The cloud has changed the game for IT, opening up a wealth of new apps and services that drive up productivity while keeping costs down. But migrating to cloud platforms like Office 365 creates an entirely new set of security challenges. But moving to Office 365 needn’t keep you up at night. Learn how to safely deploy Office 365 and other cloud services.
This article outlines the key factors for a successful and secure cloud migration, including:
- Why you should re-evaluate your security posture for the cloud era
- How new technology is helping businesses stay protected and compliant in the cloud
- How to ensure your cloud migration is cost effective, as well as safe
The days of protecting your apps and services from within the confines of your network perimeter are over.
Today’s IT infrastructure is complex, multi-layered, and extends far beyond the walls of your organisation, with the proliferation of mobile devices, and most importantly, the seismic shift towards cloud consumption.
Although the cloud has been a game changer for IT, allowing organisations to quickly and cost-effectively adopt apps and services like Office 365, it also brings with it a new set of security challenges. Whether you’re migrating to Office 365, or any SaaS platform, use this guide to make sure you’ve covered all your security bases.
- 74% of organisations are already using Software-as-a-Service in some capacity
- 63% of organisations use SaaS for more than one out of five business applications
- Over 1/3 of organisations currently use cloud-based email and/or cloud-based office productivity software
Five questions you should ask when migrating to cloud services like Office 365
Do I have a cohesive security strategy designed for the cloud?
Migrating to Office 365 – or any other cloud platform for that matter – will naturally trigger security concerns. But it can also present powerful new opportunities for you to re-evaluate your organisation’s security posture across multiple clouds and the entire suite of business applications you need to support and protect.
How exposed is my business to threats?
We are all exposed to a degree of threat. Threats can strike at any time, with email continuing to be the top attack vector for malicious attacks and data breaches. Phishing, brute force, malicious URLs, weaponised content, and account takeovers are all now commonplace, and traditional email security solutions simply aren’t fit for purpose in the cloud era.
Do I have full visibility and protection over my data?
Adoption of Office 365 moves key information outside of corporate control and creates risk to your intellectual property and compliance-sensitive data. At the same time, you’re facing increasing risk to regulatory compliance from regulations like GDPR.
In the rush to migrate to Office 365, it’s easy to miss the potential holes it could punch in your security, which could leave you at risk of data loss, without fully understanding where or why it’s happening.
Have I got control of shadow IT?
Shadow IT is booming, and it’s a huge challenge to maintain control and compliance when you can’t control user behaviour. The simple fact is, Shadow IT will never go away, and if you’re opening up your user base to a cloud platform like Office 365, you need to change the way you manage your data, and the users that handle it.
Will the move be cost effective?
There’s no denying the cost benefits of moving to the cloud, but it’s important to consider the true cost of securing it. Data breaches can be costly and time consuming. French regulators recently charged one internet giant a staggering €50million for breaching GDPR regulations. Many organisations also are seeing increased overheads from overlapping security vendors, and the cost of employing skilled workers to manage it all.
Securing Office 365 alone isn’t enough, so it’s essential to invest in a market leading security solution that secures not just Office 365 but your entire suite of cloud apps and services. This gives you the most effective protection and also help to reduce your security operational costs.
When assessing vendors, it’s vital to select one who provides comprehensive security for all your data, users and applications. Look for a solution like Symantec Email Security.cloud and Symantec CloudSOC cloud access security broker (CASB) that offers data protection, and simultaneously helps you maintain compliance as your data moves beyond the network perimeter. Also make sure your chosen solution offers email isolation to remediate any threats as they arise.
Source: Symantec
