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New Study Shows Businesses Are Storing Unprotected Data in the Cloud

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encryptBusinesses have gotten the message: the cloud is the place to be. But in the rush to take advantage of the latest technology, many organizations may be taking costly shortcuts. Sensitive data, left unsecured, may be vulnerable to hackers through backdoor methods, according to a new study from e-Security firm Thales.

Unencrypted Data

The study revealed vast discrepancies in perceived responsibility for data security once a business migrates to the cloud. With SaaS solutions, more than half of respondents believe cloud hosting providers are responsible for security. That responsibility is believed to be shared between the provider and the users in the case of IaaS and PaaS solutions, however.

The biggest flaw in cloud security today is encryption, which is still a tricky area. Businesses like Amazon Web Services give users several options when it comes to encryption, including the service’s Server Side Encryption (SSE) support. However, some services face a challenge in ensuring the encryption is in place in a way that end users are able to see that encryption is happening.

Software Solutions

With so many businesses employing multiple cloud services, server encryption  may not be enough. When a business chooses a SaaS solution like Salesforce, Gmail, Dropbox, or any number of other cloud solutions, data is stored on the host’s server. This means it isn’t enough to check web and data hosts. A business must now also be concerned about security with instance of cloud software it uses throughout its organization.

What can businesses do? One important first step is to check with each of your solutions providers to learn the encryption available for your files. Additionally, businesses can deploy their own encryption at no charge using one of the tools on the market. A business’s cloud services provider can help steer businesses in the right direction in choosing an additional layer of protection on the device side.

Are Your Cloud Files Encrypted? How to Keep Your Data Safe

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One of the safest ways to safeguard the information on a device is to encrypt it. Recognizing this, organizations have been encrypting PC and laptop hard drives for several years using free services like Truecrypt. But as data increasingly moves to the cloud, executives are concerned that files may lack the encryption that they had on traditional hard drives.

Direct Cloud Connection

Workers are increasingly making a connection directly to the cloud for sensitive work files and other content. While cloud hosting providers put the best security measures in place, businesses like the added security of file encryption. Luckily, there are services available that can encrypt individual files. Best of all, these services are free.

One such application is BoxCryptor, which provides AES-256 and RSA encryption for free. Data is encrypted at the individual file level, keeping the file secure no matter where it resides. It provides an additional layer of security that can give businesses concerned about data security the peace of mind they need.

Encryption on the Device

BoxCryptor competitor Cloudfogger encrypts data on the device itself, ensuring encryption is in place before it moves to the cloud. Like BoxCryptor, this means that even if a user’s cloud services provider offers top-notch security at the server level, a duplicate layer of protection is in place. Both services automate the process of encryption so users don’t have to worry about it.

Cloudfogger also has a portable file format, so if a user emails documents or places them on flash drives or external hard drives, encryption will remain. Cloudfogger offers 256-bit AES encryption, which is found in most industry-standard encryption solutions.

Cloud security experts work hard to make sure files are safe at the server level. But by safeguarding individual files, businesses can ensure that no matter where the file stands in its creation and distribution process, sensitive data is safe.