Modern businesses are increasingly digitising their operations because it makes them efficient and productive. These changes can lead to greater revenues and give a company an edge over its competitors. This digitisation process often includes cloud migration because operating on cloud platforms allows employees to collaborate better and complete their projects quickly.
Cloud migration also empowers companies to hire talented workers from foreign countries and maintain a remote workforce. This allows them to save money and have access to the best talent that can advance their business goals. Cloud-based business tools allow employees to seamlessly share work files and work on the same project even if they are not in the same location.
However, working over the internet presents some cybersecurity risks because it gives hackers the opportunity to intercept sensitive business information. Business owners have to be aware of these risks and be ready to take the necessary steps to protect their organisation.
Some companies assess these risks and may prefer to stick to an offline mode of operation to protect themselves. However, that is rare and often impractical in the digital world we inhabit today. So for the ones that decide to proceed with the digitisation process should consider adopting the following best practices:
Cybercriminals that target companies often inject malware into their systems and to prevent this, business owners can install antivirus programmes on their computers. Antivirus programmes can detect and block malware before it enters a computer system. Software developers use machine learning in cybersecurity software they create to identify patterns that signify the presence of malware so they effectively detect and remove them.
Antivirus programmes can also scan computers to detect malware that is already present in a computer. These programmes keep computers safe and secure and prevent the spread of malware from already infected computers.
Businesses that want to use cloud computing services have the option to either build their data centers or use a third-party cloud service provider like Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, or Amazon Web Services. The latter is often more affordable so more businesses tend to use it so they can save money. It is recommended that companies only use reliable third-party cloud platforms because they often use strong security measures to protect their infrastructure. This will reduce the likelihood of a cyber attack being successful.
Companies that use cloud platforms should implement identity management so only their employees can log into their systems. This will prevent cybercriminals from accessing their systems and extracting data that they are not supposed to see.
The identity management system should request employees to authenticate their identity whenever they want to sign into the platform. They should also be required to provide their login credentials when they have been away from their computer for some minutes.
Access controls restrict the movement employees can make in a cloud platform. Employers should embrace it because it makes employees stick to the parts of the cloud system that directly concern their jobs. It prevents rogue employees from extracting important information about their company that they should not be privy to. Also, it limits the damage if a hacker is able to steal an employee’s login information.
Business cybersecurity should be a shared responsibility. Every employee should be aware of the risks they face so they can take the necessary steps to protect the organisation. Business owners should organise cybersecurity training sessions for employees and executive leaders alike and provide training resources so their employees can learn how to recognize and effectively fight against cyber threats.
Cybersecurity incidents can hinder a company from operating smoothly, thereby impacting its revenue and reputation. They should consider following the best practices outlined above to protect themselves from harm if they will be digitising their operations. Lastly, they should create disaster strong cyber incident response plans so they can quickly recover if a cyber attack on them is successful.