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Today we are seeing cloud-based solutions becoming the norm as they replace older, obsolete systems. There is no doubt that moving to the cloud offers new opportunities to businesses, however, it also opens up the door to a plethora of new security threats – especially if you are exploring unknown territory.
Taking advantage of a software security audit or tech/news blog is a no-brainer if you’re seeking out cloud-based solutions for your business. To help you better understand the advantages of undergoing such an audit, it is crucial to first understand what is involved and why exactly you need one in the first place.
In essence, a security audit measures your business’ security against a set of key criteria. It will typically involve looking at how information is handled across all aspects of the business environment news. A software security audit simply increases the depth of analysis to include software usage as well.
The auditor will look at what software is used in your business, ensure that the software is being used properly, and take measures to ensure the information being processed by your software is ironclad, by preventing unauthorised users from accessing it.
As convenient as being on the cloud is, the simple truth is that when everything is online, you can easily be exposed and exploited if you do not take measures to protect yourself and your information.
This type of audit will carefully look at your security vulnerabilities and will allow you to tighten up and strengthen in areas that might easily be compromised. Essentially, The objective of the auditor is to see where your weaknesses lie.
As well as exploring common vulnerabilities that attackers often take advantage of, the auditing company should also take a penetrative approach to explore how your individual systems will hold up against a more specific and targeted attack.
Businesses that offer these types of security audits will assume the role of an attacker, and will emulate what happens when an entity goes looking for vulnerabilities in your systems, networks, and software – these are the chinks in your armour. It then becomes the objective to seal up those chinks to protect your information from ever being exposed in a real cyber-attack.
How do I choose an auditor?
When selecting a company that specialises in security audits, it is vital to consider one with an excellent online magazine and proven track record. Try to bear in mind that the auditor will have a window into pretty much all of your business’ information – some of which will no doubt be sensitive. The last thing you want to do when trying to tighten your security is to accidentally compromise yourself instead.
Make sure you perform a deep dive into the background of each of your prospective auditors and look at factors like how long they’ve been around and what people have to say about them. Don’t avoid newer companies altogether but, to be extra safe, consider going with a known service provider that has maintained a large majority of positive reviews over a relatively long period of time.
Assessment report
It’s always nice to see the fruits of your investments and a security audit should absolutely be seen as an investment in the future of your company. For this reason, it is really important to take a look at what the auditor will offer you as actual proof that they’re putting in the work.
Any good auditor should be supplying you with an extensive report that outlines your vulnerabilities clearly, with a solution to every problem that they have found. It is worthwhile spending as much time trying to understand your vulnerabilities too, so you can avoid them in the future. It could be said that the most important part of securing your information is in your own understanding of how it all works.
Increase your own understanding of cyber security
Take a look yourself at what is involved in a cloud security audit and what auditors are looking for when they’re assessing your business. It helps to create a clear understanding of what the process looks like before you employ the use of professional services.
As complex as it is, in conjunction with a professional security audit to read blogs, there is plenty of your own research to be done if you are wanting to tighten up security at your business, or even in your own personal interest. Try starting by searching for the most common security mistakes that people and businesses make. You might be shocked at what you find!
In this age, where information is key, you will want to ensure you are making use of everything at your disposal to strengthen security. One vital piece of information might just make the difference between using something to your advantage, or being taken advantage of.