Cloud migration offers numerous benefits for businesses in many industries, and it is steadily gaining traction among today’s modern organizations. Research company Gartner forecasts an increase in global public cloud revenue of as much as 17.3% in 2019.
With the rising popularity of cloud hosting services, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages and risks that could come with this system. Financial concerns are an important thing to consider when dealing with cloud migration, as you will likely be uploading sensitive financial information on an accessible platform.
To prevent such instances, your cloud hosting services must comply with cybersecurity standards like having a secure navigation system so that only authorized individuals can access these documents. Data encryption is another feature you want to look for in your cloud, so third parties cannot easily take hold of classified materials. Without this, your company is susceptible to cyberattacks.
With that in mind, it is important to employ verified cloud and hosting services to secure your cyber presence. Over the past years, there have been numerous digital assaults on large private corporations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and even educational institutions. Hacking has become one of the most common cybercrimes, with the hacker’s intention varying from a harmless prank to a dangerous goal of accessing sensitive information.
Understanding hackers’ motivations can greatly help to anticipate their actions. One thing to take note of is that often, the main goal of hackers isn’t to steal data but to manipulate it. When hackers have control of your data, they can do greater damage and leave fewer traces. For instance, they can rig an entire election process to make it seem like their candidates won fair and square.
In the current pace with which science is advancing, hackers can likewise have more access to sophisticated technologies. Chief of these is artificial intelligence.
The impressive ability of AI to adapt and learn can allow hackers to make human-like attacks, which can easily bypass security checks looking for automated activities. The offensive AI, which is a malicious attack code, can be updated easily, and can even mutate itself to learn its environment as it goes, greatly compromising systems while being virtually undetectable.
The most alarming part of this is how hackers are also using AI to speed up polymorphic malware, which can change the source code of your online systems, altering it in small enough sections that aren’t easily identifiable to an automatic computer scan. IT professionals across the globe are working hard to combat the malicious use of AI, and are consistently updating systems to block offensive attacks.
C5 Capital founder Andre Pienaar states that the greatest advantage of cyber defense is speed, and that AI is developing ways to detect much more complex threats from third parties, in shorter periods of time. Nevertheless, cybercriminals can just as easily adapt to the times and find a way to circumvent these security measures.
Trickbot, which is an AI-based malware, plagues organizations regularly. It enters a network in a way that is similar to Homer’s Trojan Horse, and it propagates and infects the system. The worst part is that changes are easily made, but detecting and remediating them is quite difficult.
Ultimately, the human component of your business can still be its own best defense. Ensure that your systems are always up to date, and properly educate your employees on the value of security. Update passwords and login credentials on a regular basis, and remind your employees never to talk about company matters outside of the office. Secure all lines so that only authorized access points, like determined locations or verified devices, can be used to access your online database. Sensitive information should also have a physical backup that should be safeguarded in a secure location.
Ultimately, have a sophisticated security protection in place. At CMIT Solutions, we start with a robust network perimeter, including managed firewall, active management, and regular inspections. We’ll also implement proactive monitoring of your systems, including anti-spam protection, anti-malware software, and more. We believe your team is your first line of cyber defense, so providing your staff with security training should be high on your list.
Contact us today to find out more about our products and services.