Ralf Riethmuller
Heads the service department at KUMAVISION. In this role, the technology expert is also responsible for Cloud, Teams and office 365
Scalability, flexibility and cost efficiency: The Cloud-Technology offers many advantages. But what about security? How reliable is sensitive company data in the? Cloud actually protected?
There are many myths about that Cloud-Security. In this article we get to the bottom of the prejudices and show which functions are leading CloudProviders like Microsoft Azure have developed to protect your data XNUMX/XNUMX.
Why home is not the safest place
Experts agree: The Cloud is often more secure than traditional on-premises infrastructures. Nevertheless, many people keep it Cloud too risky. The server in your own company building appears to be a more secure solution. And that is understandable. Because it's a good feeling to know that sensitive data is stored in your own basement instead of hundreds of kilometers away at another company.
However, this is a fallacy. Because cybercriminals don't care where the server is located. The only important thing is how well the respective system is secured. And this requires a lot of time, know-how, personnel and money. Therefore, when it comes to IT security, small and medium-sized companies in particular are often left behind. Finally, with limited resources, it is challenging to adequately respond to threats such as malware, phishing and social engineering. So what to do?
Security in the hands of experts
Cloud-Vendors like Microsoft invest heavily in security to protect their customers' data and applications. Another advantage: They have a large team of security experts dedicated exclusively to preventing threats and improving security. Companies receive first-class security solutions without having to bear the costs alone.
It's worth it. According to studies, companies that use Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) can reduce security breaches by up to 80%. This is primarily due to the fact that SaaS solutions are always up to date and therefore secure. The providers of SaaS platforms take over the regular maintenance and updating of the software. And this ensures that potential vulnerabilities and threats can be quickly identified and averted. On-premises systems, on the other hand, have update cycles that are far too long due to the complex update process. Security software is therefore only updated as part of regular maintenance processes. The latest functions are therefore not available. This can have serious consequences. Because security is always a race between attackers and defenders. And if you don't keep your technology up to date, you lose out.
This is how Microsoft protects your applications and data
Microsoft Azure is one of the most trusted Cloudplatforms worldwide. It offers more than 200 integrated security services and features and has an impressive track record of providing secure ones Cloud-Services for businesses of all sizes.
- Firewalls: Microsoft uses firewalls to monitor data traffic and block unauthorized access.
- Encryption: Data is encrypted at various levels both at rest and in transit. This ensures that even in the event of a security incident or unauthorized access, the data remains unreadable for third parties.
- Access control: Role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data.
- Backups: Microsoft regularly creates backup copies to enable recovery in the event of data loss or corruption.
- Virus and malware protection: Various Protection mechanisms used to detect and block malicious software.
- Identity and access management: Strictly manage user identities and access rights to ensure only authorized users can access resources.
- Topicality: Microsoft takes responsibility for automatically updating systems and applications in the Cloudto close security gaps and protect your system from known threats.
- Monitoring: During the Cloud There is continuous real-time monitoring for suspicious activities. Microsoft also uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and block potential threats and security breaches early.
- Distributed Denial of Service: Azure has built-in DDoS protection to protect applications and services from overload attacks.
Did you know…
... that more than 10.000 security experts at Microsoft analyze and track over 65 trillion signals every day? That's over 750 billion signals per second.
Source: “Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2023”
Don't trust anyone
Users and devices within the corporate network are trusted. That was the assumption until now. Therefore, the focus of identity and access controls was primarily on securing network boundaries. However, this architecture does not address today's complex, interconnected world with ever-changing threats. The Zero Trust model therefore takes a different approach: no entity, neither user nor device, is automatically trustworthy regardless of location. This ensures that access to company resources is not granted based solely on popularity.
The Zero trust model is based on several basic principles:
- Request authentication: Every entity, be it a user, a device or an application, must be constantly verified before being granted access to resources.
- Prevent misuse: Users and systems should only be given the minimum permissions required to perform their tasks.
- Mitigate impacts: The network is divided into smaller, isolated segments to limit access to resources.
- Monitoring and analysis: Threats are identified early by analyzing log files and other security information.
- Secure access control: Applications and data are accessed based on policies that control traffic flow, authentication and authorization.
Microsoft has actively integrated the Zero Trust model into its security solutions and products, including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). Services like Azure Conditional Access allow organizations to set policies to control access to applications and data based on various factors such as user identity, device health, and location. This enables granular access control and increases security.
Microsoft Defender for Identity is another important component of Microsoft's Zero Trust approach. This service monitors user behavior and detects suspicious activity that could indicate insider threats.
It's not just the technology that counts
Malware, in the form of viruses, Trojans, spyware and ransomware, can enter a system when an employee carelessly opens an infected attachment or clicks on a malicious link. Phishing attacks are designed to trick users into disclosing sensitive information by impersonating trustworthy people or organizations. Social engineering, on the other hand, aims to exploit human weaknesses. Attackers use deception, manipulation, or fraudulent communication to obtain information. This can range from fake calls claiming to be from IT support to fake emails from executives requesting sensitive data.
The trust and negligence of an individual employee make the difference between a successful attack and an unsuccessful attempt by the cybercriminal. Inattention or rash actions can have devastating consequences in these situations. That's why it's crucial to promote strong security awareness within your organization. Regular training and awareness activities are essential to make your employees aware of the potential dangers and train them to recognize and respond appropriately to suspicious activity. In this way, the human factor can make a significant contribution to warding off potential threats before damage occurs.
Seize the opportunities
The Cloud offers you the opportunity to strengthen your security, improve responsiveness and save costs at the same time. Don't let widespread concerns stop you from taking advantage of this technology. Therefore, weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and build trust in them through training Cloud on. So you can stay safe in the Cloud work and at the same time concentrate on their core business.
