Executive Guide

The accelerated move to multiple cloud technologies for business operations has increased the level of data privacy and security attention for this specific area.  Not only are executives more aware of the repercussions if they don’t stay on top of the necessary privacy and security measures, but the industry as a whole is expanding coverage on cloud technology environments and security, data privacy procedures and regulations, plus the rising risks to the cloud environment.

When you find that a majority of organizations expect to be primarily cloud-based within the next 24 months (Immuta and Gradient Flow survey), this tells you just how much data will be moving in and out of the cloud.  Furthermore, all business data, company apps, and business operations will be conducted on the cloud too, which creates a dependency on the environment.

With everything cloud-based, all of a company’s customer, employee and overall private or personal data passes through the cloud, which makes security and data privacy that much more important.

An ideal way to evaluate your company’s state of data privacy and security for the cloud, as well as your overall environment, encompasses procedures, tools and technology, and people.

Here’s a succinct and easy to follow guide to help you do this.

Evaluating the state of data privacy and security for the cloud and your overall environment.

• Procedures: If you are going to follow where your data has been and where it goes, to have a way to check your data’s movements in the cloud and your hybrid work environment, you want to have something that is streamlined and tracks all data movement – in and out of the network, offline, on all devices, software, apps, etc.

Thanks to a company’s overall cybersecurity posture, having a set of policies and procedures in place is something that you can use to get started.  When you revisit what you have set up, make additions that expand to your cloud environment.

Make sure you map out entry and exit points, update new devices that you connect or disconnect to, and keep in mind that cloud technology environments have a different way of being assessed.  In other words, they require different tools than what the security industry have been using for assessments in the past.

• Tools & Technology: Tools and technology facilitate your tracking, plus they integrate assessments that will provide you with greater visibility into the cloud.  Last week we talked about the difference with cloud security and cybersecurity, check it out to find out more:  https://ncxgroup.com/2021/11/the-difference-between-cybersecurity-and-cloud-security/

It is ideal for companies to have tools and technology that can check your cloud environment in a way that integrates what is needed to do a good job.  The old security technology is good for regular assessments, but clouds need something more specific due to their environment being different than that of a network or data center.  The tools that check on patching and updates or even setting up automated updates doesn’t mean you are secure in your cloud, which is why data is at risk.

• People: While data privacy can be pretty straightforward for people to follow, keeping data secure is a bit of a different subject since it involves activities people are not used to actually doing themselves (it’s not their subject matter of expertise). Additionally, when you add to the pile of things to do that are based on patterns of behavior or thought that are not in their way of working or their day-to-day mindset, it makes it a bit challenging for them to keep in mind and/or put into action. This is where micro-learning and cyber awareness training can come to the rescue.

Whether employees work at the office or at home, when using the cloud and accessing company data they need to know how to do so with security and privacy in mind.  Micro-learning cyber awareness training has helped data privacy and security become something consistent in the enterprise.

This is because bite size learning provides a consistent cybersecurity culture lesson, so it will stick.  It also holds effectiveness thanks to it being regularly conducted and holding simulated exercises that get employees to put everything into action.

Learn more about micro-learning cyber awareness training on our blog post on the topic: https://ncxgroup.com/2021/06/make-your-remote-workforce-safer-with-cyber-awareness-training-and-micro-learning/

To succeed in today’s digital world, companies are learning to stay on top of data privacy and security.  With the adoption of the cloud, the cybersecurity measures from the past won’t suffice.  This is why you want to revisit your processes, tools and technology, and people with data privacy and security for the cloud in mind.

If you need support to get an assessment for your cloud or to get started with cyber awareness training, or you want to talk to a cybersecurity expert to figure out what you need to do in this post-pandemic cybersecurity adaptation, schedule your free consultation.

Here’s the link to book a time that works for you: https://calendly.com/ncxgroup

Photo courtesy of ImageFlow