Cybersecurity in a Cloud-Based ERP World
As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do cyber criminals. Cybercrimes are on the rise with no end in sight. As cybercrimes become more frequent, their impact is causing lasting harm. According to a study by the National Cyber Security Alliance, within six months of a data breach, 60 percent of small businesses close their doors. To avoid this fate, you need to learn how to keep your cloud-based ERP secure.
Opportunity and Risk in the Cloud
A cloud-based ERP system offers companies a plethora of advantages, from ease of implementation, to accessibility of updated functionality, to cost savings. In fact, with a cloud-based ERP, getting up and running has never been easier, as investing in the upfront cost of buying a server and other hardware is not needed. For these reasons and more, it makes smart business sense to move to the cloud-based ERP system.
However, with opportunity comes risk. Many companies see the move to cloud computing as uncontrolled exposure that can threaten the very structure of the business. For many other businesses, failure to plan for security has become their biggest nemesis. With some forethought, businesses can be safe in the cloud. As a best practice, it is imperative companies have basic security procedures in place to prevent, mitigate, and monitor for security incidents.
Create a Security Check Plan
Security consists of many elements, from network and user security to data protection and user privacy. At a basic level, your company should have firewalls, antivirus systems, and a systemic checklist that includes:
Managing Access
Manage users, privileges, and clients, with strong identity and access controls and fraud prevention.
Protecting data
Protect databases, workloads, and other content.
Monitoring systems
Watch for anomalies, threats, and activities through real-time threat intelligence.
Create Cyberattack Response Plan
It is also important to create a cyberattack response plan. Not every company will be affected the same, just as not every cyberattack is the same. However, some things to consider as part of your response plan should include:
- Job assignments for specific individuals within the organizations;
- When to call the authorities;
- A prepared response, prewritten for social and traditional media outlets;
- A system to provide regular updates to customers, vendors, and the public;
- Details on how you will contain the incident; and
- Details on how to recover
Planning is essential. Cyberattacks are not going away and are only getting more insidious. However, if your company is prepared, you can minimize the threat to your organization, and thrive in the rapidly expanding cloud-based ERP world.
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Watch our 30 minute webinar Demystifying Cybersecurity with ArcherPoint where we discuss endpoint management, password health, backups, end user education, and more.