What is Cloud Storage Security?

Cloud storage security includes technologies and practices businesses use to protect their data in cloud storage solutions. This can consist of safeguards against theft, deletion, unauthorized access, or file corruption.

Why is it So Important?

Some security issues are the same between cloud storage and on-premises frameworks. However, moving to a new environment can pose new risks and compliance complexities. Organizations should understand their risks and responsibilities for keeping data safe in the cloud.

Understanding Cloud Storage Security Risks and Threats

While cloud storage offers ease of use and simple scalability, it can also come with new risks that can be more common in the cloud. Here are some of the top cloud-related security threats and risks to keep on your radar.

Malware and Ransomware

Organizations of all sizes need to be prepared against ransomware, which accounted for one-quarter of all data breaches in 2023. With ransomware, a user will click on a malicious link in a phishing email, download the wrong link, or neglect to update their software for known vulnerabilities, giving the attacker access to their systems. Once inside, a cybercriminal will encrypt files or lock the user out of their device, demanding a ransom for decryption or access.

Ransomware can often be used with malware, which is malicious code that can infiltrate cloud storage and infect files, steal data, and encrypt as part of the ransom.

Data Breaches, Corruption, and Unauthorized Access

Bad actors gain access to your confidential, sensitive, and valuable information through data breaches. While ransomware is one method cybercriminals may attack the software supply chain or enter through a business partner. Initial attack vectors can include zero-day vulnerabilities, cloud misconfigurations, system errors, or even malicious insiders. The most common starting attack vectors in 2023 were phishing and stolen or compromised credentials.

Insider Threats

Employees within a company can sometimes pose a data security threat and misuse, steal, tamper with, or leak valuable or sensitive data. Approximately 6% of data breaches start with malicious insiders, so while they are not as common as phishing or stolen credentials, inappropriate use and access from inside employees can be a material threat.

Accidental Data Deletion

Cloud storage data deletion can also be completely accidental. Team members may press the wrong button or think data should be deleted without realizing its importance. Without a backup in place, this can severely impact business performance or reduce trust in the company’s security.  Accidental data loss happens with about the same frequency as malicious insiders, costing businesses $4.46 million on average.

Poor Security Patching

A zero-day vulnerability is a previously unknown software security risk that attackers can use to exploit your systems. Patching software at regular intervals can substantially reduce this risk. However, users may ignore updates if they aren’t mandatory. IT teams also need to stay vigilant to prioritize critical patching. Known, unpatched vulnerabilities are responsible for about as many data breaches as malicious insiders and accidental data losses.

Shared Responsibility Model

Businesses that migrate data to cloud storage need to be aware of the shared responsibility model and the role they play in keeping data safe in a cloud environment. Cloud providers like AWS will implement infrastructural security measures, but businesses still need to secure their data within the platform through strong access controls, robust password policies, and encryption.

Compliance and Legal Requirements

Some industries and types of businesses will be legally mandated to implement certain data security protocols. Understanding the compliance obligations for cloud data storage can help businesses avoid fines and sanctions while keeping data safer.

How Do I Make My Cloud Storage Secure?

While organizations may take many approaches to protect data, here are seven best practices to follow to enhance cloud storage security.

Apply Access Controls, Multifactor Authentication, and Identity Management

Access controls determine who can access data and what actions they can take with the data – reading, writing, and deleting, for example. Multifactor or two-factor authentication determines and adds steps a user needs to take to log in, which can include an authentication key, a physical key, and using multiple devices. Identity management is a system businesses can use to set access permissions in cloud storage based on user identities.

Use Strong Encryption and Key Management

Data should be encrypted at rest and in transit, which means it should be scrambled when moving between points, as well as when it is in cloud storage so that it cannot be read without a decryption key.

Encryption keys used on the data should also be stored with a key management system to prevent unauthorized access.

Implement Data Backup and Disaster Recovery

Data that is only available in one place will always be more vulnerable than data that has a backup somewhere. Regularly backing up data to a separate location, especially one that is geographically distinct, can protect businesses from data breaches, natural disasters, accidental deletion, and more.

A disaster recovery plan should include a strategy for data backups, but should also outline how a business will restore data and applications after an outage or major security incident. This may include switching to another system automatically or manually and should detail the parties responsible for ensuring the backup works and testing it regularly.

Setup Monitoring and Logging

Unusual behavior can be a sign of malicious activity, such as logging in at odd times or users attempting to access parts of the system that they don’t normally use. A monitoring tool can identify unusual file modifications or unauthorized login attempts. Logging can track user activity for auditing purposes, which can help trace suspicious activity or analyze an incident after it’s been identified.

Create Patching Policies and a Patch Management System

Vulnerability management through a strong patching policy can reduce the threat of zero-day vulnerabilities without requiring much effort. Set a patching policy with a schedule for making updates – this might be once a month or once a week, depending on the criticality of the data available in your cloud storage. For example, Microsoft has Patch Tuesday on the second Tuesday of every month. Businesses may also implement a patch management system, which may include automated steps to ensure patching is done routinely.

Utilize a Segmented Network Architecture

Moving from an on-premises to an off-premises cloud storage solution may feel like you’re migrating data into one large pool. However, there are steps you can take to segment data. Network segmentation is where businesses divide their network into segments to isolate more sensitive data, keeping it separate from areas that are publicly accessible. This can reduce the harm caused by security breaches.

Leverage Storage Architecture with Advanced Security Features

To make your cloud storage more secure, you can use storage infrastructure with advanced security features such as:

• Immutability: Ensures data stored in the cloud cannot be modified or deleted, providing protection against ransomware and data breaches
• Secure multitenancy: Enables providing the security of a dedicated environment with the cost-efficiency of a shared storage environment
• Comprehensive security solutions: Including security and business continuity, managed networks, and guided by a team of experienced IT professionals

Perform Routine Security Assessments and Audits

On a high level, organizations should look at their systems periodically to identify new vulnerabilities that may call for additional IT security measures. Businesses may also want to bring in outside professionals to audit their cloud storage security if they lack in-house expertise or don’t have enough time to review their cloud security posture.

Building a Strong Cloud Storage Security Plan

Boosting your cloud storage security posture starts with a solid plan incorporating solutions with advanced security features, such as ransomware protection with immutability or Dedicated Storage as a Service powered by Pure Storage. Need help creating a plan? TierPoint’s IT security consulting services can help you create a strategy and execute it to protect your data both in the cloud and in transit. Contact us to learn more.

What is Cloud Storage?

Cloud storage allows organizations to store their data with a cloud storage provider, which provides easy access to data online from remote servers. Businesses could store photos, documents, applications, and videos using cloud storage, reducing need for on-premises infrastructure.

What is Local Storage?

Local storage is where users store data on the enterprise’s own hardware, such as corporate workstations and servers or on an on-premises data center run by the company. While there can be accessibility with local storage that extends beyond one device, there may also be limitations, such as not being able to access data when away from the office.

What is the Primary Difference Between Cloud Storage vs. Local Storage?

The primary difference between cloud storage and local storage is who owns the storage and how the data is being stored and accessed. Cloud providers handle data storage and access with infrastructure they manage, which can be scaled up and down based on business needs. Local storage is either on a particular device or on a server that manages all office devices.

Pros and Cons of Cloud Storage

Because of its flexible nature, cloud storage offers benefits that include scalability, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, companies should also consider potential downsides, such as vendor lock-in, internet dependency, and security concerns. 

Pros of Cloud Storage

Compared to traditional local data storage methods, cloud storage is highly scalable. Businesses can increase or decrease capacity on demand without purchasing more physical hardware or worrying about underutilized resources. This can be ideal for organizations with fluctuating storage needs. Cloud storage is also normally more cost-effective. You only have to pay for what you use and reduce infrastructure costs.

One key benefit of cloud storage is its improved accessibility, which enables greater collaboration. Users can access their data from any device, whether they’re in the office or not, and can collaborate on files live more easily. This avoids issues that come with versioning or competing file names that may get saved to different devices or an on-premises server.

Cloud storage can be a key piece of business continuity planning as well. With cloud storage, organizations get built-in redundancy with data replicated across multiple servers, often in geographically distinct locations. This can protect data from natural disasters or hardware failures. Cloud storage servers also tend to automate data backups, reducing the risk of data loss from hardware failure or accidental deletion. While businesses are still responsible for specific aspects of data security, cloud storage providers may have infrastructural security measures in place as a first line of defense for stored data.

Cons of Cloud Storage

Despite cloud storage’s advantages, organizations should still be mindful of its limitations. While it’s more accessible, cloud storage relies on an internet connection for access, and particularly synchronization. Even if users have files or applications set for offline access, they can’t be updated in the cloud without a connection, so reliable internet is necessary.

Storage in the cloud is often more cost-effective than local storage; however, businesses should understand their options and weigh the benefits against vendor lock-in. Switching to a new cloud storage provider can be complex, especially for organizations storing a lot of data with one provider. Dependencies can pose an issue, and depending on the vendors you choose, easy export options may not be available. Pay-as-you-go models can be less expensive than local storage, but exceeding set storage tiers or storing large amounts of unnecessary data can run up a bill.

Cloud providers cover some security measures, while others are the customer’s responsibility. For example, data is encrypted in cloud storage, but organizations need to think about what happens when data is downloaded or accessed by various devices.

Pros vs. Cons of Local Storage

Cloud storage has become a big business, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit in every case. Local on-premises storage can offer more data control and sovereignty, as well as speed and performance, for businesses that need it. However, data capacity can be more limited when stored locally.

Pros of Local Storage

Unlike cloud storage, local storage affords an organization complete control over its data. Because the data resides on a physical device, such as a computer or on-premises server, the user has more direct control over data privacy and security.

Local storage also normally offers faster data access compared to cloud storage. Latency is reduced because data retrieval happens directly from a device. When applications need access to larger files, this speed can be essential to proper performance.

An internet connection is also less important, or not important at all, with local storage. In an environment with unreliable internet access, local storage may be your only option to retrieve and manage data.

There is also a potential for lower costs with local data in some instances. For businesses that have predictable storage needs that don’t vary much from month to month or year to year, they may be able to create a plan with on-premises storage options that are more affordable than a cloud storage subscription option.

Cons of Local Storage

Because of its limited capacity and lack of resources compared to cloud storage, many businesses may find that they’ve outgrown local storage options. Organizations that are growing may not want to shoulder the additional expenses associated with purchasing new hardware, maintaining, or troubleshooting storage challenges.

Local storage is also more prone to data loss due to the lack of automatic backups. If the server or device is damaged, data may not be able to be recovered after an outage, deletion, or ransomware attack.

Data can also become more isolated with local storage, creating data silos and conflicting versions of the same file. This can make collaboration, particularly remote collaboration, more challenging.

What to Consider When Choosing Between Cloud and Local Storage

Some businesses may find that local storage suits their needs. In many cases, cloud storage can be hugely beneficial, but it can also be a significant undertaking to migrate data to a new environment.

Before choosing cloud or local storage for your data, consider the following:

1. Scalability and Growth Projections

Cloud storage is much more scalable than local storage, making it ideal for businesses with fluctuating requirements. Local storage scalability is generally limited to the physical infrastructure your organization has purchased.

2. Performance and Latency Needs

Slow internet connections can increase latency and reduce performance in the cloud, which is especially noticeable for frequently accessed files. However, cloud providers offer tiered storage so businesses can prioritize performance where it matters most. With local storage, users have faster access to data with no internet latency. This may be appropriate for larger files.

3. Existing IT Infrastructure and Resources

Minimal IT infrastructure is required for cloud storage. The cloud providers are responsible for most of what is needed to maintain cloud storage. Local storage, on the other hand, requires more IT infrastructure, as well as additional resources for storage device maintenance and management.

4. Data Security and Compliance Requirements

Cloud providers encrypt data and typically have a few different options for encryption. However, users still have to think about data security on external servers. Local storage offers complete data control and sovereignty, but security is dependent on the encryption and backup strategies implemented by the business. Depending on the regulatory standards your business has to meet, compliance may be satisfied better by one storage approach over another.

5. Cost and Budget

Cloud storage operates on a pay-as-you-go model, which can change based on storage usage and features. Local storage is most expensive on the initial investment, with no recurring costs outside of energy and maintenance unless there is a need to upgrade and add more equipment.

6. Additional Considerations

You may also want to consider how much collaboration you need around data. Will teams be working on making real-time updates that are better suited for cloud storage? Disaster recovery is another consideration – cloud storage has built-in redundancy for data protection, which may be important for more sensitive information or operation-critical data. Internal resources may also play a role. Cloud storage requires less in-house technical expertise compared to local storage.

Cloud Storage vs. Local Storage – Which is Right for You?

Your organization’s needs will dictate whether cloud or local storage is optimal for you.  Cloud storage offers enhanced scalability, accessibility, and inherent redundancy compared to local storage solutions. Although the transition process demands thorough planning, TierPoint can help find the right storage solution for those seeking these advantages. Our IT advisory services can help you take the next step on the path to digital transformation, improving collaboration and fluctuating with your needs.