Do you know about the three cloud security misconceptions?

SCMagazine.com reported that “There’s a lot going on inside the minds of small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners….. Increasingly, those opportunities exist in the cloud, whether it’s gaining new insights from data, effortlessly scaling to meet demand, or enabling collaboration from anywhere. But when it comes to cloud security,…”  The March 29, 2024 article entitled " Three cloud security misconceptions that hold SMBs back” (https://tinyurl.com/4dpmm2x9) included these three cloud security misconceptions:

 Misconception #1: Security costs too much money – and it’s not a priority initiative.

A recent study by AWS revealed that 35% of SMBs do not consider security a high-priority initiative. Sophisticated cyberthreats are not just a concern for enterprises, and cloud security gives access to the same infrastructure and tools used by organizations with the highest security needs—think healthcare, finance, and defense applications in the government. Beyond protection, sustaining revenue, earning customer trust, and maintaining a clear pathway to growth are all easier when companies invest in security.

Businesses of all sizes that use cloud security inherit all the security, controls, and certifications of their chosen provider’s infrastructure. So, SMB owners can meet their unique security and compliancy requirements at scale—all while only paying for the resources they actually use. It’s also possible to bypass all the expenses associated with maintaining physical infrastructure, helping owners reinvest in other areas that drive savings and growth.

Misconception #2: Cloud apps are inherently less secure than on-premises.

About 50% of SMBs express concern about cloud security and migration. I understand. Many small companies are satisfied with on-premises, so why make a change? It’s a fair question. Remember that familiarity doesn’t equal safety. And cloud security offers flexibility and scalability that on-premises infrastructure cannot.

When companies store data in the cloud, the provider has responsibility for safeguarding the infrastructure. This lets the SMB owner focus on what what’s actually being stored. And the right cloud partners can help select the services needed for that. If the company needs more computing capacity, it can access it without needing to purchase and maintain physical infrastructure, while the provider helps the organization stay compliant with industry regulations.

Misconception #3: Companies need a large IT team and extensive resources to maintain strong security.

Forty percent of SMBs report skill gaps as a barrier preventing them from investing in security, though 41% have yet to offer any security training to their staff. It’s likely another example of familiarity with on-premises infrastructure working against an organization. Managing security on-premises often involves more complexity and it’s more time-consuming than the cloud. But cloud security doesn’t require more budget for a company to succeed.

What do you think?