10 Best Tips to Protect your Cloud-Based Data in 2023

Everyone and everything seems to be moving to the “cloud,” a place that many view as untrustworthy and vulnerable.

However, there’s a whole ecosystem of knowledge, tools, and upgrades that can ensure safer cloud storage.

In fact, cloud security is more adaptable than ever in 2023. Are you not convinced?

If you worry about the safety of your data on the cloud, then you must read the ten cloud security improvements listed in this article.

Let’s take a look…

10 ways to boost your cloud security

While you or your business may not be the size of Meta, attacks on cloud-based storage are still possible.

Follow along with the tips below to beef up your cloud security.

#1. Get a clear picture of your “attack surface”

First and foremost, you need to get into the mind of a hacker to really understand what’s at risk.

Here’s where getting an idea of your attack surface comes in handy. Essentially, an attack surface is an inventory of data that would be targeted in a breach.

Once you have an overview of your attack surface, it’s much easier to prioritize extra security on the datasets that need it.

#2. Zero trust model

“Zero trust” frameworks are being implemented throughout the business world for their inherent security measures.

Zero trust works on the assumption that each request is a possible breach.

Zero trust requires authentication as usual, except that you’ll need to continually validate your identity with each request.

This applies to everyone in your company too, as a hack can come from any account.

#3. Encrypt everything

Everything that passes back and forth from your computer to your cloud can be swatted out of the air with a Man-In-The-Middle Attack.

To secure your data in transit, you need to implement a company-wide Virtual Private Network (VPN). To learn more, read the head-to-head comparison of Surfshark vs PIA, two major figureheads in the VPN industry.

#4. Define user access

Whether or not a zero trust model works for you, it’s essential to define user access. You and your workers should have just enough access to company data to be efficient, and no more.

Even your CEO doesn’t need access to all business data. By defining user access, you limit the number of ways a breach can occur.

#5. Restrict delete rights

Similarly, limiting the right to delete is important to maintaining cloud security. If everyone can delete whatever they want, one compromised account can mean the end of your business.

Just like user access, decide who needs the right to delete cloud data, and remove the option for anyone else. Alternatively, requiring Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for deletion is also effective.

#6. Keep secure backups

Millions of cloud-storage users are utilizing this technology as a secure data backup. The glaring problem is, what if your backup gets hacked?

Keeping current backups of your cloud data ensures that you won’t lose everything in a hack. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

#7. Constantly monitor for the suspicious user activity

Continuous Security Monitoring (CSM) tools take the hard work out of server monitoring. This plays a huge role in keeping your cloud security strong.

CSM tools scan for suspicious user activity, security vulnerabilities, or faulty code. Some CSMs allow for easy integration with your cloud-based server.

#8. Record user logs

While some CSMs do this on their own, not all do — recording user logs is vital to tracing breaches back to their source.

Without these logs, it’s practically impossible to find the entry point of the breach and therefore, patch the hole.

Being aware of the causes of certain attacks also helps to improve disaster response in the future.

#9. Remove inactive or ex-employee accounts

In 2019, the ransomware gang “The Darkside”, hacked Colonial Pipeline through an inactive staff account without MFA.

This simple mistake caused over 10,000 gas stations to run out of fuel.

Make it a part of company procedures to delete user accounts once the individual no longer needs them.

Every single account is a doorway into your cloud, and the old, unprotected ones are a hacker’s favorite prey.

#10. Beware of what you place in your cloud storage

It might seem a tad obvious to most of you, but it deserves a mention — corrupted files are often the “inside man” in cloud server breaches.

Every file, even pictures, should be scanned thoroughly for any devious code. If hackers can’t penetrate your system, then a malicious file can get the job done for them.

On-premise vs. cloud-based storage: which one is safer?

On-premise storage could potentially be as secure as cloud-based storage, if only for one major caveat. Most network hacks occur through compromised user accounts.

Cloud storage mitigates this threat by separating servers from user workstations.

However, just because cloud storage is more secure than on-premise doesn’t mean it’s impenetrable.

In August 2019, Facebook was hacked, exposing over 530 million users’ data. The tech giant took almost two years to notify their users of the breach, by which time the stolen data had appeared online in a public database.