Page 138 - Security Today, July/August 2019

cloud storage
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campuslifesecurity.com | JULY/AUGUST 2019
“By taking time to weigh the risks and benefits of cloud storage solutions, campuses can find a service or product that
Cwill work best for them.”
loud storage and backup pro- viders have expanded their reach from businesses and individuals to campuses around the world. From day-
to-day student use, to faculty and employee collaboration and storage of electronic files, the cloud has become the digital storage solution for many organizations. According to a 2018 study by McAfee:
• Ninety-seven percent of organizations use cloud services (public, private, or a com- bination of both), up from 93 percent one year ago
• Eighty-three percent store sensitive data in the public cloud
• Sixty-nine percent trust the public cloud to keep their sensitive data secure
• One in four organizations has experienced data theft from the public cloud
• One in five organizations has experienced an advanced attack against its public cloud infrastructure
Whether your campus is a high school,
university or healthcare provider, technology is moving at a rapid pace offering advantages and risk. For many, the need is for improved data storage and access that comes via cloud storage. Let’s take a closer look at cloud stor- age and what it offers, but also the security issues that must be addressed.
Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage is a service where data is remotely maintained, managed, and some- times even backed up. The service allows users to store files online, so that they can access them from any location via the inter- net. While there are many storage solutions available for specific use cases, just because they are available via the internet and a ser- vice provider doesn’t necessarily make them a cloud storage service. There is a simple way to tell the difference. Cloud storage tends to suggest a large object storage-based service
By Steve Rosa
Cloud Storage for Campus Environments,
Advantages and Risks
The cloud has become a digital storage solution for many organizations
which is typically accessed via application programming interface calls or file storage which is accessible via a share. High perfor- mance storage is usually block based and is accessible via cloud computing but is not cloud storage.
Now, that we understand what is and isn’t cloud storage, let’s look into some of the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of Cloud Storage
Usability. Cloud storage services have desk- top folders for Mac’s and PC’s. This allows users to drag and drop files between the cloud storage and their local storage.
Bandwidth. You can avoid emailing files to individuals and instead send a web link to recipients through your email.
Accessibility. Stored files can be accessed from anywhere via internet connection.
Disaster Recovery. It is highly recom- mended that businesses have an emergency backup plan ready in the case of an emer- gency. Cloud storage can be used as a backup plan by businesses by providing a second copy of important files. These files are stored at a remote location and can be accessed through an internet connection.
Cost Savings. Businesses and organiza- tions can often reduce annual operating costs by using cloud storage; cloud storage costs about 3 cents per gigabyte to store data inter- nally. Users can see additional cost savings because it does not require internal power to store information remotely.
Disadvantages of Cloud Storage
Usability. Users need to be cautious when using drag/drop to move a document into the
cloud storage folder. This will permanently move your document from its original folder to the cloud storage location. Instead, a copy and paste should be utilized to retain the doc- ument’s original location in addition to mov- ing a copy onto the cloud storage folder.
Bandwidth. Several cloud storage services have a specific bandwidth allowance. If an organization surpasses the given allowance, the additional charges could be significant. However, some providers allow unlimited bandwidth. This is a factor that companies should consider when looking at a cloud storage provider.
Accessibility. If you have no internet con- nection, you have no access to your data.
Data Security. There are concerns with the safety and privacy of important data stored remotely. The possibility of private data co-mingling with other organizations makes some uneasy.
Software. If you want to be able to manip- ulate your files locally through multiple devices, you’ll need to download the service on all devices.
Understanding the Benefits
While there are several potential risks in utilizing cloud storage services, enterprise consumers can enjoy different benefits as well. These benefits are not just limited to storage of files. They can include an increase in work efficiency.
Having a cloud storage provider can help the organization have a disaster recovery plan in place. While it probably will not be the only component of the overall recovery protocol, it can be a useful tool to help get the organization get back on its feet in the