The cloud is often thought of as the perfect software for data analysis. It is a safe and secure ‘place’ to store all the information you need to, and it is easily obtainable when any kind of analysis needs to be done. But is it actually as safe as it seems? 

There is no denying that cloud technology has changed the way in which we work. It offers great advantages for all types of businesses, large and small, as well as individuals who are keen to keep their data safe. Data protection is a huge issue these days, and if the cloud offers security that nothing else can, then it must be doing something good. The problem is that the cloud is not infallible, and when it comes to data protection and data classification tools, it is certainly far from perfect. The implications that any breach in the cloud could bring to businesses are something that everyone should be aware of. 

There are often cyber-attacks that are dedicated to getting into the cloud and retrieving the data there. If such an attack were to happen on your company’s cloud servers, what would the outcome be for both the company and the people who trust it? Cyber attacks are ever-changing, and although technology is attempting to keep up with it, it doesn’t always succeed. Ensuring that your protection is as up to date as possible will, however, help you and minimise your vulnerability to attacks. 

Another issue with the cloud is the risk of corruption. When files, such as those used for data classification, are moved – downloaded or uploaded to the cloud – there is a danger that the files can be corrupted, or modified in some way that makes them impossible to use. This is just one of the reasons for backing up data in a number of places if at all possible. Although the cloud is used as a backup itself, having additional backups is so important. The problem with this and data protection is that there are then many copies of the data classification software and the information within it on a variety of different devices. This could even include workers using their own tablets or mobile phones to do backups. Therefore, the security of the information is diluted. 

The best way to get around this is to ensure that only pre-authorised backups are made. This can happen by using reputable small business managed IT services. And if you choose to use encryption to protect the data in the cloud, you must make sure that it is an up to date encryption service. Choosing software for data analysis that is hosted on the cloud is an excellent idea in most respects, despite the dangers. Knowing those dangers is essential. 

If the cloud is your choice for software for data analysis, and you want your identity access management to be entirely secure, then there are some things you can do. The first is ensuring that your software is up to date. You can also have a good backup plan should something go wrong.