Making Your Data Safe In The Cloud
17 Jan 2017
We are so used to storing data in the cloud, it is simply how things work these days. Large swathes of your personal life are already cloud-based – all your email addresses, social media profiles, photos etc. are likely to be stored digitally. In your home you may also have connected appliances – also known as the internet of things – such as heating that is controlled via an account synced to an app on your mobile phone. But apart from the occasional news headline outlining the latest data breach, have we given much thought to the security around the storage of data?
The situation is pretty much the same with your business data. Say you are using a Cloud-based CRM package or online accounting software, your key information is being stored in the cloud. What can be done to make sure you don’t see your name on the next news article regarding loss of data?
Make the Building Safe
Well, this is a shared responsibility between your business and your service provider. Your provider needs to maintain a solid infrastructure and a safe environment to manage your data. There are many aspects to this that need considering. Is there a secure back-up in case a data recovery plan needs to be implemented? Are there measures in place designed to protect the building from fire or flood? Is the data encrypted to protect it when at rest? OpenCRM takes the matter of data security seriously, with full details available on request.
Keep the Door Locked
In the meantime, service users (ie you & your business) also need to be conscious of security. The most obvious is to use safe passwords – there’s no point in putting in extensive defences in place in your home, if you leave the front door open. You also need to monitor and think about the users in the system – have you set up permissions to limit access to the relevant data or settings? Do you keep a tight rein on users when they leave your company or change roles? Have you set up audit logs to track amendments made to sensitive data?
When correctly implemented, this shared accountability offers you the best solution to let you sleep easy at night, knowing your data is in safe hands.
My role is to build our Customer Success team and I work with our clients and prospects helping them get the most from their subscription – it is a fun challenging role as no two days are the same. When not in the office I’ll be either making a noise on my guitar or getting my trainers on for a run out in the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors or the Lake District.