Are Unified Communications Solutions Robust Enough To Keep Your Data Safe?

According to the most recent Cyber Security Breaches Report from the UK Government, 50% of all businesses in the United Kingdom experienced either an attempted or successful cyber breach in the preceding twelve months. While this figure is startling, it reinforces the need for robust and effective security protocols, especially in the age of cloud computing and cloud communications in which much of the data we produce or utilise daily can be accessed via an internet connection, rather than a traditional hard drive.

On the subject of cloud communications, unified communications solutions from businesses such as Elite Group have emerged as a wonderfully useful and versatile tool businesses everywhere can use to keep colleagues and customers connected, wherever they are. On top of this, they’re also reinforced with some of the most advanced cybersecurity protocols any business can rely on to keep sensitive data out of the hands of criminals or the wider public.

But what exactly is unified communications? Are they the most secure option today, and do they offer enough in the way of security for you to put your faith in the platform and make the shift? Let’s discuss.

What is Unified Communications (UC)?

If you’re a highly organised person, the applications on your phone are likely categorised and organised into specific folders that make them easy for you to find at a moment’s notice. That’s a good way to think of unified communications. Rather than relying on various separate applications and subscriptions for all communications tools, unified communications allows businesses to condense their communications needs into a single, easy-to-use application that contains all the ways they need to communicate in the digital age.

These include text, instant messaging, email, voice chat, video conferencing, collaborative digital environments and more, making them an overarching tool businesses can use to handle all internal and external comms. Better still, because all communications needs are taken care of in a single application, businesses can save a fortune by cancelling subscriptions to multiple communications providers, relieving pressure on the business account and simplifying the work of finance managers when reviewing the incomings and outgoings.

Plus, because the solution is cloud-based, unified communications systems can be accessed by anyone at any time, from anywhere, as long as they have a stable internet connection and a suitable digital device to host the app (laptop, tablet, smartphone). This makes UC a fantastic choice for businesses that want to offer their staff remote or hybrid working options without limiting the capability they have to perform their roles effectively when compared to office-based staff. With UC, all files, channels and comms tools can be accessed at the click of a button, wherever a colleague happens to be.

Are Unified Communications Systems Secure?

In short, yes. While there are some security concerns surrounding any platforms designed to house data, unified communications systems are incredibly reliable at keeping sensitive business data safe. By utilising the latest advancements in cybersecurity technology and, in many instances, being consistently monitored by trained professionals (more on that in a moment) businesses needn’t worry about their data remaining under “lock and key” when using unified communications systems.

Despite fears due to cloud-based applications being accessible via the internet, supposedly making them more of an easy target than on-site systems, less than half of all breaches in 2023 were targeted towards cloud-based systems – even though over 60% of all business data is now stored in the cloud. This is according to data from the IBM Cost of Data Breach Report.

This reinforces the notion that cloud platforms and cloud security are just as reliable as more traditional forms of security and cyber security, having evolved alongside the methods utilised by cybercriminals, to keep them at bay.

How Unified Communications Solutions Boost the Overall Security of Your Business

Effective Security Protocols and Tools

While those who are not accustomed to digital or cloud-based communications platforms may be concerned about the security of such platforms, thankfully modern security protocols and tools can be implemented to give unified communications platforms the most ironclad security possible in the age of cloud computing.

End-to-end encryption is an excellent example. Encryption is the process of scrambling data, making it completely unreadable to anyone other than the intended recipient, and is widely used as a security device in countless web-based applications and communications. End-to-end encryption refers to the method in which said data is scrambled between two pre-defined points (the sender and the receiver) meaning that even if data was intercepted by a cybercriminal in transit, it would still be utterly useless to anyone other than those with the correct key to unscramble it.

Multi-factor authentication is a useful tactic, too. Utilised by email users worldwide, it has become a common practice to virtually guarantee only the correct individuals can access online services and accounts. Even if a correct username and password are entered into a system, the user must prove they are who they say they are by approving access on a separate device, most commonly a smartphone or secondary email address. Given cyber criminals don’t usually have access to these external platforms, the data housed within the system they’re trying to access remains protected.

If a business is concerned about an internal security risk, role-defined parameters come in handy. These parameters prevent certain users from accessing tools, files and services that are beyond their paygrade, ensuring only authorised employees can access select sensitive information. Definable by roles such as specific positions within a company, seniority within the company hierarchy, or a host of other options, administrators can close off certain areas of a unified communications system however is necessary for the wider security of the business.

Intelligent firewalls can also be applied to create a secure structure around a unified comms system and the network it runs on. Compared to traditional firewalls which detect and stop cyber attacks as and when they happen, intelligent firewalls continuously scan the network, locating potential threats and neutralising them before they’ve had the chance to launch an assault.

UCaaS Puts the Management of Security Into the Hands of Trained Experts

Unified communications is already a highly impressive addition most businesses can benefit from. However, it could be said that there are even more benefits to be had when the technology is onboarded as a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) model. While unified communications can be onboarded with sole ownership and management responsibilities lying with the business in question, UCaaS places the management, maintenance and security of the unified communications system in the hands of a third-party provider.

Some businesses prefer to have full control over all their tools and opt to manage their UC systems entirely in-house, which is completely understandable. Not only does this allow in-house teams (if they’re available) to take full control of a company’s communications, but it also prevents the need for external parties to get involved, should a business have any security concerns over giving a third-party access to such sensitive data.

But, on the whole, businesses can enjoy far greater benefits by entrusting the management of their cloud communications systems to trustworthy third-party providers. These providers are often highly experienced in providing cloud-based communications solutions, meaning they’re also highly experienced in offering robust security solutions for such platforms. They’re also often highly accredited and can back up the claims of their expertise with qualifications and commendations from credible technology companies, such as Microsoft.

By placing the security of unified communications systems into the hands of an experienced UC provider through UCaaS, businesses can save themselves time and energy from needing to deal with security-related issues, allowing them to better focus on more pressing aspects of the business.

Reducing the Number of Communication Channels Limits the Risk of a Breach

According to data featured in Harvard Business Review, over 80% of data breaches are a result of human error, rather than a cybercriminal successfully “hacking” their way into a network. In this sense, breaches could be due to several different scenarios, including phishing, accidentally sharing usernames and passwords or accidentally sending sensitive documents to the incorrect email addresses, among countless others. This means the more opportunities an employee has to accidentally leak information, the more likely it is to happen, which could spell disaster for businesses utilising too many methods of communication.

Platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype and more are frequently being used by businesses to share sensitive company data. In reduced numbers, this isn’t as big of a problem. But when multiple platforms like this are being used in this way constantly, all it takes is for security measures to lapse on one of them for a cybercriminal to strike and access the information they should not be privy to. But unified communications systems solve this issue.

By relying on a single, all-encompassing and secure communications platform for all methods of communication, instead of spreading communications across numerous external platforms with their own security measures (and security concerns), businesses can reduce the risk of a potential leak. Not only this but, by avoiding such leaks, businesses can save countless hours of productivity and potential spending on having to resolve the issue.

Partner with an Experienced and Reliable Provider to Onboard Unified Communications

If you have been exploring the benefits unified communications could offer your business, but have been deterred by the potential security risks of such platforms, hopefully the above has eased your worries. Now, it’s time to reach out to an experienced and reputable unified communications provider who’ll work with you to onboard the technology and support you as you and your team adapt to a new way of communicating.

Beneficial factors you should consider when choosing a unified communications partner include, but aren’t limited to:

• Previous experience with the technology
• Previous experience working with businesses such as yours
• Customer support options and response rates
• Proactive account monitoring and reporting
• Cybersecurity solutions

By choosing the correct partner for your unified communications needs first-time, you’ll be able to successfully adjust to the technology for the benefit of both your business and your customers far quicker, while also navigating any technical speedbumps you encounter, ensuring they’re solved in a timely manner, so you can reap the full benefits.