Controlling Security Risks in Cloud

The world is observing a definite trend Shift as businesses have started moving over to cloud with their data as well as their services. The cloud-computing sector is observing an explosive growth as numerous cloud computing service providers are springing up. As it happened with most technologies in the past, opinions got divided on merit. While most of the analysts deem cloud computing a revolutionary change, a few of them are worried about the control of security risks in cloud.

The probable result of cloud computing growth is certainly not as black and white as some people prefer to see it. Today, cloud is the internet, and Internet is practically everywhere. Therefore, service providers are able to perform business internationally with little technological effort. May be cloud computing is not the ultimate solution for each and every company that is out there.

According to an open source software evangelist Richard Stallman, cloud services are a trap. He suggests that companies and individuals should not end up putting their trust in these services since they have access to all of their important and valuable data and information. Although these points are valid, they are quite extreme as most cloud service providing companies offer managed security options by availing which enterprises can keep their data and information safe even when they are on the cloud.

Smaller organizations and enterprises that do business around the world can benefit immensely from services that are provided by the cloud. The only thing that they should be careful about is that they should only go for a cloud services provider who is reliable and has a good reputation in the market. Since acquiring cloud services from an unreliable service provider or managed security services provider can prove to be harmful for the enterprise.

It is advised that enterprises and institutions should adopt a habit of getting a risk assessment performed before a resolution is made on the addition of sensitive data or information on the cloud. a variety of security controls can be employed in order to lessen the potential risks and to ensure safety. Security is not essentially solely depending on a single control, it is basically the overall functionality of each and every security control that’s implemented.

To put an end to your cloud security woes, we offer managed cloud security services at Lean Security. Avail them today and let your business grow and flourish!

Why Online Businesses Should Go For Managed and Secure Cloud Hosting Services?

Considered to be the hottest debate today in the information technology community, cloud computing is subjected to some criticism as well as a lot of fame. Those in support of the technology, suggest that the scalability, flexibility, and economics of the cloud; make cloud based website management, a practical and logical choice, while its opponents point out the concerns related to privacy and security, which are reasons strong enough, to not move businesses to the cloud.

We believe, from the perspective of a company that focuses on providing secure cloud based security servicesas well as a number of other information technology solutions to customers for their online businesses; that it is quite possible to get the best of both worlds.

Since security is the biggest argument that is based against cloud computing, a safe and secure website application hosting through cloud is possible; especially for small to mid range businesses. In fact, cloud computing is actually more secure than locally managed systems. Why?

Provides Multifactor Authentication

A number of cloud hosting and computing vendors in Australia offer a multi-factor authentication feature as part of their service now. This feature actually provides a higher level of security as compared to the more traditional username and password authentication feature.

The way this feature works is by combining something you know, example a password with a hard token; with something you have. Lastly, a biometric identification may or may not be needed to complete the authentication procedure.

Unfortunate though, most small and mid range businesses don’t possess the resources with which they can implement such an effective authentication capability on their own, which is why managed web application service providers offer this feature to them.

Provides Security Patching

Majority of the software products that come into use every day by online businesses require a lot of diligence and attention when applying and testing security patches comes into the equation.

Once again, most companies simply don’t have enough resources with which they can adequately and properly hope to perform such a complex and time consuming task of making sure that the security patches are up and working the way they are supposed to, which puts a significant risk to their network systems.

Provides Physical Security

Reputable website hosting service providers that also provide cloud hosting and various other security based services in Australia, conduct their hosting in facilities which possess much stronger physical security, a feature that small and midsized companies can’t provide for.

Offers Security Certifications

There are many businesses that require proper security certification to be able to sell their services and products, but getting the certifications, proves to be highly expensive for small and mid range businesses to achieve; therefore such service providers can also give access to certified facilities and systems which makes it very easy for you to do your business.

Even if no certification is needed to run your business, this surety is an added benefit.

What are you waiting for? Contact Lean Security today and ask about our cloud based security services and solutions.

The Evolution of E-Commerce amidst Rising Security Concerns

The many competitive advantages of ecommerce cannot be taken lightly. Offering online business and consumers alike a far improved productivity, significant reduction in costs, access and entry into a global business market, ability to provide a much improved customer service and streamlining business processes; are all reasons for brick and mortar businesses to open up their virtual shop.

Online shopping is a phenomenon that is growing rapidly, providing untold convenience and easy access to businesses and consumers alike; but the taint of unsafe credit card security and online fraud is steadily and adversely affecting their bottom line.

How can online business save their legitimate customers and themselves from this concern?

The Common Issues Experienced In Running an Online Business

One of the most common concerns that online retailers and merchants face is that they don’t know how to differentiate their legitimate customers from fraudulent users and hackers in real time. This concern follows with, not possessing an adequate security system that can help in detecting and minimizing online payment fraud, and lastly, not having an effective program that prevents unauthorized access to the data stored in a company’s network.

Potential Risks as an Online Business Operator

While there are many risks involved with the running of an online business, 3 major and potentially serious risks can sum up the entirety of this issue. These are:

Security Risk

Such risks are the cause of attacks from hackers and viruses and the severe of the damage incurred from the attack varies based on the type of attack such as; data loss, denial of service, stolen information etc.

Such attacks can bring a severe disruption to your business operations, which will automatically result in a drastic loss of customer confidence and your sales revenue.

Payment Risk

This issue normally occurs when the identity of the customer cannot be established or verified at the time of transactions taking place over the web. As a result, payment disputes significantly increase from genuine customers.

Although more commonly associated with customers paying over the internet via a credit card, other reasons may be; ordered goods not reaching the customer, a disagreement over the conversion rate, and finally, the goods and services being of the same quality as the customer’s expectations.

Fulfillment Risk

This term means delivering goods safely to the customer and can be either a digital product or a physical one. The risks that are related with the delivery in goods and services are; defective goods, a significant delay in delivery, and the goods delivered not matching with the description given etc.

Digital goods fulfillment is prone to risks as well. Performed through an electronic medium, it’s very much vulnerable to hijacking, mass duplication of copy-righted content and illegal manipulation and handling of information content.

How Can Online Business Operators Minimize These Risks?

As much as ecommerce helps online businesses, in order to save yourself and your customers from all these risks and more, business owners can adopt and implement a number of network security services and solutions that will help immensely.

Cloud Guardian, a managed web-hosting service provider has on offer cloud based security services which significantly improve efficiency of the business owner when it comes to quick and easy management of the services offered by the site. Moreover, the web application penetration service detects suspicious activity and deals with it before any damage is done.

Want to know more about our services? Visit our website today!

Protecting Your Network Perimeter: Life on the Edge

Your perimeter security is the first and foremost layer of defense in your network, which is why it’s of the utmost importance to step back and review its design very carefully. The obvious step that you will need to take when it comes to ensuring a sound architecture, is determining what needs to be protected and then designing your network perimeter security in such a way that it can easily adapt according to your needs as they grow or change.

To make this easier to understand, think of your website’s network perimeter like a castle. The building normally has a majority of defenses attached to it; such as a moat, huge and daunting gate, high walls, guards etc. Similarly, your website should possess multiple layers of defense.

What one has to understand is that in order to come up with a great defense strategy; it is necessary to determine where the perimeter lies and the technologies involved. Simply put, the perimeter is the boundary of your website’s network, i.e. the gateway where all essential data and information flows in and out from other networks, not excluding the internet.

Perimeter defense and security acts exactly like a checkpoint does, i.e. it allows data that has been authorized to enter without any problem while blocking traffic that is suspicious. How does it achieve that?

Through Border Routers

The first layer of defense against unauthorized and suspicious online traffic, network routers work just like traffic cops and direct data into, within and out of networks.

A special kind of router, it stands vigilant between your network and the internet or any other external network. Installing this line of defense is probably a wise idea as all internet traffic and activity necessarily pass through the border router, hence making it a logical place for filtering anything that comes or go outs.

Through Firewalls

The basic job of a firewall is to stop or permit data from coming into or out of the network. For achieving the purpose of perimeter defense and security; software is widely available either installed as a router or as a standalone device.

The services that a firewall can provide to your website’s network security are many. Such a software or device can analyze all transactions to make sure that inbound packets were asked for. It can also block data from IP addresses and ports that have been specified and last but not the least, a firewall ensures a network address translation feature.

Through VPNs

A VPN or virtual private network provides perimeter security to your website’s network by putting it into a simple code or encrypted data that is sent between remote users and your business network, over the internet. To understand this more easily, VPNs create a kind of private tunnel through the internet.

This technology is very popular amongst enterprises and business of all sizes and should particularly help you in the pursuit of creating a secure and safe network for your online business.

Through Intrusion Detection Systems

Installing such a system will protect your website’s network, by analyzing ingoing and outgoing traffic and detecting suspicious activity. Due to this system, your website’s network administrator will be immediately notified of any suspicious activity in the event of anything unusual being detected.

This will ensure that the right people can take prompt action to stop an unwanted invasion into the network. Lean Security, a managed web hosting service provider in Australia offers products and software which are not only effective in providing just what you want in terms of security, but are also best suited to your budget, so contact us now!

How to Protect and Secure Your Important Data Using SaaS Applications

The size of your company doesn’t matter when it comes to protecting your business’s website network. Hackers will be still attracted to your company’s vital data and information whether it’s a big company, small or just starting out in the field. This is the reason why, having a rock solid security defense of the network is of the utmost importance.

Cybercriminals won’t wait for you to place effective security measures against them, which is why you will need to put them fast! This is where companies that provide ‘security as a service’ applications and products come in. Such companies normally provide managed web hosting and security services to the customers. They have become a very important part when it comes to web application security of your online businesses.

What is SaaS?

This term can be loosely described as a kind of security tool which doesn’t require any software or on-premise hardware distribution. Not to be confused with older security tools such as anti-virus software, the distinction between the two is that SaaS applications and software doesn’t have to be installed on every single computer on the network.

The reasons why this should be the preferred security system is:

• It protects the network from malware
• It helps keep track of those who sign into the network
• It monitors activity of all other cloud applications that you use

Who Can Benefit, and How?

This type of a distribution model doesn’t require a big IT department or security team to help keep the network up and running while monitoring for any discrepancies; therefore small and mid range businesses are the ones who can benefit a lot from such applications and software.

Of course, putting trust for your network’s security into another company’s hands is a lot to ask for, but there are a number of web hosting service providers in Australia who provide the most effective security measures that you would want for your company’s network.

Maintain a Specific Application or More

By consistently maintaining a number of applications, operations and efficiency are increasingly simplified for all users.

Maintain a Consistent Level of Functions

The technology allows providers to maintain offerings steadily in the areas of automating testing, maintenance and upgrades, monitoring etc without sending updates repeatedly which need to be applied by the users.

Is Beneficial to Small Businesses

Particularly those with a limited or no IT staff when it comes to economies of efficiencies and scale provided by the service providers.

Availability of the Latest Applications

Businesses can take advantage of a fully hosted desktop that will be highly available, will be kept up to date with latest versions of SaaS applications, and will be monitored as well.

Easy Access via the Internet

Your consumers can very easily and conveniently access services and applications via the internet, as often, they are available from the office, as well on the go.

Helps Companies Avoid Capital Outlay

This provides some ease when it comes to having to buy large, up-front capital outlay for the company’s servers and software etc. Companies can rent access to what they need and pay accordingly through a monthly, quarterly or annually package.