Two years ago, I wrote an article for a Nuclear publication about Cloud technology, and if it was right for the nuclear sector. The original article can be found at the bottom of this blog.
I revisited this article because technology moves so quickly now, I wanted to see if the advice given then still stands today.
The 6 best practices discussed are still a must for all Cloud and IT environments:
What else can I do to secure my Cloud Data?
With today’s threats, strong passwords and policies aren’t enough. To improve data security and access to cloud services businesses should now adopt ‘2FA’ (two factor authentication) as a minimum standard.
2FA is a process of needing 2 items before being granted access. Very often its 1) Something you have (like a dongle or 2FA app) and something you know (Like a password).
By utilising 2FA to access your Cloud environment and data you increase the security immensely.
Should a Nuclear company use a Private Cloud or a Public Cloud?
This answer is different for each business depending on the level of data security they require.
A private cloud is usually a data centre environment segmented solely for the use of the business and is NOT on a shared platform. Often classed as more secure.
A Public cloud is a shared cloud environment – For example Microsoft AZURE or Amazon AWS.
A lot of the major public clouds can now offer area specific hosting. For example, they can locate your data to ‘UK only’, ‘Europe’ or ‘USA’. This allows you to comply with certain regulations in your industry.
For increased security and improved auditability, a private cloud is great as you can show the infrastructure is dedicated and private to you and your business.
Is Office 365 ok to use for the Nuclear sector?
If you would have asked me this question 2+ years ago, I would have said no. However, the answer today would be ‘It depends on the requirement’.
Office 365 have made some big leaps in terms of tools and security, and they can now offer UK ONLY hosted data with 2FA access.
If your data isn’t ‘sensitive’ then Office 365 should be a consideration, especially for the Exchange email services and Microsoft TEAMS that come with many of the Office 365 packages.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
IS THE ‘CLOUD’ RIGHT FOR THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY?
IMPLEMENTING DATA MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MATTER OF NECESSITY FOR ANY BUSINESS WITHIN THE NUCLEAR SECTOR, PARTICULARLY WHEN LOOKING TO USE CLOUD TECHNOLOGY, AS EXTRA VIGILANCE IS REQUIRED. BUT WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT AND HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT IT CORRECTLY?
In this recent article from Nuclear Connect Magazine Michael Douglass, Director at Yellowbus Solutions Ltd, discusses the safety of using ‘cloud technology’ and guides us through some best practice methods for companies to keep their data secure.
HOW DOES ‘CLOUD TECHNOLOGY’ WORK FOR THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY?
A cloud network is a collection of remote servers hosted on the internet to record, store and manage data, as opposed to holding data on local servers. In today’s increasingly mobile world, cloud networks have become progressively popular, offering instant access to data from locations all around the world.
WHAT BENEFITS ARE THERE TO HOSTING YOUR DATA IN THE ‘CLOUD’?
Cloud technology offers a number of benefits, but mainly, it provides authorised personnel access to data anywhere and anytime, offering flexibility, increased collaboration and improved monitoring.
Implementing centralised encryption and backups translates to better security, data loss prevention and easier disaster recovery which can be extremely beneficial throughout the data lifecycle.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF A CLOUD NETWORK AND IS IT SECURE?
Implementing the right security protocols and controlling who has access to data means that using a cloud infrastructure can be very safe, however, as cloud network access proliferates throughout the industry, the degree of risk also increases. This can include insider threat, cyber-attacks, and data tampering from competitors and the media. Therefore, it is important that data is managed with a set of security policies that will protect legal records and sensitive data from these risks.
WHAT PROTOCOL SHOULD I FOLLOW TO ENSURE DATA IS SECURE?
For best practice, you should abide by these 6 ways to safeguard your cloud network as a minimum;
The bottom line is that the fast-growing nuclear sector requires the very best in data management. Although there will always be risk, with managed IT services, security and support, this can be prevented. It is highly recommended that you complete regular audits to confirm the protection and whereabouts of your data.
As highly reputable suppliers to the nuclear industry and specialists in data management, the team at Yellowbus Solutions Ltd are able to answer any of your questions on this topic. You can contact Michael Douglass directly and in confidence on 01925 838386 or by email to michael.douglass@yellowbus.uk
For further information about Yellowbus Solutions Ltd, and their services within the nuclear sector, please visit www.yellowbus.uk