Is Your Data More Secure In The Cloud?

It goes without saying that cloud computing has profoundly changed the way we live our lives (and will continue to do so); from the social networks we use to connect with others, to the TV shows and movies we stream from our sofas, the cloud is an unavoidable part of modern life. In business, too, the cloud is increasingly vital to the present and the future, facilitating a rapid shift towards remote (and hybrid) working, and fostering greater collaboration between teams.

But of course, when it comes to any rapidly-developing technology (particularly one that is so all-encompassing), there will inevitably be questions and concerns around whether its impact is wholly a positive one. There are risks, sure, and it’s understandable that as individuals (and as business leaders) we’re wary of a cloud-based future; for instance, one of the most common questions you’re likely to hear is, “is my data more secure in the cloud?”

Cloud Security and Network Security

Often, the assumption is that it’s not, since having your data spread across multiple, geographically-diverse servers (and theoretically accessible from any device and/or any location) surely means it’s more exposed to external threats and those with malicious intent? It’s a legitimate concern, but the truth isn’t quite so clear-cut. While the cloud does inevitably introduce new security concerns, in many ways it’s an even more secure environment. So is your data really more secure in the cloud?

First, let’s compare the historically more traditional on-premises model of data storage to the now more widely-used cloud-based method.

On-premises vs cloud security

On-premises

An on-premises model (as the name suggests) involves housing all of your servers (and subsequently all of your data) in a single location — normally, an office building. While this approach is becoming increasingly redundant as more and more organizations migrate their infrastructures to the cloud, many legacy resources remain on-premises, while a number of organizations use a combination of on-premises and cloud-based solutions.

From a security perspective, an on-premises approach means all security functions reside on-site; this theoretically means that you have more control over the security of your data, but it also requires an ample IT budget (physical servers will require periodic maintenance and system upgrades) and extensive expertise to keep up with rapidly-shifting cybersecurity concerns. Put simply, data security in an on-premises environment is likely to be costly and heavily resource-intensive. These factors can be limiting when it comes to security, which often means that organizations are ill-equipped to deal with (or recover from) attempted security breaches.

The cloud

In a cloud computing model, your servers and your data are not stored in a single, physical location, but rather across multiple, interconnected data centers in a number of locations. This means cloud users are effectively leasing data center resources, usually from a third-party provider. A cloud hosting platform like Cloudways, for example, utilizes over 65 data centers spread across Europe, The Americas, Australia and Asia, with providers such as Amazon (AWS) and Google (GCP) providing the infrastructure.

When it comes to data security, it would seem as though you’re ceding more control, as typically your infrastructure is managed by a third-party provider rather than in-house. In reality, though, the only difference is where (and how) your data is stored; with most cloud providers, you have the flexibility to cede or retain as much control as you wish. Furthermore, handing over control to your cloud provider is a good thing when it comes to security: typically, their platforms come replete with in-built, multi-layered security features (like Dreamhost’s free domain privacy tool and its automated malware remover) which remove the burden (and lower the cost) of maintaining a secure environment.

Is the cloud more secure?

While the cloud can never be 100% secure (almost half of businesses have experienced a cloud-based data breach in the past twelve months), it is generally considered to be the safest way to store and process data. Since nearly all data stored in the cloud is encrypted, anyone attempting to access that data needs to gain access to the digital key (which is incredibly difficult for even a sophisticated hacker to do). What’s more, in addition to the fact that most cloud providers will offer a raft of security features to ensure the safety of your data, a system of multiple servers means that if data is compromised, it’s nearly always recoverable. That’s not often the case in an on-premises environment.

Ensuring the security of your data while in the cloud comes down (mainly) to two things: firstly, choosing a cloud provider that prioritizes not only performance and ease-of-use, but robust security (encompassing features like firewalls, SSL certificates, two-factor authentication (2FA) and end-to-end encryption); secondly, it’s about ensuring your cloud migration strategy is well-planned, methodical and not rushed.

The unanticipated speed at which several organizations ‘migrated’ to cloud solutions in response to the global pandemic (quickly facilitating the need for remote and hybrid working) meant that many were left with messy, ill-fitting infrastructures, often foregoing the proper security provisions and leaving their data vulnerable to attack.

Regardless of whether your cloud service provider offers ample in-built security features, it’s important to always practice good security hygiene (and to ensure that all employees within your organization are aware of the risks and their responsibilities). Do they know how to spot (and report) a phishing attempt, for example? Have you enforced password length and complexity rules that will protect your company from brute-force attacks? Even in a cloud-based world, cybersecurity remains the responsibility of everyone — not just the cloud experts.