Cloud security and Cyber security are two terms that we often hear but what is the difference between the two? The key difference between cloud and cyber security is that while cloud security only protects the cloud environment from cyber attacks, cyber security involves protecting all kinds of IT from threats whether it is on-premise infrastructure, applications, servers or networks. 

Cyber security

Cyber security is all about protecting devices connected to the internet such as computers, electronic devices, networks, data and servers from cyberattacks. It prevents attacks on data centres and other computer systems to ensure information is protected. 

While this framework provides users great control over their data processes, it comes with additional costs. This is because you are entirely responsible for installation and ongoing maintenance which can add up. The more data you need to store, the more hardware you will likely need to purchase and thereby also increase your security capacity and cybersecurity staff.

Some of the key elements of cyber security are - information security, end user security, disaster recovery planning, network security, application security and operational security. 

Cyber security frameworks are a set of guidelines, methodologies and procedures that a company needs to follow in order to protect cyber security attacks. These methodologies help companies identify which areas are most under risk of cyber attacks and help protect them. 

Some of the cyber security best practices are - documenting cybersecurity policies, installing anti-malware protection software. Using internal and external firewall, multi-factor authentication, changing passwords regularly and using biometric data protection like voice recognition, fingerprint scans etc.

Cloud Security 

Cloud security on the other hand is a collection of procedures, methodologies, policies and technologies designed to protect cloud computing environments which include apps, networks, cloud data and infrastructure. These technologies specifically protect cloud computing ecosystems from internal and external cybersecurity threats.

In the case of cloud security, the organisation will lose control over some aspects of data security but the shared responsibility makes management much easier. By working with a provider or a vendor, organisations eliminate the trouble of maintaining and managing hardware and the providers also provide support through security experts who are highly skilled. 

Cloud security ensures unauthorised servers are not able to access data stored on the cloud. Since cloud services are provided by a third party vendor, cloud security and enterprise cloud security require effort from both the organisation and the provider. 

The key components of cloud based security are - data security, data retention plans, identity and access management, policies for threat detection and prevention and legal compliance. 

For network and cloud security, a strong cloud security architecture is essential and this is based on cloud security best practices.

Some of the popular cloud security best practices are - using reliable cloud security solutions, encrypting data (both data at rest and data in motion), understanding shared responsibility with cloud services provider, understanding how data is accessed and shared as well as securing end points with firewalls and anti-malware software. 

As the threats to cybersecurity increase in number and intensity, it is becoming more and more important for organisations to invest in the best protective measures and this also means great cybersecurity talent. Savant has a Cloud practice with a wide network of cloud security experts. We can support you with the best talent in the industry that can be technically vetted through our partnerships with experts and market-leading onboarding advice and consultation. To know more about how we can assist you, please reach out to us at - technology@savantrecruitment.com