Technology continues to advance and networks are everywhere. This makes life more convenient, but it also creates risks for businesses. In the past, many companies have suffered database breaches that exposed customer personal data, harming customers and severely damaging company reputation. Recent database hacking incidents involving a photo-printing company and a marketing company have increased public concern about cybersecurity and how businesses handle data.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council recently released the HKT Hong Kong Enterprise Cyber Security Readiness Index 2021. The report assessed four areas: policy and risk assessment, technology control, process control and staff awareness. Technology control performed best, while employee security awareness education and third-party risk management were the weakest areas.
Many companies use third-party software to save cost, such as human resources or accounting systems. If these tools are not used carefully, they can create business risk. Companies also need to improve staff awareness of phishing emails and fake websites, because these online traps can cause data leakage and financial loss. Some businesses still wrongly assume that on-premise servers are safer than cloud servers.
On-Premise Servers Depend Heavily on Manual Maintenance
An on-premise server is an internal company server that does not connect to external servers. It mainly relies on an internal IT team and usually lacks automated settings. Although no external connection may look safer, it can actually create serious security vulnerabilities.
Management and IT teams cannot predict when emergencies will happen, and internal IT teams may not always have the latest cybersecurity solutions. If a company using an on-premise server faces emergency downtime before data backup is completed, unbacked data may be lost. When a database is hacked, unbacked data may also disappear. Since backup often depends on manual operation, human error can affect actual backup quality.
On-premise servers also usually lack automation. In addition to data backup, software updates and security checks require manual effort. Operations are highly dependent on the internal IT team. If there is no adequate support, server uptime may be affected. If cybersecurity measures are not current, the server is more vulnerable to hackers.
Cloud Servers Provide Updated Cybersecurity Solutions
A cloud server is an integrated platform. When the cloud host receives a request, it can distribute work to other cloud servers and resolve issues quickly. Cloud server providers are usually global enterprises with worldwide support teams that monitor server conditions around the clock and invest heavily in updated cybersecurity solutions.
As digital transformation becomes a global trend, many businesses use cloud servers to ensure stable daily operations. Their security is widely recognized by enterprise users around the world.
Even if a cloud server faces hacking, system failure or overload, previously entered data is less likely to be affected. Businesses can continue operations through another hardware resource or cloud backup. Cloud servers also offer advanced security functions such as data encryption and automated backup, and providers keep security solutions updated to respond to evolving cyberattacks and data protection issues.
Cloud servers also reduce reliance on a single server. In the past, much information connected to one server. If that server failed, updates could not connect until repair was completed. For businesses that rely heavily on online systems, such as high-transaction websites or systems supporting many operations, downtime can damage internal operations, revenue and company image. With cloud servers, real-time versions and backup resources can help avoid business disruption.
Unlike on-premise servers with capacity limitations, cloud servers can increase capacity according to actual traffic, reduce load on individual servers and improve network speed. This flexibility allows cloud servers to adapt as the company grows, while supporting long-term cybersecurity and data protection needs.
Source: Hong Kong Productivity Council
Translation supported by AI.