How To Use Cloud Storage Services Securely

The services provided by cloud storage have never been as convenient as it is now and anyone can access files at any moment and at any location around the world. This accessibility is however accompanied with more security responsibility. Using the cloud implies giving personal or organizational assets to the third party and changing the security model of a local machine to a distant network. Any approach to leveraging the potential of the cloud must be an active user-centered one. This guide provides a five-part framework which will help you make sure that your files are private, secured, and recoverable, the very basis of transforming your relationship with a cloud provider into a partnership-driven on the basis of sound security practices.

A Five-Point Framework of Secure Cloud storage

Identify Storage requirements and classify data

The first move towards any successful security plan is to have a proper evaluation of the tools as well as the assets at hand. This implies due diligence in choosing a professional cloud service provider with well-developed security measures including independent audits, articulate privacy guidelines, and a good record. Most importantly, prior to putting something on the net, you need to categorize your information. Sensitive files such as tax records, proprietary business information or medical files should not be mixed with the general data. The degree of protection is determined by this classification. The files with the greatest sensitivity should be saved in the services that are assured of providing zero-knowledge or end-to-end encryption and might even demand pre-encryption. Never entrust the RDBMS to cloud services without these basic checks on the data that has to be confidential.

Impose Core Account and User Security

Weak user practices undermine the safest platform. The second defense you would have is to make sure that foundational account security is a universal requirement. This includes the use of powerful, special passwords, or passphrases containing symbols, numbers, and case sensitive letters, and never used on other systems. But more than all, you should use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on each and every account on the cloud. MFA admits an additional authentication measure (such as a code in an application or a physical key) over the password and effectively neutralizes the risk of credential theft. The devices that are connected to the cloud should also have updated operating systems and antivirus software as the point of entry is the most vulnerable element in cloud security.

Emphasize on End-to-End Encryption Mechanisms

Although the majority of the large cloud providers encrypt data when stored in their servers (at rest) and when being transferred to or off their device (in transit), users should look after the services that imply the highest possible level of data protection. The best security solution is End-to-End Encryption (E2EE). Under E2EE, the data is encrypted on your computer and it does not leave your computer as it is encrypted and is decrypted only on the computer where the recipient is located. This technology makes the files unusable even by the cloud provider so that the data becomes inaccessible even to the unauthorized parties such as hackers or employees of the service. This high level of protection of privacy makes the user the only holder of the decryption key.

Apply Dynamic controls of access and sharing

Share files with the use of the Least Privilege principle. This progressive way implies granting user, teams, or other outside collaborators the least amount of permission required to perform their task. Rather than giving them permission to edit, they ought to be given permission to see. Passwords and time limits should be used at all times when generating shareable links. A file link which has eternal existence is an unwarranted threat. Also, it is important to periodically update permissions on shared folders. In the case of a finished collaboration project, reinstatement of an access by outside parties should be canceled immediately and the folder must be returned to the default privacy state, thus reducing the possible attack surface in a continuous manner.

Monitor Activity, Audit Logs and ensure recovery.

The secure cloud environment is not a set up that needs to be reinforced once. First, make and check activity logs of your service. These logs provide an auditing trail of all the individual users who accessed particular files and when so that by quickly going through them you can notice any unusual or suspicious activity. Second, use versioning and the backup capabilities. The versioning of objects prevents the accidental deletion, corruption and particularly ransomware attacks, as you can immediately roll back to an uninfected copy of a file. Lastly, perform a regular audit (once every quarter is sufficient) to validate all permissions in your accounts, links to active shares, and the devices that are attached to your cloud so that only the authorized elements are still integrated.

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