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How to perform a cloud security assessment: 5 key steps

Almost all companies are interested in cloud solutions these days. You will need virtual servers if your business has any IT processes, including electronic documents, databases, and accounting. In recent years, representatives of various fields and industries of all sizes are beginning to make greater use of cloud solutions.
Hacking and cyber security
You can purchase cost-effective online services through the cloud without having to buy the corresponding equipment yourself. The most popular cloud models today are software as a service and platform and infrastructure (SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS).

Another model is Data as a Service (DaaS), which emerged due to the ability to move vast amounts of information to external clouds over reliable broadband connections.

The cloud paradigm is creating a vast market – a large number of major cloud service providers have emerged, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Yahoo, and leading RDBMS vendors such as IBM and Oracle are providing cloud support in their products, which cannot but attract interest from a wide range of researchers.

Cloud technology is an increasingly important part of today’s enterprise. However, to succeed in this technology, providers need to guarantee data protection and access management and minimise the risks posed by different applications.

What is a cloud security risk assessment?

A cloud security risk assessment is an assessment of possible hazards and vulnerabilities in the operation of a cloud system.

In addition to general rules, each business has its peculiarities. A cloud security risk assessment allows you to see the unique vulnerabilities in using remote servers for a particular company in advance. This verification avoids cloud issues, data leaks, outages, etc.

Why are cloud security assessments necessary for businesses?

Using cloud technology to store information, host applications, and other assets provides many benefits in terms of access and expansion. The cloud gives businesses the ability to rapidly accumulate the required capacity. However, when it comes to expanding IT infrastructure, the issue of cloud security usually fades into the background.

The main reason most companies need a cloud security assessment is to look for vulnerabilities. They need to find out exactly where the problem areas occur and then fix them. This allows business owners to have confidence in the security and privacy of their data.

Cloud security analysis allows companies to find out how their Data is being accessed, how information is being managed, and how vital records are being stored. It also enables companies to test their cloud security solutions and settings to see if they can safely store important information.

Five key steps to perform a cloud security assessment

A cloud security assessment is a very important process for any business wishing to store its sensitive data in the cloud. A quality assessment requires resources, time, and expertise. Here are five basic steps to help you perform your cloud risk assessment.

Step 1: Determine the scope of your assets

The volume of assets to be tested is the first thing you need to determine. What do you want to test? What specific assets do you plan to work with? The answers to these questions will help you understand exactly how much work you should do.

Step 2: Classify your Data

Once you’ve established the number of your assets – sort them into categories. Classify by their confidentiality. This will allow you to know which assets are most at risk of being hacked, stolen, or leaked.

Step 3: Figure out your critical threats

In this step, you must intelligently identify the critical threats during data processing. Your trouble spots will vary depending on your cloud security tool and the degree of privacy of the asset. 

You should also run a testing process to discover possible asset flaws. Cloud security evaluators can help you in this matter. This will also enable you to assess the protection of your current solutions and security settings.

Step 4: Run test analytics

Once the testing process is complete – collect all the necessary data and conduct a qualitative analysis of the results. Specify how many vulnerabilities you found, at what stage and where exactly they occurred, how significant the problem is, etc. 

Step 5: Fix the vulnerabilities found.

Fixing the detected vulnerabilities is the most extensive job of the whole process. Check with the experts to find out which possible solutions would be the most beneficial and effective for you.

Conclusions

Companies need to understand their responsibilities. Failure to protect data properly can have severe and costly consequences. Many companies that face the consequences of a hack may not be able to cover the costs; even large companies can feel the effects on their financial results. 

Assessing cloud security is one of the critical steps in building a successful online business, as well as assessing network security. That’s why it’s so important to approach your data security responsibly. Be aware of the risks and factor them into your business strategy.

BIO

Leslie Anglesey is a freelance writer, journalist, and author of various articles with a passion for telling stories about the economic and social situation in the world.

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