The current routine of companies and institutions is marked by a large volume of data involving files, images, videos, and even entire systems.
While until recently, these organizations stored all the information necessary for executing processes on internal computers and servers, nowadays, with modernization, they can rely on more sustainable, economical, and scalable alternatives, such as the cloud - a fully online environment that allows the storage, editing, and sharing of files digitally, requiring only an internet connection and user access authorization.

Due to its high capacity for storing information, excellent cost-benefit ratio, and accessibility, the tool, also known as cloud computing, has established itself as one of the indispensable solutions for business routines.

But just like any other technological resource, it also demands some caution, especially regarding sensitive data.
Want to find out what they are? Then, read on and check out the article that the CodeBlog team has prepared for you.

What is sensitive data?

In short, sensitive data is information that, if exposed, can cause damage to the privacy, security, or reputation of the individuals or companies involved.
In practice, it includes credit card numbers, passwords, medical and financial information, and many others considered "confidential."
Therefore, it is the responsibility of organizations to maintain the protection of this data, as well as to ensure that its use and processing comply with privacy regulations, to avoid violations and prevent threats to the image and credibility of the business.

How to ensure the protection of sensitive data in the cloud?

The first step to ensure that the sensitive information of clients or users remains safe in the cloud environment is to choose a reliable provider, such as AWS, developed by Amazon Web Services and made available by CodeBit, which offers a wide variety of services and solutions to enable effective protection of stored data, such as:

Infrastructure-level security

The AWS cloud offers a secure infrastructure, backed by firewalls, routers, and intrusion detection systems - tools that act directly in the frequent monitoring of the network and the protection of data at all layers.

Encryption

With the resources available in the AWS cloud, both the data stored on the servers and those in transition are encrypted to prevent any type of interception or access by unauthorized individuals.

Identity and access management

AWS also offers identity and access management services, allowing companies to have full control over who accesses which resources and with what permissions.
This makes it easier to ensure that only authorized users can access or store sensitive data. Security certifications: AWS is certified by various security and compliance standards, such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HIPAA. These certifications reinforce the AWS cloud's adherence to the most rigorous security and data protection standards.

Backup and data recovery

Last but not least, AWS also allows companies and institutions to implement backup and data recovery strategies, ensuring the availability and integrity of all files, systems, and information, even in cases of failures, outages, or disasters.

Best practices for maintaining cloud security

As much as the AWS cloud is reliable and secure, maintaining the security of the cloud environment is also the responsibility of companies, which must align processes and organizational culture and adopt effective practices to preserve the integrity of stored data.

Below, we list some tips that can help in this mission:

1. Use multi-factor authentication

This is a feature that requests more than one login factor to grant access to accounts, such as sending a code to a cell phone or email. This is a great way to create an extra layer of protection and safeguard information stored in the cloud. Thus, even if an attacker discovers the user or password, they will not be able to access the files without presenting the code.

2. Create strong passwords

Good password management is another critical step to ensuring cloud security. For this, it is recommended to define a strong and unique password that has not been used previously for any other access.
#CodeTip: Mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Believe it or not, as basic as this process seems, it makes all the difference in preventing attacks.

3. Encrypt!

As mentioned earlier, the AWS cloud has encryption capabilities, and it is very important that they are applied to protect the most critical data. After all, the tool ensures that relevant information is not easily accessed, creates several barriers to prevent hacker action, and helps protect information effectively.

4. Do not ignore the importance of antivirus tools

Even though a company uses a reliable cloud storage service, such as AWS, its security can be threatened by other factors, such as when the weakest point of the network is located precisely on the device used to log into the cloud account.
Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the entire structure in general to prevent internal failures from becoming entry points for intruders.
The best way to protect systems and prevent exposure to dreaded malware is to invest in a good antivirus, capable of acting preventively, identifying risks and bottlenecks that can impact IT performance.

5. Install all updates

Unlike physical servers, cloud updates do not cause any system downtime. Therefore, there are no excuses for not doing them.
To avoid vulnerabilities, keep security patches always up to date and make sure configurations comply with the latest protection recommendations (if any exist).

6. Do not forget about backups

Creating backups of digital data on devices should never be neglected.
This is an extremely important action to ensure that stored information can be accessed even when the originals are accidentally lost or corrupted.
It is worth reinforcing that the AWS cloud, provided by CodeBit, delivers backups to prevent total loss of information and ensure greater reliability for your IT structure.

Want to learn more about cloud storage and stay on top of all the advantages of adopting this tool? The CodeBit expert team is ready to help you!

Access the website, check out all the solutions available to meet your demands, and discover, in practice, the precise services and solutions to optimize your company's or institution's processes.

Furthermore, keep an eye on CodeBlog. Soon, we will have many updates here.

A warm embrace and until the next post!