While cloud technology has been around for decades, many small business owners still hesitate to adopt it because of the reputation and incorrect assumptions about its overall security.

Unfortunately, those myths often lead business to make uninformed decisions when it comes to the cloud, which often leaves these businesses open to higher security risk.

Let’s clear up some common myths about cloud technology.

Myth #1: The Cloud Is Less Secure Than On-Premises Systems

This is perhaps the most common misconceptions we hear from small business owners, and its likely the most dangerous presumption.

In reality, major cloud providers invest far more resources into security than most small businesses can afford on their own. Some of these include:

• Dedicated security teams that operate around the clock (depending on the provider)
• 24/7 continuous monitoring
• Advanced encryption features
• Regular security audits

While these security measures don’t mean that the cloud security is impregnable, but it does mean that it’s often far more secure than aging on-premise servers sitting in an office closet or storage room.

Myth #2: Moving to the Cloud Means Losing Control of Your Data

Many business owners worry that once data is in the cloud, it’s no longer under their control. When it comes to sensitive data or company secrets, it makes sense why business owners would want to be protective of their data.

The truth is that you still own your data, even when it has moved to the cloud. In fact, with the security measures and infrastructure with cloud providers, you have complete control over who has access to the data with customizable permissions, retention, and security policies.

The only thing that changes with the cloud is where the data is stored, not who controls it.

With proper setup, could environments can actually provide better visibility and control than traditional systems.

Myth #3: The Cloud is Automatically Secure Without Any Effort

This myth is super risky to believe because the cloud still requires more than just a “setup and forget.” A proper cloud environment still needs:

• Proper configuration of accounts and features
• Strong access controls to prevent unwanted access
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enabled for accounts
• Regular monitoring of the cloud environment

Misconfigured cloud environments are a common cause of data exposure because cloud environments aren’t managed correctly, not because the cloud itself is unsafe or unsecure. Setup and management matter, so moving your business to the cloud means that security is a shared responsibility.

Myth #4: Small Businesses Aren’t Big Enough to be Targeted

The idea that cybercriminals target based on size is completely false. Cybercriminals target based on ease of access to bypass security measures.

Small businesses (along with nonprofits) are very attractive targets because:

• Security controls may be weaker
• IT oversight is limited in small businesses
• Employees often wear multiple hats, meaning IT often gets overlooked

Cloud environments, when properly secured, can actually reduce exposure by enforcing stronger authentication, patching, and access controls automatically.

Myth #5: Cloud Security Is Too Complex for Small Businesses

There are many things that we can call complex for small businesses, from payroll to taxes to laws and industry regulations, but cloud security doesn’t need to be complex to be effective.

With proper guidance and setup, cloud security can be centralized, scalable, easier to manage, and aligned with how your employees and business actually work.

The key to designing the solutions is to base it around business needs first. If you don’t start there, then the cloud can certainly be overwhelming and feel too complex.

Smart Cloud Security Starts with the Right Information and Guidance

You don’t need to become a tech-savvy cloud technician to move your small business to the cloud, and you shouldn’t have to.

Getting your SMB on the on the cloud is where a Managed IT Partner like us at Marvel IT Services can step in to help, making sure that your business gets configured on the cloud correctly from day one, from proper permissions to best security practices.

The cloud isn’t inherently risky, but it’s also not automatically safe. At Marvel IT Services, we help businesses separate cloud myths from reality so technological decisions are based on facts, not fear.

Thinking about cloud storage solutions for your business or wondering if your current solution is secure? Let’s talk.