resolve.co.uk
