Compliance is a necessity when it comes
to cybersecurity and privacy for any company. Without it, consumer and business
data is at risk of scams, breaches and theft. As cloud technology becomes the
norm across the world, the two seconds then merge into one - cloud compliance.
Though progressive in handling data, these systems need some updates.
Depending on the country and the state,
compliance laws and regulations will vary. However, they all put an emphasis on
protecting information, regardless of the industry. Standard methods of
manually checking the network for breaches are not enough anymore. When it
comes to cloud compliance, automation is the answer.
Automation is the process in which a
system carries out a task with limited or no input from a human. Using
artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML), the system constantly
evolves. The cloud can handle data across remote locations
at rapid speeds, so it needs ways to comply just as fast.
The more data a business holds, the
more complex the security must be. Then, if you work with cloud technology, you
know the demands that come with such vast systems. Combining the cloud with
automation takes two of the most innovative parts of today's tech hand-in-hand,
showing the way forward for cloud automation.
The
Issues with Manual Compliance
Compliance is a domino effect. One
misstep leads to a data breach of some sort, which results in data loss, which
leads to potential legal consequences and so on. When it comes to meeting
compliance, the first manual step to avoid this chain reaction is typically an
audit.
IT teams will check through the
infrastructure of a cloud-based system for flaws and gaps. Of course, with
manual checking comes the risk of human error. Since IT teams already have
enough on their plate, you may find the potential for human error increases.
Then, the cloud is not as secure and compliant as it needs to be.
Location is another factor that affects
compliance. Companies adapt to new tech every day. Some of that involves moving
to remote data storage instead of on-site management. As a cloud expert, you'll
find that this movement opens up the potential for new threats and some latency
as well.
Finally, transparency is a necessity.
As regulations grow stricter, consumers want to know what goes on with their
data. Take Facebook, for instance. The social media conglomerate has run into
countless scandals about its handling of user data,
which opened up a bigger conversation about big tech companies. Compliance
informs consumers of their rights and protections.
Automation
Changes the Game
Automation is fast, simple and straight
to the point. With low effort but high impact and efficiency, automated cloud
compliance is what you need to take software to the next level. Using AI and ML
as a basis, cloud systems can continue to learn on their own. In fact, AI is
going to see faster learning rates in the next 10 years,
complementing cloud networks nicely.
On its own, the automated cloud system
will be able to collect data and evidence for audits, track each bit of data
and back it all up - doing each step automatically. Encryption, too, is an
invaluable part of the process. Whether the data is sitting in one place or
moving back and forth consistently, automation will encrypt it consistently.
While employees can't always monitor
the network, the system itself can. Automated infrastructure checks keep an eye
out for gaps that need patching or threats to address immediately. It all
happens in real-time.
With these round-the-clock precautions
in place, all businesses will meet their required compliance
demands. Professionals in cloud virtualization can then reduce human error as
well. You'll find that automation creates an ecosystem that supports itself.
More protection means fewer chain reactions and legal issues. Automation is the
way to achieve full compliance.
Future
Adaptation
The future of automated cloud
compliance is sure to be vast. Since companies are already using the cloud for
storage and connectivity, like Microsoft Azure, the next natural step is to
automate it all. As more professionals participate in the ease of cloud
automation, then it can finally become the norm. Starting with auditing and
moving into monitoring, it's time for the cloud to reach its next evolution.
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About
the Author
Shannon Flynn is a tech writer who covers
topics like cloud computing, business technology, and data. You can find her
work on Hackernoon, Cybint Solutions, Irish Tech News, and ReHack.com. Visit
ReHack for other trending tech topics covered by Shannon.