Customer information, spreadsheets, memos, company correspondence, important files, and more….. Each of these is imperative to your business, and all take up a great deal of space. Keeping all of this information organized and accessible to your entire staff may have been a challenge in the past, but in today’s technologically advanced world, all you need is – the cloud.
The Cloud: A Storage Solution Sent from Above
It goes without saying that the cloud is a gift from the computer gods. Cloud computing seems to be the ultimate tool for businesses. It's user-friendly, customizable, easily accessible, and provides business professionals with the flexibility they need to execute work whenever necessary.
However, one question that comes to mind for many CEOs and business execs is, “Once the information is uploaded to the cloud, how safe can it really be?” The truth of the matter is, as convenient as the internet and modern technology can be there are huge security risks that leave many businesses vulnerable to hackers and con artists.
Expect the Best and Plan for the Worst
With legitimate concerns about security breaches, it is only right for business execs and CEOs to become more involved in finding alternative solutions to bump up security and protect vital information. While there is no surefire way to prevent hackers from retrieving personal and confidential information, being proactive can mean the difference between a quick comeback and an epic fail for your business.
Tips to Keeping Information Safe in the Cloud
If you haven’t already begun to cultivate a plan of action for increased security for sensitive business data, now is as good a time as any.
1. Be Savvy in Creating and Monitoring Passwords – A common practice for personal and business accounts is to make a general password that is used for everything. Bad idea. If the password is discovered, this leaves all of your business information vulnerable. Create a password that cannot be easily determined and even consider changing it on the regular basis (particularly when an employee has quit). There are also plenty of apps out there that you can store your passwords in so that you don’t forget.
2. Encryption – Encryption is a great way to ensure that personal information cannot be easily read by hackers. It scrambles and codes credentials and other information so that no one can utilize the information easily. Encryption software is a great investment, but will take time to learn.
3. Levels of Authentication – Rather than just requesting a username and password, you can request that anyone with access to the system also input a specialized code. So if someone were to get a hold of their login information, they would not be able to access the information without the necessary code.
4. Back Up Your Data – Alright so the whole point of cloud storage is so that you can free up some of the space on your computer. However, you never know what could happen to the information, and while you hope you’re always able to access it, it’s better to prepare for the worst. Back up important information with storage devices such as a flash drive or on your computer.
5. What Where You Access Information- When logging onto your cloud storage site, be sure that you’re careful about who’s device you use and what type of internet source there is. Wi-Fi connections are public, leaving the information vulnerable to anyone on the same server, while logging onto public devices could mean that your information is begin saved automatically.
These tips are sure to help increase the security around vital company information. However, it's also important to select a reputable cloud and computer security service provider that will pull out all the stops to ensure your information is protected. Take your time in implementing strategies that will safeguard information that is most important to your organization. With all the news of security threats going on, a productive CEO is likely to bounce back a lot faster than one who waits for trouble to arise to act.
|