How cloud computing affects businesses in RSA

Issue 1 2022 Information Security

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced numerous businesses to adapt to remote working. The trend does not just affect large companies, but small businesses too. To support a successful transition to remote working, it is important to have the right tools in place.

“As more businesses shift to cloud-based services, it is vital that companies protect their applications and data from cybercriminals,” says Riaan de Villiers, business analyst at LAWtrust Information Security.

The MyBroadband 2019 report examined the South African cloud market and business use of cloud services. According to the study, 71% of companies back up their data to the cloud, making cloud computing security critical for ensuring high levels of security and preventing data breaches.

Cloud computing security ensures that company data and applications stored in the cloud are protected. “It also provides multiple levels of protection against any data breaches in the network infrastructure," explains de Villiers.

In order to optimise the benefits of data security in enterprises, cloud computing solutions must be considered as part of a comprehensive security strategy. Businesses can profit from the following five advantages of cloud computing security.

Keeping data secure: Many cloud computing security solutions are designed to secure data stored in the cloud. They implement strict security measures, such as strong access controls and data encryption to ensure that cybercriminals do not gain access to important business data.

Detection of advanced threats: Cloud computing security can detect threats more easily due to its use of end-point scanning and global threat intelligence. This can help businesses to determine whether they are at risk of cyberattacks or not.

Regulatory compliance: Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent, causing a number of businesses that have shifted to cloud computing services to be more concerned about the security and privacy of their information. However, cloud computing solutions can enhance security to ensure compliance and protection of crucial business information.

A high level of availability: Cloud computing-based services offer high availability, which means they can keep business systems running even if some components fail. With a cloud security solution that meets best practice standards, a company's data will be protected when there are disruptions.

Effective protection against DDoS attacks: Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS) attacks are extremely disruptive and can cause significant damage to an organisation. Cloud computing security could easily detect attacks and provide you with the most effective protection. Businesses must take advantage of it to monitor and mitigate DDoS attacks.

“For businesses that use cloud-based technologies to facilitate remote work, it is crucial to maintain good security posture to keep their data private and secured at all times,” concludes de Villiers.




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