Cloud control. How working remotely & securely changes everything
Welcome to Day 13 of Business Self-Defense from Microsoft Canada. Today, we focus on how small and medium-sized business owners can protect their organizations from crime and unlock dramatic productivity benefits with the help of Microsoft cloud services and applications, like Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure services.
StaySafeOnline.org reported that 71 percent of data breaches happen to small businesses and nearly half of all small businesses have been victim of a cyberattack. Security stats like these should confirm that most Canadian small and medium-sized businesses need to invest more in their security—before disaster strikes.
Some good news
With pending legislation tabled in parliament, small business owners and Canadians can breathe a little easier. The Communications Security Establishment Act (CSE) means real consequences for breaching data security in Canada. It gives authorities the power to prosecute hackers, no matter where they operate.
Government of Canada: “CSE Act will clarify how we are authorized to operate in cyber space, protecting Canadians at home and abroad from threats to our security, stability, and economic prosperity.”
Your responsibility
Even the best legislation in the world won’t stop cyberattacks. You still need to report breaches and take steps to help safeguard your interests. Prevention and education about cyberattacks—like what to look for and what to avoid—always helps.
Get over the cloud hurdle
Forget about securing data in-house. Few, if any, businesses can afford to pay for their own physical security, let alone hire and train the security personnel to avoid breaches. The cloud represents your best bet to avoid being hacked while still enabling access to key systems to your employees.
Choose your cloud provider carefully! The 2018 Microsoft Intelligence Security Report shows that 79 percent of SaaS storage apps and 86 percent of SaaS collaboration apps don’t encrypt data at rest or in transit.
Benefits of the Microsoft cloud
- Enterprise security and 7/24/365 monitoring
- Automated backup and data recovery
- Secure access to data, files, and apps from anywhere
- Pay-as-you-go/predictable cost management
- Access to transformative technologies, like AI
- Satisfy rigorous regulatory compliance standards
- Meet local data residence requirements
Enabling compliance
A global leader in compliance, the Microsoft Cloud has the broadest portfolio of certifications in the industry. Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics 365 have received ISO 27001 certification. All three have been audited under the SSAE 16/ISAE 3402 SOC 1 and SOC 2 standards.
ISO/IEC 27018
Plus, Microsoft is the first cloud service provider to adopt ISO/IEC 27018, the uniform international code of practice for cloud privacy and data protection. These guidelines govern the protection of personally identifiable information.
Canadian cloud data residency
A lot of the cloud providers promise to host data in Canada, but can they deliver? In 2016, Microsoft opened two state-of-the-art datacentres in Ontario and Quebec. These datacentres enable data residency for Canadian customers.
Did you know? Microsoft offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee for cloud services. Safely snug in Microsoft’s cloud, your data, files, and apps benefit from 24/7/365 security monitoring and disaster recovery measures.
For all shapes and sizes
The cloud levels the playing field for small and medium-sized organizations. It provides enterprise-strength solutions and security, at small business prices. You can enter a world of cost-effective and innovative solutions.
Hiring a few employees? Congrats! Scaling is a lot easier with cloud services. Pay-as-you-go subscriptions allow you to only pay for what your organization consumes.
Office apps
Modernize how you work with Office 365 and never worry about updates again. You and your team can always use the latest version of the gold standard of productivity applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, etc.
Office services
Office 365 includes a OneDrive account, your own cloud storage, and access to productivity-enhancing services likes business-class email (Exchange Online), video conferencing (Skype for Business, Teams, and SharePoint.
Dynamics 365
Accelerate your digital transformation with Dynamics 365. This modern breed of intelligent business apps breaks down the silos between your CRM and ERP systems and helps unlock opportunities.
Azure cloud services
Azure cloud services enable developers and IT pros to design, build, deploy, and manage apps through Microsoft’s global network of datacentres. With the help of integrated tools, DevOps, and a marketplace, you can build anything from simple mobile apps to Internet-scale solutions—quickly!
Get the ebook
Looking for surefire technology strategies to help your team work faster and smarter? Download the “7 Ways to Work Smarter in the Cloud” ebook! Link here.
