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Cloud security: 3 reasons why your on-premise mindset is holding you back

How do you defend something that you don’t physically own?

You can’t build a wall, erect a fence or dig a moat around your perimeter. So, what’s the alternative?

When it comes to cloud security, often you can’t approach the problem with the same old on-premise mindset. Instead, you need a contextual security plan driven by the specific needs of your data, workloads and applications. What works for the servers in your datacentre, just doesn’t work as well for the cloud and so your on-premise strategy will often fall short of your new requirements.

Here are three reasons you need to change your approach to cloud security.

1. Cloud security requires API defence

On-premise storage solutions often rely on disconnected security tools. They are not driven by internet connected APIs. However, when you migrate to the cloud, you need API compatible security tools. If you attempt to use legacy tools that don’t speak the same language as your APIs, you’ll end up losing security control and visibility.

2. Cloud security boundaries are different

One of the biggest advantages of the cloud is its accessibility. Your employees can access business resources from anywhere in the world – something that is simply not possible with static, on-premise servers. Of course, the side effect of this increased accessibility is that your security boundaries change.

On-premise, traditional security tools such as firewalls work well, as long as they are kept up to date. However, with cloud solutions, your perimeter is far more dynamic, and you cannot rely solely on firewall protection.

In most cases, you need additional lines of defence such as Identity and Access Management (IAM) to keep your data locked down. Using services like Azure Active Directory, you can deny or allow user access, depending on the data you want them see. This reduces the risk of insider threats and accidental breaches.

3. Cloud security is a team effort

With on-premise storage, you are entirely responsible for end-to-end security. With the cloud, security is a team effort between a cloud service provider and your business.

While there are a host of security benefits to cloud adoption, you’re still equally accountable for the safety of your data. After all, Gartner predicts that ‘through 2022, at least 95 percent of cloud security failures will be the customer’s fault.’

If you don’t adapt your security measures to accommodate your new cloud reality, chances are it won’t be Microsoft Azure that fails you. Whether it’s your employees clicking on a malicious email link or a failure to properly secure remote working devices, there are some basic requirements that every business must meet.

But it doesn’t have to become a daily chore. With the right help, you can implement increased security and threat detection alongside disaster recovery, managed backup and other business continuity measures. A clear and flexible strategy makes it possible to adapt to evolving threats and mitigate issues before they compromise your business.

Staying grounded while your head’s in the cloud

In 2018, 51 percent of companies publicly exposed at least one cloud storage service. This is why, when you move to the cloud, you need to adjust your approach to security and data protection. If you don’t, you leave your business vulnerable.

The danger is that security becomes an afterthought rather than a driver of cloud adoption and your team no longer knows how to keep your business safe. Fortunately, in most cases, careful planning and documentation is the perfect remedy to this predicament.

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