Key Challenges of Managing Big Data in the Cloud

Businesses should be aware of the key challenges of big data in cloud technology

We used to perceive big data and cloud technology as two separate ideas. Nowadays, there are services that combine the two to make big data approachable for businesses of any size.

This technology solves ‌the high cost of keeping the big data and finding and training a qualified IT team to manage it.

Cloud computing has been the key to scaling any business due to the lower cost it takes to purchase space in the cloud than to manage physical data centers.

The technology of the cloud provides nearly unlimited resources essential for big data management because organizations can always purchase more space on the cloud.

However, if businesses plan to manage big data in the cloud, they need to be aware of the common vulnerabilities of cloud technology. When merging big data and the cloud, you get the convenience of the cloud, but also one that comes with security risks.

In cybersecurity, all the tools and protocols that companies need to protect their cloud is referred to as cloud application security.

What are some of the ‌challenges that businesses should know about and how to protect big data if you manage it using cloud computing?

Let's start with the challenges and common cloud vulnerabilities.

Cloud Depends on a Network

To have a working cloud, it's necessary that it's connected to the internet. Any outage will create issues you wouldn't otherwise have if you use big data in the traditional way.

You may lose access to your big data if your internet connection fails or your internet connection might even experience lag that will affect your teams' productivity and disrupt workflow.

Your cloud network provider also has to be connected. In case something doesn't work on their end, this means that you're locked out of the cloud and can't do the work on big data.

Cloud Misconfigurations

Mistakes in cloud configurations create a major vulnerability for cloud infrastructures. They are the main causes of cyberattacks that lead to breaches in the cloud.

Problems with misconfiguration are common during cloud migrations, but as the cloud environment is constantly changing, disruptions can occur at any time.

Errors, glitches, and mistakes during cloud configuration are difficult to spot, but they can pose a significant security risk as it leaves flaws in the cloud that cybercriminals can exploit.

Adhering to Compliance Standards

Managing big data in the cloud also introduces ‌differences in compliance standards from country to country. Businesses that use the cloud may have to acquire certification for necessary compliance standards.

Not being aware of how nations around the globe govern compliance standards opens you up to possible violations. This is especially concerning when you're migrating to the cloud.

Common compliance standards that businesses must be aware of include:

• The organization's obligation to know where data is located
• An overview of who can access the data, and
• Knowledge of how information is managed in the cloud environment.

DDoS Attacks on The Cloud

Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS) overloads the cloud with false traffic, making it too slow or stopping it from working altogether.

This type of cyberattack can disable the backing up of your data, affect your productivity, create additional copies of your files and cause your data storage to be overwhelmed and disorganized.

The main issue with a DDoS attack is that it's difficult to spot. For your organization, this might mean that you won't mitigate the threat on time — causing you and your team to fall behind with your work.

Managing Access to Cloud

Cloud technology is convenient because users can access it virtually, from anywhere in the world. However, this also doubles as a major security threat in cloud security and data protection.

Monitoring and setting up solutions that prevent data loss can help with preventing unauthorized access to your cloud infrastructure.

For businesses that intend to manage big data on the cloud, it's essential to set up different levels of restrictions and access for the people who are connecting to your network.

Access management, or limited access to certain individuals, reduces the risk of misconfigurations in the cloud because that allows greater control over your network.

Accessibility of API to Public

Application program user interface (API), software that allows connection between computers and computer programs, is essential for remote connection in a cloud environment. It's commonly used for operating the cloud.

API defines protocols that organizations use when integrating and operating cloud systems. They can be used either by customers or by your team of employees.

The major security risk? The fact that you allow your customers' external access. Considering that it can give access to different ‌data, an unsecured API can reveal sensitive data to hackers.

Overcoming Cloud Technology Challenges and Vulnerabilities

Securing big data on the cloud is different from protecting data that is stored in a physical data center, but it's all about the control over data you are trusted with.

If you use the cloud for managing big data, the cloud's network dependence may not be something you can control, but you can start with:

• Familiarizing yourself with the regulations that govern how to store, access, and manage data
• Having tools and protocols in place to continually scan for suspicious activity and mitigate common damaging cyberattacks to the cloud such as DDoS
• Limiting the access to data to as much as you can to keep control over who has information
• Preparing solutions to backup and recover your data in case the cloud gets compromised
• Running the tool to confirm that you're using the latest version of the software and that your system is up-to-date
• Not assuming that you've done configuration correctly, but verifying it instead

Follow these guidelines and others mentioned in this article to protect your data from ever-present threats.