Recent Blog Posts
Before we get into how small businesses can prioritize the integration of new technology, we have to address the fact that more people today are more connected than ever. It isn?t like the old days where there were large numbers of people who weren?t proficient with computers. Today, almost everyone has a smartphone and does a lot of the things that they do online. This has to be a consideration for businesses when choosing new technology.
Procrastination is Unhelpful, But Why is It So Hard to Stop? We?ve touched already on the various ways and reasons that people procrastinate, but there?s still the question that makes it all the more frustrating: despite the frustration it brings, why is it that we can?t seem to resist the urge to put off our tasks?
Are You Using All That Software? One way that many smaller businesses try to compete with the big boys is by using similar tools. This strategy, which was once viewed as foolhardy?because of the costs associated with enterprise software?is now completely possible through the use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). SaaS allows any organization to purchase a single software license in a cloud-based virtual server for a flat rate per month, per user. The technology has changed the way that businesses view their application investment strategy.
Let?s talk a little bit about why the IoT poses as big a risk as it does, and what can be done to minimize these risks in your business. Why is the IoT Considered to Be Insecure? Well, according to a security survey released by Forrester Research in 2022, 33% of companies that were successfully breached were targeted?at least partially?through internal IoT devices. That?s one in every three surveyed security leaders reporting that company-owned IoT devices were involved in a breach, representing the most common response that this survey received. Additional pieces of research have shown that these kinds of attacks are happening more and more often, as well?and little wonder, when IoT devices are prone to numerous security concerns:
Cloud Storage Benefits The first major benefit of utilizing cloud storage is certainly the ability for your business to add flexibility. One of the ways it provides this flexibility is by allowing anyone to access the data and files it needs from any location with an Internet connection. This not only provides ease of access, but also provides the business to lean on a distributed workforce to do so. Companies can redirect capital from real estate, utility costs, and other financial considerations that are present by having a centralized location, while giving their employees the same access to data and applications. Another great advantage of using cloud storage is the ability for the business to scale their needs on demand. This way they don?t have to purchase storage facilities for their business? data only to use a fraction of it until they have to migrate away from that device because they need faster storage or there is a fear of failure. If they need more space, they can get it with a simple phone call, or in some cases from a provided dashboard that lets administrators manage the data on the cloud server. The last consideration we?d like to mention could be the best thing about cloud storage: a cloud storage platform is completely redundant and is maintained by the service provider, ensuring that all a company?s data is available and backed up proficiently. If there is any question about the technology used to store and protect data, cloud storage answers all of it with provider guarantees. The Elephant in the Room Not necessarily a pro or con is the issue of cloud storage security. Data security for files stored in the cloud comes down to two issues: Is the platform secure enough for my organization to trust our data there? Is there a problem with the files in transit? The first issue is handled by the cloud provider. Since they are the one managing the infrastructure, and any security problems would hurt their business model, they have enough motivation to ensure that data is safe when stored on these platforms. The other, however, is left up to the user. How can you ensure that any data that is stored on the cloud gets to the cloud securely? Let?s take a look at four things you can do to ensure this happens: Ensure logins are protected – Probably the most important consideration for protecting cloud data is to ensure that they are protected by strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Don?t store mission-critical data – Some data should absolutely remain in-house, whether it is for compliance purposes or simply because the data is too sensitive to send out over the Internet. Use encryption – There are services that allow you to encrypt your files before you send them to cloud storage, and this is something to look into if you are concerned with your data storage security. Constantly monitor connected apps – Keep all connected applications monitored and updated to help avoid data security troubles. The One Major Issue with Cloud Storage At this point, so many organizations from all over the world use cloud storage to their advantage, that there is only one real problem with it: You need an Internet connection to access anything stored on the cloud. That […]
