Breadcrumb

How to Take Secure Cloud Payments

Written by

The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedApr 20232 min read

Part of running a business involves taking secure payments from your customers. The cloud’s decentralised infrastructure enables powerful payment processing. Yet with news stories about data breaches, you might be wondering whether cloud-based payments are truly a viable option. The answer is yes – cloud payment solutions can be extremely secure, provided they follow the latest protocols. Here’s what to look for in the best secure cloud payment systems.

What are cloud-based payments?

What do we mean when we discuss cloud-based payment solutions? The ‘cloud’ refers to outside servers hosting data pulled in from all over the world. When you storecustomer data in the cloud, this means it’s stored remotely rather than on your in-house business servers. You’ll be able to access the data from anywhere with an internet connection.

In the case of cloud-based payment processing, you’ll be able to take payments from any online device without being tied to a physical cash register or POS system. Cloud-based payments include contactless card purchases and online sales.

Cloud vs in-house security

How does cloud payment processing compare to in-house security? This depends on the systems you’re using. Not all in-house servers follow the same security protocols, nor do cloud payment solutions. Yet the cloud does offer numerous advantages to consider.

It involves a wider network of businesses in the cloud. This provides access to higher level security features you might not be able to afford for your own in-house systems. This includes things like continual updates, hacking prevention, and antivirus software updates. Some larger cloud providers even have their own team of hackers hired to routinely test systems for any possible flaws.

Another benefit of cloud-based payment processing is that it offers access anytime, anywhere. This gives your business wider flexibility from a security perspective. You’ll be able to take immediate action to shut down accounts if a breach happens, because it’s all controlled remotely.

Features to look for in secure cloud payment solutions

As you start to compare cloud payment solutions, here are just a few cyber security features to look for.

Certifications that show the provider uses the latest software updates and security features
A leadership team including a risk committee and regular security training for employees
Adherence with PCI DSS standards for handling cardholder data
Regular system scans for malware, DDoS attacks, Trojan attacks and worms
Automated attack responses if issues are detected
Layered security model with multiple levels of defence
Tokenization and encryption to protect customer information

Secure cloud payments: is the payment cloud legit?

The best secure cloud payments systems will use all the tools mentioned above. One thing to keep in mind is that the payment cloud, by its very nature, is secure. It holds sensitive information offsite in separate data centres given the highest level of security assurance. Protected by a ring of multi-layered cyber defence created by IT experts, these services can provide a much higher level of security than your business could do on its own without significant resources. The UK’s data centre sites are scattered across the country, which means cloud providers can also store data across more than one location as an extra safeguard.

There are multiple benefits to using cloud-based payment processing. Your business benefits from protecting customer data, which in turn builds client loyalty and trust.

Additional benefits include 24/7 access to your data and sales reports, allowing your business to track payments in real time. Look for systems that integrate with accounting software like Xero and Salesforce to take advantage of this feature. GoCardless partners with over 300 software integrations for fast, secure payment processing in the cloud. Your business can collect both recurring and one-off payments directly from customers, with a quick – and secure – setup.

We can help

GoCardless is a global payments solution that helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of financial admin your team needs to deal with. Find out how GoCardless can help you with one-off or recurring payments.