Why Are SMBs so Worried?

Why Are SMBs so Worried?

Many organizational benefits include flexibility and productivity

Cloud storage is most used by small-and-medium businesses (SMBs). The reason is that it comes with many benefits for organizations in terms of flexibility and more importantly productivity. However, it also comes with a number of technical-and-human risks that worries a majority of SMBs. A recent research shows that 61 percent of SMBs believe their data in unsafe in the cloud. Let us see the reasons why and what they can do about it.

Technical Risks

What is worrying SMBs is that when you store your data in the cloud, you are not in control of it anymore, so they find it pretty hard to trust a third party with their valuable information.

The first technical risk concerns detecting unauthorised access. It is harder when your data in stored in the cloud. When stored on premise, a natural boundary is created against unauthorised access by the need to be physically present in the office to access the data. For remote employees or partners using VPN, access can be restricted to specific devices only. On the contrary, once your data is stored in the cloud, it can be accessed from anywhere in the world and on any device, significantly increasing the chance of unauthorised access.

The second risk pertains to employees stealing data before they leave the job. For the exact same reasons, it is easier for them to do so when data is stored in the cloud and much harder for the IT team to detect or stop it.

The third risk has to do with complex hybrid-storage environment (mix of on premise and cloud storage). Working with a hybrid environment increases productivity but makes managing the security of the data stored across multiple environments very hard.

Fifty-six percent of SMBs say that it is difficult managing the security of data living in hybrid infrastructures.

Human Risks

A lot of organisations think their own data is more important than their clients’ data. This is pretty concerning knowing that third-party and insider breaches are increasing.

This way of thinking will worry those that work with large supply chains given the lack of control over data security once it lives on third-party systems. Plus, like we said before, many organisations are using a hybrid environment, and they are having trouble managing the security of data—either their clients’ or their own.

Almost half of SMBs said that moving to the cloud for storage has harmed their security. Fifty-nine percent consider that the native security of cloud storage providers is not strong enough to protect their data. Knowing that, 80 percent are simply relying on the native security of whichever cloud storage provider they are using.

There is a clear need for a solution to ensure data in the cloud remains safe.

How to Ensure Your Data is Secure in the Cloud?

First of all, the attitude of “my data is more important than yours” has to change. A huge number of organisations share sensitive data with their clients over email and via the cloud —and with the rise of supply chain attacks, all it takes is one mistake from one supplier to compromise your data. More and more, organisations inspect the cybersecurity of their partners before choosing to work with them. It is therefore crucial that organisations can demonstrate that they can keep their clients’ data safe.

The easiest way to ensure your data is protected (whether in the cloud or on a mixture of on-premise and cloud) is to invest in technology. It needs to proactively track, audit and report on all access to files and folders and alert IT teams to sceptical file activity the moment it occurs.

Having a solution in place that can give you a consistent and unique view of the security of your data across all your storage servers allows you to be the first to know if someone other than an authorized employee attempts to access your data. You will then be able to react quickly.

This article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

François Amigorena is the founder and CEO of IS Decisions.

Featured

  • Paving the Way to Smart Buildings

    In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, the convergence of on-prem, edge and cloud technologies are critical. The physical security landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid digitalization of buildings and the evolving needs of modern organizations. As the buildings sector pivots towards smart, AI and data-driven operations, the integration of both edge and cloud technology has become crucial. Read Now

  • The Cybersecurity Time Bomb

    If you work in physical security, you have probably seen it: a camera, access control system, or intrusion detection device installed years ago, humming along without a single update. It is a common scenario that security professionals have come to accept as "normal." But here is the reality: this mindset is actively putting organizations at risk. Read Now

  • Deploying in a Hybrid, Cloud Environment

    The way organizations manage access control is evolving. Traditional on-premises systems come with high IT and server requirements. At the same time, fully cloud-based solutions may not meet the needs of every facility. Read Now

  • Facing Facts for Facilities

    Despite the proliferation of constantly evolving security solutions, there remains a troubling trend among many facility operators who often neglect the most important security assets within their organization. Keys and shared devices like radios, laptops and tablets are crucial to successful operations, yet many operators are managing them haphazardly through outdated storage systems like pegboards and notebooks. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Security Training Reduces Global Phishing Click Rates by 86%

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its “Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report 2025” which measures an organization’s Phish-prone Percentage (PPP) — the percentage of employees likely to fall for social engineering or phishing attacks, indicating the organization’s overall susceptibility to phishing threats. This year’s report found a global average baseline PPP of 33.1%, meaning a third of employees interact with phishing simulations before taking part in best-practice security awareness training (SAT).COVER 2025-PIB-NA-Report_EN-US Read Now

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”