Exposing 10 Cloud Security Myths Putting Your Business Data at Risk

When it comes to cloud computing, the benefits are too significant to ignore.

According to the 2018 Cloud Security Report, 9 of 10 security professionals report they are concerned about cloud security, an increase of 11% from 2017.

While most of those myths have been debunked, certain misconceptions exist even today. The general understanding of technology has improved significantly. However, many businesses still hesitate to embrace it. They fear the change and fail to leverage cloud computing’s potential.

To combat these misperceptions and clear up some of the common myths, we created the below infographic. Take a look at these findings to understand the cloud better!

Cloud Computing Myths Debunked

Ever since the cloud started entering business ecosystems, data security has been a prevalent concern for CIOs. In a recent 2018 Cloud Security Issues Spotlight Report, the majority of respondents said that they doubt the cloud’s security.

Their top three concerns include:

• Protecting against data loss (57%)
• Threats to data privacy (49%)
• Breaches of confidentiality (47%)

Although justified to a certain extent, these concerns are largely inflated.

The public cloud platform does have some flaws that make it inconvenient for sensitive data. As a shared multi-tenant environment, it gives businesses little control over their data and application security. However, this does not mean third-parties can easily access them.

On the other hand, advents of security technologies made a significant difference in how data is protected in the cloud. Today’s vendors have a greater variety of systems and resources at their disposal to secure their clients’ data. Even the public cloud is better protected than most traditional in-house data centers.

Also, data security is not only the vendor’s responsibility. Clients themselves also need to do their part in protecting their workloads. As recently reported by Gartner, customers will account for 95% of cloud security failures through 2020.

This figure may indicate the roots of the myth of cloud security. While it is true that security breaches will continue to happen in the future, they are not always the provider’s fault. Businesses themselves need to take responsibility for their IT choices.

Both service providers and clients need to take steps toward greater security. If both sides follow cloud security best practices, there is no need to fear cyber attacks.

Understanding security and security responsibilities

The latest analyst reports predict that the cloud is becoming growingly secure. Gartner suggests that the number of security incidents on public cloud IaaS platforms will be 60% lower than those in traditional data centers through 2020. As more businesses start implementing advanced security tools, the number of breaches will gradually decrease.

The same report also predicts that enterprises following cloud security best practices will experience fewer security failures. About 60% of companies are expected to benefit that way next year.

Apparently, the sky is clearing out for a lot of businesses. Companies are becoming more knowledgeable about the cloud. They are also savvier about its security. This trend is helping shape a better future for cloud implementations in business.

Data Migration Challenge

The cloud has long been considered a form of disruptive innovation. As an emerging technology, it is both exciting and frightening. In addition to security concerns, businesses also often fear the cloud migration process.

Depending on the volume of workloads that you want to move, cloud migration can be quite challenging. However, it does not have to be complicated or risky. Today’s cloud systems can efficiently estimate workloads and set up new environments in a matter of hours.

Of course, once the workloads are transferred, companies need to implement new data management policies. They need to rework their security and access control guidelines to reflect the changes. Even for companies with large IT teams, this often means some shifts in duties.

If properly planned, the migration does not have to take too long. It can be very efficient, and some of the benefits are immediate. These include improved bandwidth, data availability, and 24/7/365 support. Long-term benefits are advanced protection, availability of backup and disaster recovery resources, and scalability.

Cost-effectiveness of Cloud Implementations

Another major misconception is related to the expected ROI of using cloud services. Depending on the type of service, the prices of cloud resources can vary. Businesses can opt for different storage, backup, networking or computing plans. Some of these may appear pricey, especially if designed for enterprise.

However, the cloud eliminates the need to invest in hardware equipment or IT teams. That already makes it more affordable than traditional platforms. In fact, the ability to outsource these resources on a pay-per-use basis accelerated the cloud’s adoption. Even small businesses can leverage cloud technologies as they are available at a fraction of the price of an in-house environment.

The cloud also makes advanced cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions easier to access. Businesses no longer have to invest in expensive one-off solutions. Even security services are more affordable. Almost any type of enterprise-grade technology can be commoditized through the cloud.

The overall savings are much higher than it may appear at first. Just consider the recent statistics – 47% of respondents in CompTIA’s report said that cost-cutting was the top benefit of moving to the cloud.

By being able to scale resources according to your needs, you have greater control over your infrastructure costs. This advantage enables businesses to plan their IT budgets better while ensuring they always use the most appropriate solutions and resources.

Conclusion: Cloud computing myths and realities

Cloud implementations may take a wide variety of forms. To leverage the cloud’s potential, businesses need to understand its true power and how it can serve their specific needs. Only that way can they plan its deployment correctly.

By falling prey to the common cloud myths and misconceptions about the cloud, businesses can miss out on some significant advantages. The facts listed on our infographic should help you ensure this is not so!