Follow These 7 Routines to Keep Your Cloud Assets Safe from Internal Threats

The reason most companies face data breaches is that they overlook the internal threats that can compromise their cloud assets. This happens because many organizations focus primarily on external threats, neglecting the risks posed by their own employees or authorized users. Without the proper routines in place, internal threats can lead to significant financial loss, reputational damage, and the compromise of sensitive data.

Which is why it's essential to follow these seven routines to keep your cloud assets safe from internal threats. We're going to walk you through:

• Implementing strong access controls.
• Monitoring and analyzing user activity.
• Educating employees about security best practices.
• Regularly updating and patching cloud software.
• Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Regularly backing up cloud data.
• Conducting regular security audits.

By following these routines, you will enhance the security of your cloud environment, safeguard your sensitive data, and minimize the risk of internal threats. Let's dive into each routine and explore the key steps you can take.

Routine 1: Implement Strong Access Controls

Opening: The first routine to safeguard your cloud assets is to implement strong access controls.

To protect your cloud assets from internal threats, it's crucial to control and manage who has access to your data and resources. By implementing strong access controls, you can prevent unauthorized access, limit the scope of user privileges, and ensure that only authorized personnel can interact with critical assets.

Why it's important: Implementing strong access controls is important because it helps protect sensitive data and prevents unauthorized access. By controlling user permissions, you can reduce the risk of insider threats and protect your organization from both intentional and accidental unauthorized actions.

Stat: According to a study by Verizon, 34% of data breaches involve internal actors. This highlights the importance of implementing robust access controls to mitigate internal threats.

Benefit: The benefit of implementing strong access controls is that it enhances data privacy, reduces the risk of insider threats, and strengthens your overall security posture. By enforcing the principle of least privilege, you ensure that users have access only to the resources they need to perform their job responsibilities.

Mistake: One common mistake organizations make is failing to revoke or update access privileges for users who change roles or leave the organization. Outdated or unnecessary permissions can increase the risk of insider threats.

Actionable Tip: Regularly review and audit your access controls, removing unnecessary permissions and updating user privileges when job roles change or employees leave the organization. Additionally, consider implementing role-based access control (RBAC) to simplify access management.

Real-life Example: Restrict access to specific files or folders on your cloud storage and assign permissions accordingly. For example, restrict financial records to only authorized finance department personnel.

Takeaway: Implementing strong access controls is crucial to protect your cloud assets from internal threats. By regularly reviewing and updating access permissions, you reduce the risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

Routine 2: Monitor and Analyze User Activity

Opening: Routine 2 involves monitoring and analyzing user activity within your cloud environment.

To detect and respond to internal threats effectively, you need visibility into user actions and behavior. By monitoring and analyzing user activity, you can identify suspicious behavior, detect potential insider threats, and take proactive measures to mitigate risks.

Why it's important: Monitoring and analyzing user activity is important because it enables the identification of abnormal behavior and the detection of potential threats posed by employees or authorized users. Internal threats can be challenging to detect, making it crucial to have robust monitoring mechanisms in place.

Stat: According to a 2020 IBM survey, the average cost of an insider breach is $2.79 million. Failing to monitor user activity can result in undetected attacks and significant financial loss.

Benefit: The benefit of monitoring and analyzing user activity is early detection of abnormal behavior, enabling prompt response to unauthorized actions and minimizing potential damage. By closely monitoring user actions, you can identify deviations from normal patterns and identify potential insider threats.

Mistake: Neglecting to review user logs and activity is a common mistake that can lead to unnoticed insider threats. Without proper monitoring, suspicious activities may go undetected, allowing internal threats to persist.

Actionable Tip: Utilize cloud security tools that provide detailed user activity logs and automated anomaly detection. Regularly review activity logs and investigate any suspicious behavior promptly. Consider implementing user behavior analytics (UBA) tools to identify patterns of unusual or risky behavior.

Real-life Example: Analyzing and flagging an employee accessing sensitive files outside their normal working hours could indicate potential insider threats. Prompt investigation and appropriate actions can prevent data exfiltration or unauthorized access.

Takeaway: Continuous monitoring and analysis of user activity help identify and mitigate internal threats. By staying vigilant and leveraging the power of technology, you can proactively detect unauthorized actions and minimize the potential impact of insider threats.

Routine 3: Educate Employees about Security Best Practices

Opening: To prevent internal threats, it is important to educate your employees about security best practices.

While technology plays a vital role in safeguarding your cloud assets, it's equally important to empower your employees to make informed decisions and act as the first line of defense against internal threats. By providing proper security training and awareness programs, you can reduce the likelihood of employees falling victim to phishing attacks, inadvertently exposing sensitive data, or engaging in risky behaviors.

Why it's important: Human error and lack of awareness contribute to internal security incidents. By educating your employees about security best practices, you equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and address potential threats effectively.

Stat: According to the 2021 Data Breach Investigation Report by Verizon, 85% of data breaches involve a human element. Effective employee education can significantly reduce the risk of internal threats.

Benefit: The benefit of employee education is empowering your workforce to make informed decisions, reducing the likelihood of falling victim to phishing attacks, inadvertently exposing sensitive data, or engaging in risky behaviors. By raising security awareness, you create a culture of security-conscious employees who actively contribute to mitigating internal risks.

Mistake: Underestimating the importance of ongoing security training and awareness programs is a common mistake. Failing to provide employees with the necessary knowledge and skills can make them more vulnerable to social engineering attacks, which are commonly used by malicious insiders.

Actionable Tip: Conduct regular security training sessions and provide resources that educate employees about common attack vectors and preventive measures. Additionally, implement phishing awareness programs to simulate real-world attacks and train employees on how to identify and respond appropriately.

Real-life Example: Simulating phishing attacks through controlled testing to train employees on how to identify and report suspicious emails or links can significantly improve their ability to mitigate internal threats.

Takeaway: Employee education is a critical component in keeping your cloud assets safe from internal threats. By investing in regular security training and awareness programs, you strengthen your overall security posture and foster a security-conscious workforce that actively contributes to safeguarding your organization's digital assets.

Continue to Part 2 for the remaining routines and conclusion.