Any IT setup needs to follow the compliances set by the industry of the organisation. By moving data from your internal storage to an off-premise cloud environment, there are certain procedures and regulations that need to be considered.
Cost-savings, improved productivity and the ability to work from any location are just a few of the benefits of opting for a cloud approach to IT. But, a benefit that is typically left in the dark is how the cloud can improve security for your organisation whilst aiding regulation procedures.
With 66% of organisations falling under compliance regulations such as SOX, HIPAA, PCI/DSS and even FISMA, they need a quick fix that provides complete support and management of internal security.
When it comes to these organisations, it’s important to understand how technologies like cloud and virtualisation are now able to create robust environments.
Cloud technology advancements
Cloud technologies are constantly evolving. Standard UTM firewalls are no longer efficient to prevent cyber threats such as hacking and malware. We are now seeing direct integration into the application, data and even use layer.
Entire applications can be placed behind intelligent, heuristic, learning engines which monitor and report unusual behaviour as and when it occurs. Not only do they protect internal resources, they continuously monitor them, even out-of-hours. Pair this with systems which are able to operate inside and outside the network and you’ve got a pretty robust security platform.
In comparison to a traditional IT model of backing up data to an in-house external hard drive and rarely being aware of security threats before they actually occur, you can understand how advanced cloud technology really is.
Secure file-sharing
Evidently, one of the key components of cloud technology and storing business-critical data in the cloud is who will own and have access to the data. Modern organisations have very new and very advanced security demands.
With the increase in remote working and desire for flexible working, this is making it harder than ever for security administrators to monitor users and their activity to ensure compliance with regulations.
This results in the need for a more secure way to share, control and deliver data in a cloud-ready platform.
Meeting compliance can be difficult. Platforms such as Citrix ShareFile can provide organisations with the tools they need for secure collaborative working and file sharing. With such platforms, administrators have the ability to monitor and record data both on-site and in the cloud.
Certifications and registered standards are taken care of
Depending on the industry your organisation is in will depend on the regulations that have been set in place to ensure that data is handled in the most appropriate way.
Anxiety around security in a cloud environment is one of the major reasons for IT professionals to refrain from adopting cloud computing. This black hole of not knowing where data is stored, where it can be accessed and who manages it can make the adoption of cloud technology seem like more of a risk than an opportunity.
It is important that cloud providers have the certifications needed to reflect their abilities to ensure complete confidence in the storage of customer data. By educating customers on the opportunities cloud technologies provide for data protection and those who will manage it, the journey to compliance becomes less daunting and they will instead view data and application hosting as a hassle-free way of meeting regulations and compliance.
The ball is still in your court
As cloud has continued to progress, the security models that support cloud computing are allowing more granular controls over key security components. With 60% of cloud providers delivering services to simplify compliance, businesses are able to focus on the key elements of the organisation.
However, ultimately whether an organisation meets certain regulations or not is completely dependent on the tasks carried out by the customer and not the managed service provider.
Service providers are responsible for putting in extra protection mechanisms for data encryption, but they should not be held completely responsible for providing customers with total compliance by offering their services.
Customers must present their security demands to the cloud provider if their industry-specific compliance standards dictate them. The data needs to remain the customer’s responsibility and therefore, they should still have some involvement in ensuring the procedures given by the cloud provider are meeting their demands.
Cloud solutions enable organisations to meet their industry’s compliance and regulation requirements without the hassle. By removing the worry of ensuring data is being stored correctly, businesses can focus on the day-to-day whilst leaving the bigger picture to the hosting providers.
Atlas Cloud was the first UK managed services provider to obtain the ISO 27001 accreditation. In addition to this, features on the Government’s Digital Marketplace on G-Cloud 9 and Cloud Industry Forum.
For more information about how the cloud can aid your organisation to meet security compliances and industry regulations, do not hesitate to contact us today.
