Data Cloud Threats | Cloud Storage
24 Jan
2023 data cloud threats hang dark
A record number of organisations are choosing to store their data in the cloud, and the risk of hacking and cybercrime events is likely to keep trending upwards. With South Africa ranking in the top 10 of the most costly countries for data breaches, and the only southern hemisphere country to be listed, the financial burden on companies is high.
The 2023 Veeam Cloud Protection Trends Report reveals interesting insights about the state of the cloud storage industry and should raise the alarm for any organisation that relies on unencrypted online storage, while giving confidence to those who placed their trust in secure, encrypted backup solutions.
In this article we take a brief look at the report, highlight its main findings, and find out what they mean for your company’s data safety.
cloud storage becomes ubiquitous, but security lags behind
The Veeam report surveyed almost 2 000 IT professionals in the United States and found that up to 98% of businesses now rely on some form of cloud storage. While the latest data for South Africa is not yet available, it’s not difficult to predict that local trends are moving in the same direction with digital transformation beginning and ending in the cloud.
The benefits of cloud-based data storage, including access to data on demand, shareability across teams and platforms, and gains in productivity for remote workers, mean that the days of physical storage are rapidly coming to an end.
Looking at the report closely, one of the biggest contrasts can be observed between companies that opt to use cloud storage and those that have adopted adequate security.
Despite almost 100% of organisations surveyed reporting that they use some form of cloud storage:
- 34% of respondents think their cloud-hosted files are safe or do not need to be backed up
- 15% believe the same about their cloud-hosted databases.
Interpreting this data from a cybersecurity point of view, for every hundred companies out there, 15 to 34 are facing potential cybersecurity threats due to inadequately secured data.
With businesses relying on cloud storage to a large extent, quick action to close data security gaps should be priority number one this year.
data security is non-negotiable in 2023
Cybercriminals follow the money and human error – so expect to see more cloud credential theft and ransomware attempts in 2023 as criminals trawl the web for opportunities to exploit any lack of security.
If your business uses cloud storage, it absolutely has to be secure. Encrypted data, which is difficult for cybercriminals to decode, and next level technology like immutable storage are essential aspects of any effective data backup solution in 2023.
Soteria Cloud provides a range of secure cloud storage and backup solutions for households and businesses of all sizes. To ensure that your data remains safe in a year that’s set to see a spike in cyberattacks, browse our range of cloud storage packages today.