Did you know that 94% of organizations already use at least one cloud service? While cloud services adoption is not a big surprise… Cloud services have their own share of security concerns.

The “shared responsibility” model

Although cloud service providers are responsible for the security of the cloud service, you -the customer- are responsible for the security in the cloud service.

Take example from the automotive industry… despite the fact that the manufacturer is responsible for the safety of the vehicle, by conducting crash tests, installing airbags, safety belts, and so on; you -the driver- are responsible for driving with care, wearing the safety belt, etc.

So, even with cloud services, the “old-school” rules still apply; meaning, that you also have to do “your part” to safeguard your data.

Turning a blind eye, won’t make the risk go away…

Myth #1: I am in the cloud, there is no need for backup

No no no, this is a major one! Backup is backup, regardless of cloud services or not. I’ve seen quite a few cases, of pain and tears, regarding corrupted files, deleted emails and failed customers’ servers that hosted in respectable cloud services. Data backup is your responsibility, don’t expect otherwise!

Myth #2: My data is not safe in the Cloud

It depends… Many cloud services have rigid security controls in place to safeguard their customers from a potential data breach event. However, you need to take into account the “shared responsibility model” -and do “your part”- to make sure that you have established all the necessary controls to keep your data secure. Note, that through 2022, at least 95% of cloud security failures are predicted to be the customer’s fault.

To be honest, an attacker will try to take advantage of your “bad security practices” to gain access to your account. Therefore, basic security controls like, multifactor authentication, antimalware systems, security awareness training, etc., are paramount for securing your data.

Myth #3: All cloud service providers are the same

When did that happen? As all cars are not created equally, the same stands for cloud services. Moreover, the cloud has its own set of characteristics that make it more vulnerable.

Expanding on the “shared responsibility model” you need to make sure that the cloud service provider -of your choosing- has all the necessary controls in place to safeguard the privacy of your data. Usually, the leading cloud service providers -like Amazon and Microsoft- have the necessary certifications, like ISO27001, Secure Harbor, etc.,  at your disposal.

Myth #4: Cloud Services won't 'go down'... ever!

This is simply not true. While cloud services are quite stable, things can go wrong… and eventually, will go wrong! We’ve seen outages even amongst the leaders. However, they have precise “incident response” procedures, and appropriate resources, to mitigate such incidents quite effectively.

Shall I move to the cloud then?

You probably already have some, if not all, of your business data hosted to one, or more, cloud services. Nowadays, it’s the norm. You just need to be aware of the risk involved and the steps you need to take to properly alleviate it.