The Michigan IT Experts

Step one, we need to establish whether or not cloud storage is safe in and of itself. This will ultimately fall to the provider you are effectively entrusting your data to.

Cloud Storage Security Depends on the Cloud Provider

Cutting a long story short, it really is as simple as that. There are plenty of means that your cloud provider has to help ensure the security of your stored data on their infrastructure—because that’s all the cloud really is: an infrastructure that you can use remotely instead of using your own. In this case, you’re simply using someone else’s server to store your data.

Due to this, your data’s security is wholly dependent on the protections that the provider has (or has not) put in place.

Ideally, your provider will have made sure that your data is protected by a variety of safeguards, including encryption, access controls, redundancy, and cloud monitoring, with these features tested regularly to ensure that your data is properly secured. Any quality provider will be doing so to the best of their ability, with their servers locked down and guarded behind their own security features and personnel.

Data Also Needs to Be Available

Of course, data that your business can’t access is (for all intents and purposes) data that doesn’t exist, so you need to be sure that your cloud storage provider can also ensure that you have access to everything you’ve entrusted to them. 

There are numerous reasons why this may not be the case, ranging from user error, mechanical failure, or local disaster leading to a service disruption on the provider’s end to a successful cyberattack upon the provider.

However, Most Cloud Security Issues Originate from the Client’s Side

The unfortunate truth is that it is much more likely that any security issues you experience with a reputable cloud storage provider will likely come from an issue present on your end. There are a lot of examples as to how this can happen, including:

• The use of shadow IT, in the form of one of your users also storing data on another, unapproved service or platform
• Files being inappropriately shared
• Insufficient passwords being used to protect access to cloud resources
• Accidental data deletion by a user
• Insecure and unauthorized devices being used to access cloud resources

In short, the cloud is very secure indeed—the problem is usually the person using it and how it was set up. This makes it critical to your company’s successful and secure use of the cloud that your users understand how to appropriately utilize the cloud in a way that maintains security while also allowing them to be productive.

That’s where we can help. Give us a call at 810-230-9455 today to learn more about how we can help secure your operations, including your use of the cloud.

What is Encryption?

There are countless codes and ciphers out there, like the famous Caesar cipher where you take the original letters and switch them according to a set number down the alphabet. For example, the Caesar cipher with a shift of nine might look like this:

“Vjwjpnm bnaerlnb jan cqn bdyanvn xycrxw oxa j kdbrwnbb bnntrwp jbbrbcjwln frcq cqnra RC.”

It’s relatively simple to decipher if you have the key, but the problem is that lacking the key means that it just looks like total nonsense. Encryption works in the same way, but on a fundamentally more complicated level. Encryption software takes data, scrambles it through the use of an algorithm, and uses a key provided to unscramble it. The data remains private until the key is used to unscramble it, making it the perfect tool for ensuring data is safe while it’s in storage or in transit.

That jumbled text above, once decrypted, translates to “Managed services are the supreme option for a business seeking assistance with their IT.”

Encryption is a powerful tool that can be used to secure websites, hard drives, or even individual emails. It can also be used wherever you might store data to secure it.

When is Encryption Needed?

Encryption should be used wherever sensitive data is involved, especially if it is sitting in storage or being shared through email.

Want help incorporating encryption into your business’ protections? We’re here.

If your business wants to implement encryption, NuTech Services can help. To learn more, reach out to us at 810-230-9455.

“I Resolve to Put Security First.”

Cybersecurity is one of the most important parts of running a business, especially as more and more operations shift to an online environment. Today’s threats range from minor inconveniences to major security breaches that threaten a business’ continuity. That being said, you need to take it seriously now by implementing cybersecurity awareness and preventative measures long before you suffer from a breach.

There are several simple ways you can improve your business’ security. First, you must implement and maintain basic cybersecurity protections like a firewall and antivirus. Second, your team must also understand how to respond to threats directed at them and what needs to be done to mitigate them. Phishing attacks are still quite common, so they must be prepared. Finally, your team needs to know which behaviors they exhibit make your business vulnerable. Proper training on best practices can go a long way toward mitigating these challenges.

“I Resolve to Make the Most of My Technology.”

In simple terms, your team relies on two sets of technology: the one you currently use and the one you will implement in the future. You can adopt a mindset that allows your business to prioritize both of these. Your current solutions, for example, require your team to have knowledge of how to maximize the value they get out of them—a process which will likely require extensive training. If you can identify the core software and applications your business uses and commit time to training each of your users on them, you can more effectively utilize them in the present and the future.

As for looking forward, it’s always helpful to keep an eye out for new innovations and up-and-coming technologies that you could implement later on. If you can embrace new technologies and approaches that mesh well with your business model, you’ll get the most out of your solutions and the resources using them.

“I Resolve to Encourage My Team’s Collaboration.”

Collaboration is a priority for many organizations, but bringing a team together to make sure that it is done appropriately and efficiently is an excellent resolution to consider in the new year. Many modern applications have built-in collaboration tools which make it easier than ever to provide effective means of collaboration for your team. You just have to make sure that the people on the team are aware of the features and actively use them.

Wherever your priorities lie this year, we are confident that we can help you achieve them. To learn more, reach out to us at 810-230-9455.