Why Switching to the Cloud Can Improve Your Network Security

Industry News & Information

The cloud offers many advantages. Cloud service providers often handle the hassle of updating software, operating systems, and hardware. They also typically provide turnkey solutions for smaller shops ready to jump right into work that requires an IT infrastructure. One of the best advantages of using the cloud, though, is that it offers small-to-medium sized businesses a secure information systems environment.

Here’s why switching to the cloud can improve your network security.

Centralized Security Management

Consider this scenario: you have a mission-critical app that all of your employees use. It’s deployed to each of their workstations. Then, one day you read a report that there’s been a security threat discovered in the app. Fortunately, the company that produced the app also has a patch for it. You have to not only get that patch to your employees, but you also have to find some way to assure yourself that each of them correctly applied the patch.

That could be a logistical nightmare.

Now, consider the same scenario except that your employees access the app via the cloud. In that case, there’s really only one copy of the app and your cloud service provider centrally manages it. The service provider will handle the task of installing the security patch and your employees won’t have to do anything. In all likelihood, they won’t even know that a threat was detected.

That’s one distinct advantage of the cloud. It offers centralized control, making security updates much easier.

Cloud Service Providers Offer Excellent Security

Even if you have the space for a local IT infrastructure and can afford to buy the equipment necessary for an in-house solution, it’s not likely that you’ll match the security expertise of cloud service providers.

Simply put, cloud providers routinely immerse themselves in data security standards and make themselves aware of the most recent threats. They offer years of experience and unparalleled expertise in information systems security so that you can sleep peacefully at night knowing that you’re in good hands.

Less Threat From Unhappy Employees

Let’s face it. We live in a world where petty grievances are often settled in an unprofessional manner. Unfortunately it is not unheard of for disgruntled employees who know that their job is on the chopping block to act out. Even worse is when an employee doesn’t feel that he or she has been treated fairly and commits some type of industrial sabotage to mess up your business.

Fortunately, with a cloud solution, you can mitigate that risk. That’s because the hardware that someone would physically damage is in a remote location. If an angry employee tries to upload a virus, rest assured that the folks at your cloud service provider would notice that immediately. You’ll get a report about the employee’s actions and no damage will be done.

Many People Won’t Even Know Where Your Servers Are Located

In the event that somebody wants to physically gain access to one or more of your servers, it’s likely that the person wouldn’t even know where your servers are located. That’s because your servers would be offsite in a secure location. Heck, the servers might not even be located at the same address where you send your monthly payment to the cloud service provider. In other words, you might not even know where your servers are physically located.

Even if somebody with cruel intentions does know where your servers are located, that location could be hundreds of miles away from your business. That means the unscrupulous hacker will have to travel a very long distance just to find a way to even break into the building where your servers are located.

It’s not going to happen.

Cloud Service Providers Keep Everything Up to Date

Sometimes, older systems are more prone to an attack just because they’re older. The good news is that cloud service providers go out of their way to keep their hardware, virus protection, operating systems, and software up to date. As a result, they minimize the risk of an effective attack.

Some people think that public cloud solutions aren’t as secure as in-house solutions. However, the fact of the matter is that the right cloud service provider can offer your organization an exceptional level of security.