Ransomware, virus, cyber security – these are all common buzzwords today, and for good reason. A common myth that many businesses have is that the cloud is unsecure, unknown, and an endeavor that only large enterprises can afford to maintain. However, this is far from the truth. Centrality recommends a layered approach to security, regardless of if your IT infrastructure is on-premise or in the cloud. So what does cloud security entail?
We’ll outline the enhanced security areas that our Complete Cloud solution offers. Complete Cloud deploys a high level of both physical and electronic security. A simple, yet well engineered environment has drastically reduced the surface area of attack. SSAE16 II Data Centers, Biometric Access, Server and Edge Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Software, Anti-Malware, Anti-Spam, Hardened OS Builds, and Standard Secure Domain Policies.
Private vs. Public
Even given the terms “private” and “public”, you can probably guess which one is more secure. In a public cloud environment, your data is delivered over a network (i.e. the Internet) that is open for public usage. Public clouds offer efficiency and affordability. They are often a multi-tenant platform, meaning the third party provider runs your services in a shared environment. Office 365, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services – these are a few examples of public cloud.
Private cloud services are maintained on a private network protected by a firewall. You can build a private cloud within your own data center – or subscribe to one hosted by a vendor. Private clouds offer they most security and control, and for this reason tend to be a bit more expensive than public cloud solutions. Centrality’s Complete Cloud is an example of a private cloud solution. With CompleteCloud, all your data gets transitioned into the data centers, which will remove the opportunity for bots to enter your company’s infrastructure by getting rid of any unneeded open ports. Server and edge firewalls, along with intrusion detection software, help to continually protect your data.
Cisco Umbrella (OpenDNS)
Cisco Umbrella, or OpenDNS, is a predictive cloud based security solution. It leverages the internet to take in millions of data points per second to identify suspected threat origins. Not only does OpenDNS block threats and run analytics, but it is completely automated and always searching. OpenDNS prevents malware and blocks phishing attempts and inappropriate content, while proactively protecting users from advanced malware, botnets and phishing attacks.
Multi-Factor Authentication
You may have encountered Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) at some point. Many software platforms, like banking and insurance, are utilizing it nowadays. For instance, let’s say you forget your password to a website. Before sending a link, you may receive a special code via a phone call or text message to “authenticate” the user. Once the code is entered, then the password reset link is emailed to the user.
A very similar process is used in our Complete Cloud solution. This helps provide additional security for remote user logins so when a laptop is lost, or left unattended with a sticky note on it that just so happens to have the username and password, no one but you can get in. In addition to a user login there is a quick cell phone call to substantiate your identity is correct and will then grant you access.
Alert Logic Cloud Defender
Alert Logic continually monitors network traffic for any unknown threats and analyzes all the data it collects to better identify potential risks later on. These non-stop assessments help track down and identify any vulnerabilities and exposures that your system may have, allowing you to rest assured that your information is protected. All of this is coupled with Alert Logic’s Security Operations Center (SOC) that provides 24/7 monitoring by GIAC- certified analysts. This level of security and threat analysis helps meet rigorous PCI, DSS, HIPAA, and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements. This solution by itself is very expensive. Oftentimes, only enterprise-level organizations are able to afford it. However, with Complete Cloud’s partnership it is a very reasonable cost.
- Network Threat Detection (Packet Monitoring)
- Log Archives
- Identification of New Attack Patterns
- Vulnerability Management (Recommendations)
- Certified Security Experts
Compliance Reporting
Over the past year or so, we have seen an increase of businesses’ audits and compliance reporting that focuses on cyber-security. Maintaining the privacy of patient and client information is crucial especially in the healthcare and financial industries. Complete Cloud provides detailed quarterly compliance reporting as well as third party penetration testing as a part of their enhanced security solution.
If you’re interested in moving your business’ network infrastructure to the cloud, ask Centrality for a free consultation today!
