This is my final article in the Cloud Computing series. I too have learned a lot while doing my research in preparing for each article. As the old saying goes, “If you want to know how much you know about a topic, teach it!” In my case, write about it.
The number one concern I hear from small business owners when the subject of “the cloud” comes up is, “How safe is my company’s and clients’ data?” So I thought it would be appropriate to end the series addressing this question. Let’s take a look.
Can We Trust the Cloud?
A few weeks back, Google broke the story about a major cyber attack against their internal systems. During Google’s ongoing investigation they found at least 20 other large corporations were targeted; U.S. Congressional and industry sources suggest at least 34. The repercussions of this attack on large computer systems has created waves across the computer industry to the top levels of government, with demands for an explanation being made from the White House.Many of us store our private emails, documents, and financial information online, trusting our personal and business information to the cloud. The future of computing may bring us to rely almost entirely on the cloud. But when we cannot be assured our online data is completely secure, it calls us to question our trust in online computing and storage services.
But before the doom and gloom sets in, keep in mind that online services provided by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, HP, and others are some of the most dependable and secure data systems available today. They have teams of highly-skilled engineers who constantly program, maintain, backup and update their systems. Compared to the lax security and data backup practices of today’s Small and Medium Businesses (SMB).
Whether to trust your data to the cloud or not is something only you or your I.T. team can decide. Regardless if your data is stored locally or online, it is always critical to maintain regular backups. A combination of on-site, off-site and online data backup services should be considered as part of a comprehensive data backup and recovery plan. If your business relies on data, the life of your business may depend on it!
One fact noted by Google’s investigation is how some user accounts had become compromised due to targeted phishing scams and malware on user’s computers. This underscores the responsibility each of us has to maintain security on the computers we use to access the internet.
What You Can Do:
From the first computer virus in 1971 and into the foreseeable future, the reality is we can never be complacent about computer security. This means establishing and maintaining best security practices all the way to keeping yourFacebook account secure. Some good ways to keep your computer secure include:
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Use a modern, high-quality anti-virus software and ensure it is kept updated. Use secure, proven browser software when accessing the internet.
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Practice common sense while browsing, avoid web sites you do not know or trust. Visiting web sites or using P2P file sharing software that promise “free” illicit content such as commercial software, music, movies or adult material may expose your computer to dangerous malware. This includes smart phones.
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Back up your data regularly
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Maintain physical security of your equipment, especially with portable devices such as a laptop computer, smart phone or PDA. Password-protect and encrypt your data where applicable.
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Use a good password and do not share it with others. Change your password if you suspect unauthorized persons might know it.
If you missed the other articles in our Cloud Series, click the links below:To find out more about the benefits of cloud computing and how it can make sense for your company, contact IntegrIT Network Solutions at 425-787-0193 or click HERE to send us an email now.
