Protecting your Business in the Cloud: What’s your Role?

The cloud has made it easier than ever to run a business from anywhere. It gives teams the flexibility to collaborate, improves performance and scalability, and helps organizations stay competitive without a massive up-front investment.

But while the benefits are clear, cloud-based operations come with security risks that can’t be ignored.

One common misconception is that cloud providers are fully responsible for protecting your data. In reality, security in the cloud is a shared responsibility, and knowing where your role begins is key to keeping your business safe.

Understanding the Shared Responsibility Model

When you move to the cloud, your provider takes care of certain things, like the physical servers, network infrastructure, and some built-in security features. But you’re still responsible for how your data is stored, accessed, and managed in the cloud.

This concept is known as the shared responsibility model. If you don’t fully understand what you're accountable for, you could be leaving unintentional gaps in your defenses.

Start by reviewing your service agreement. This will give you clarity on where the provider’s security responsibilities end, and where yours begin.

So, What are you responsible for?

Every cloud platform is different, but most place similar expectations on the customer side. Here are the key areas you’ll need to secure:

1. Your Data

Your cloud provider stores your data, but securing it is still your job.

What to do:

• Encrypt sensitive data so it’s unreadable if accessed without authorization.

• Set appropriate access controls to prevent exposure of confidential information.

• Regularly back up important files to protect against accidental loss or attacks like ransomware.

2. Your Applications

Whether you're using third-party cloud apps or deploying your own, you're responsible for securing them.

What to do:

• Keep software and applications updated with the latest patches.

• Minimize access from third-party apps and integrations that may pose risks.

• Monitor activity logs for signs of unauthorized access or anomalies.

3. Your Credentials

Strong credentials are your first line of defense.

What to do:

• Require strong passwords and update them regularly.

• Use multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of account compromise.

• Implement role-based access to ensure users only have access to what they need.

4. Your Configurations

Misconfigured settings are one of the top causes of cloud data breaches.

What to do:

• Disable public access to storage by default unless explicitly needed.

• Turn on audit logs to track who is accessing what and when.

• Perform regular reviews of user permissions and configurations.

Making the Cloud Work for You

You don’t have to be a security expert to protect your business in the cloud, but you do need to understand your responsibilities and act on them.

At ZATIS IT & Cybersecurity, we help businesses take ownership of their cloud environments with confidence. From secure configurations to access controls and data protection, our team works alongside you to strengthen your side of the shared responsibility model.

Book a consultation with us at https://zatisit.com/contact