Modern cloud servers have replaced the need for organizations to own physical servers that take space and time to configure. So instead, they turn to cloud server providers who cater to business requests. By doing so, organizations get increased efficiency and the ability to scale for a fraction of the cost. Cloud servers make collaboration easier for remote teams and even acts as a source of data backup. It’s no wonder 94% of enterprises have turned to modern cloud solutions for their servers.

However, there is a possible downside to consider: security. This is corporate data we're dealing with, and companies would face difficulties if this were to be compromised in a breach. But how can one protect their business from such an occurrence, especially as dependency on the cloud increases? Let’s take a look.

Why a Reliable Proxy Server is Essential

Proxy servers sit between the internet and users trying to access it, so it's generally the first defensive line. Having one is greatly helpful for businesses because it reduces the likelihood of cyber attacks reaching the servers. IBM found that 95% of organizations in a survey had experienced at least one data breach.

A proxy server will encrypt data packets that are sent through it, which makes it hard to hijack. Even if they were compromised, the attacker would not be able to analyze the encrypted data and it would remain secure. Additionally, a user behind a proxy server has their IP address masked, helping maintain anonymity and protecting them from malicious tracking attempts. As an example, this would be vital for financial institutions as they handle sensitive data.

Apart from this, a secure proxy server will also prevent any unauthorized entry into the network by outsiders. With filters and configurations, they could cut down access to known harmful websites, protecting employees as they browse the web. When it comes to enterprise solutions, businesses naturally consider the education of employees who need to use various software.

While this is a well-known consideration, it’s still worth highlighting that such services typically require minimal preparation on the user’s part. All companies need is to ensure their digital operations are secured with reliable proxy protection. The ease of use remains a key advantage that users highly value.

Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication or MFA has become increasingly common, and some companies even demand their servers have this as another layer of protection. The way this works is that a request for access needs to go through various forms of verification before entry is granted to view data or apps.

These days, passwords prove to be insufficient and no matter how secure one is, it still runs the risk of being cracked. In fact, 81% of data breaches occurred due to weak or stolen passwords, showing their inefficiency. This is why MFA has become essential. That said, businesses should not simply rely on MFA to bail them out but instead opt for secure passwords as two defenses are better than one.

Regular Software Updates

There is no software free of security vulnerabilities and the same is true for cloud environments. This is why it’s critical to stay on top of software updates when they become available as these often include security patches that fix issues. Patches are security fix releases where developers cover up any known points of weakness in the software or cloud environment that hackers can use to get access to data.

Another handy feature of even minor updates is that they fix bugs and other defects so a performance increase might be witnessed. Additionally, some companies require that you run the latest software version and this is generally a best practice approach to avoiding security issues.

Encrypting Cloud Data

Encryption was briefly mentioned as one function of a proxy server, however, that only works during the transfer of data from one location to another. Another way to ensure data security in transit is by using protocols like HTTPS and TLS to avoid data being intercepted. While this is needed, another form of encryption applies to data at rest, that is the information stored on a business’ cloud server.

This data should be encrypted as well which would convert it into an unreadable format and would be allowed to be readable through a decryption key. This stored data, even if stolen by someone, would not be accessible to unauthorized people. Encryption will also add a layer of extra security to the cloud server and help achieve data integrity.

Conclusion

Security issues remain with any software but the important thing is to ensure complete coverage on your part as a business.

This means taking into account all issues that pose a risk to data and attempting to secure using the methods discussed. It also helps to have a security department in place that actively monitors and checks such issues.