Let’s talk cloud, data and cyber security

With so much at stake, leaders and executives in every business need to be aware of cyber security. Waiting until tomorrow could be too late. Reputational damage is often the biggest casualty and costs more in the long run than immediate monetary loss. However, there could also short-term financial loss.

We’ve all read about hacking attempts on big business. However, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security that “it won’t happen to me”. Currency is the same to hackers, so they do not discriminate on who they target; if your data and security is susceptible, you’re a target.

Please also don’t think cloud, data protection and cyber security is the sole remit of your IT or Technology team. We’d advocate businesses devise a strategy – together – that covers all departments. Finance has particular interest here because what it manages is what hackers want.

Is cloud the answer?
Let’s look at what it is first. Ten years ago, personally and professionally we relied on email and USB sticks to transfer large “lumps” of data, for instance photographs, large documents, and transactional items.

With faster internet and more accessible hardware means using, storing and downloading data in the cloud is more prevalent, cost effective and efficient. Just think, no need for huge servers and dedicated resource to manage them – you can’t see the servers, for all you know it is in the cloud! Now, you’ll find us all relying on cloud one way or another and is now fast replacing our reliance on emails.

Business as usual can continue, backups are seamlessly managed, and downloads happen when you want them, and everything seems easier.

You’ll find many, if not all, financial relevant businesses all leaning on cloud to transfer data and request information. HMRC, XERO, QuickBooks, all banks and financial institutions using the advances in the internet and the cloud to demand information from you. Everyone and every sized business needs to get up to speed with the cloud and its benefits.

Yet where there is innovation, it often offers additional questions; “how secure the cloud is?”.

Here some Volarti’s top tips to help you and your business evolve and enjoy the benefits of the cloud:

• Passwords are very important

Ask all your team and all colleagues within your business to change passwords at regular intervals, not be predictable with their selection and don’t share them; this is one-way data and the cloud can be breached. 

• Choose the best cloud system is best for you

As a senior leadership team, do your homework and understand the cost and value to you. Make a collective decision. Ask questions about security and make it relevant to your business. Ask for recommendations and understand how your credentials are going to be kept secure. Two-step or three-step encryption is always a good step for accessing your cloud host; this could be a logon username, password and then an SMS code is sent to you; hackers will find this hard to evade.  And then there’s data…..

• Where’s your data stored and who owns it?

Find out where your server is stored and who owns the data. Does it transfer to your cloud provider once you sign up with them? Make sure you understand, as a business, you know the benefits and virtues of each provider.

• Test, test and test again

As part of your strategy, enlist people to try and break your system. By focusing on exposure you can mitigate risk.
 

About Volarti:
Volarti is a professional company supplying important services to start-up and small businesses, helping ambitious owners to grow and develop. We tailor your requirements to your needs. Whether this is a long term or one-off job we have a flexible approach. We are proud to guide business and industry on:

• Accountancy & Bookkeeping
• Administration & Company Secretarial
• Marketing and Commercial Services
• Payroll 

To find out more, please call 07872 186146 or email: michelle@volarti.co.uk