FEATURE : SECURITY THREAT
Responsible cloud migration – Overcoming the data security challenge
Alasdair Anderson , VP of EMEA at Protegrity , discusses responsible cloud migration and addressing data security challenges .
Since the world went digital the value of data has been unprecedented , and as businesses race to adopt the latest tech to optimise and monetise their data it is set to increase in value at an exponential rate .
However , while data is widely regarded as an organisation ’ s main asset , data accountability is rarely owned , which can lead to errors that incur fines , loss in consumer trust and impact brand reputation . To ensure best practice , organisations should apply caution when considering their next step in digital transformation , such as when migrating data to the cloud .
Who are you giving the keys to ?
Utilising cloud software promises real-time data sharing and increased innovation through analytics , which can be beneficial to business growth . For fastpaced business environments and busy cybersecurity teams , it is attractive to opt for a third-party cloud vendor as it appears to be a simple solution , and robust cybersecurity measures can be assumed .
On the surface it is simple , however , further investigation provides concerning insights . Firstly , when a customer uploads data to the cloud , they surrender control of their data . Publishing data to the cloud gives the third-party permission to copy or move data without consent – sometimes to locations even the cloud isn ’ t aware of .
Cloud platforms are nebulous , leading to organisations often having their data spread across multiple levels , making it difficult to monitor and the risk of data loss a real threat . Further , when data is placed in the hands of another vendor , it possesses the passwords and encryption keys needed to secure the data . This means
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