Whenever we connect to the network we must maintain our security. But this must be made even more latent when it comes to working on the Internet or using certain sensitive services or platforms. In this article we are going to show some interesting tips to protect security when we are going to use or work with the cloud . We already know that there are many tools linked to this possibility on the Internet.
The cloud is increasingly used
The cloud has undoubtedly gained significant weight in recent years. More and more services or tools are based on this online system to store information, manage data and offer certain characteristics and functions to users.
There are many services that we have available. We can save files of all kinds and have them available anywhere, share them between devices or users, create backup copies, work remotely and share documents between members of a team and many more possibilities.
But undoubtedly all this means that we must take extreme precautions . We must always bear in mind the importance of preserving security so that our accounts are not compromised and not run the risk that this type of useful service will turn against us.
How to protect security when using the cloud
It does not matter if we are private users or a company. In all cases we must protect security when using the cloud. Therefore we are going to show some important recommendations for this.
Protect our accounts
A key point in protecting cloud services is protecting accounts . We mainly mean using passwords that are strong and complex. These should contain letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers and other additional characters that provide the necessary randomness to make it as difficult as possible to find out.
This is something that we must apply to online services, physical devices such as a NAS server and any element that is part of the cloud.
Use two-step authentication
Additionally, beyond creating passwords that are complex, we must also have the option of using two-step authentication . It basically means that when logging in from a new device, for example, we would need that second step, which can be a code that comes to us by SMS or the use of applications that generate passwords.
It is, as we can see, an additional barrier to passwords. This possibility is increasingly present in the network and it is very convenient to activate it whenever it is available.
Avoid storing credentials in the browser
Sometimes for convenience we decide to store the passwords so that the next time we log into a service we do not have to enter the credentials again. We can do this, for example, in the browser.
Now, keep in mind that this could be a problem. It is true that security should be present at first, but we do not know if there may be a vulnerability in the browser in the future and therefore affect those credentials that we have stored. Therefore our advice is to avoid saving the data.
Maintain tools of the job independently
Are we going to use our personal computer to access company systems? Our advice is to keep those tools and devices independently . That is, on the one hand the personal and on the other the work. In this way, we will avoid that a personal computer may have some type of malware and that it affects the cloud services that we are going to use for the company, for example.
Check security options
Normally the services we use in the cloud have different security options . We can modify some of them to have more guarantees and thus avoid problems that compromise our privacy or proper functioning.
We must take a look at all these options and change the parameters that can help us gain greater protection.
Use only official tools
This point is very important. Whenever we are going to use any tool to connect to the cloud, we must make sure that it is the official one , that we have installed it from legitimate sources.
It is true that sometimes we may find ourselves with the possibility of installing third-party programs that may have certain additional functions, but this could compromise our security and is not advisable.
Have computers protected
Of course our equipment has to be properly protected . It is essential that we use security tools to prevent the entry of malware and other threats that could compromise us.
A good antivirus is basic. This is something that we must apply no matter what operating system we are using or what type of device. Keeping systems protected can in turn help protect the services we use in the cloud.
Systems always updated
There are many occasions when we can find vulnerabilities that affect our operating systems or the applications we use. Fortunately, the developers themselves frequently release patches and updates to correct these problems.
For this reason it is necessary to always have all the equipment updated with the latest versions. This will improve security, in addition to making the most of resources.
Common sense
Although we have left it as the last tip, common sense is something very important. Many attacks, many security problems, come from problems committed by the users themselves. For example downloading a malicious attachment, opening an insecure link, etc.
In short, these are some of the main tips that we can apply to always maintain security when using the cloud. It does not matter if we are home users or if we are going to work using these types of tools.
