In this article, you will discover:
- What Cloud Security and Cloud Computing are
- How Cloud Security works
- Cloud Security challenges
- Types of Cloud Security solutions
- The five pillars of Cloud Security to help build a secure cloud computing environment
What Is Cloud Security?
Cloud security is the set of cybersecurity policies, best practices, controls, and technologies used to secure cloud-based applications, data, and infrastructure. It focuses on safeguarding storage and networks against internal and external threats, managing access, ensuring data governance and compliance, and facilitating disaster recovery.
What Is Cloud Computing?
The “Cloud,” or Cloud Computing, involves accessing resources, software, and databases via the Internet. It offers flexibility and scalability to meet various business needs. There are three primary cloud computing service models, each offering a different level of control, flexibility, and management:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): delivers on-demand access to IT infrastructure services, such as computing, storage, networking, and virtualization. It empowers organizations with the highest level of control, resembling traditional on-premises IT resources.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): offers all the essential hardware and software resources required for cloud-based application development. It allows businesses to focus entirely on application development while eliminating the responsibility of managing the underlying infrastructure.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): provides a comprehensive application stack as a service, covering infrastructure, maintenance, and software updates. SaaS solutions typically comprise end-user applications managed and maintained by the cloud service provider.
How does Cloud Security work?
| Cloud computing service model: | You secure: | Cloud Service Provider secures: |
|---|---|---|
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) |
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Platform as a Service (PaaS) |
|
|
Software as a Service (SaaS) |
|
|
Cloud security usually follows a shared responsibility model, where the cloud service providers (CSPs) and you, the customer, both have the responsibility of implementing and upholding security. The details of shared responsibilities can vary depending on the specific cloud computing service model being employed—the more extensive management undertaken by the provider, the more they can protect.
Recently, a new model emerged, referred to as the shared fate model, in which the cloud provider offers more extensive guidance, resources, and tools to assist customers in maintaining secure cloud usage, rather than leaving customers to navigate risk management in cloud-native environments.
Why Is Cloud Security Important?
With more companies transitioning to the cloud from on-premises environments, re-evaluating security approaches is crucial, especially with increased scrutiny on data governance and compliance. In an increasingly hybrid and multicloud landscape, organizations have greater flexibility but face complex security challenges beyond network access control.
Unfortunately, some organizations prioritize speedy digital transformation over best practices, making cloud-based targets appealing to attackers. While cloud security cannot guarantee complete prevention of attacks, a well-designed cloud security strategy can significantly reduce the risk, enhance compliance, and build trust with customers.
What Are Some Cloud Security Challenges?
Cloud security faces risks similar to those found in traditional settings, such as insider threats, data breaches, data loss, phishing, malware, DDoS attacks, and vulnerable APIs.
However, some specific cloud security challenges include:
Lack of Visibility
With data being accessed beyond corporate networks and through third parties, tracking who accesses data and how becomes challenging. This lack of visibility can lead to unauthorized access or data breaches.
Multitenancy
Public cloud environments host multiple client infrastructures together. This proximity can make your hosted services vulnerable to cyberattacks targeting other businesses sharing the same infrastructure, potentially causing collateral damage.
Misconfigurations
Misconfigured assets are one of the leading causes of data breaches, making the inadvertent insider a key issue for Cloud Computing environments. Misconfigurations can include leaving default administrative passwords in place, failing to activate data encryption, or mismanaging permission controls.
Access Management
Managing access points in cloud environments can be more challenging than on-premises systems. Without well-defined BYOD policies and access restrictions, organizations risk unauthorized access from various devices and locations, compromising security.
Dynamic Workloads
Cloud resources can scale dynamically to meet workload demands. However, many legacy security tools struggle to enforce policies in environments with constantly changing and ephemeral workloads, creating vulnerabilities.
Compliance
Cloud adoption adds new layers of regulatory and internal compliance requirements. Ensuring compliance in the cloud can be challenging, as identifying all cloud assets and controls, mapping them to relevant requirements, and maintaining documentation becomes complex.
What Types of Cloud Security Solutions Are Available?
Cloud security continually evolves to address emerging threats, resulting in a wide range of cloud security solutions on the market today. Below, we discuss some popular ones that organizations often utilize to enhance their cloud security posture.
Identity and Access Management (IAM): IAM solutions provide centralized control over user access to both cloud-based and on-premises resources, ensuring policy enforcement throughout the organization.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): DLP tools offer visibility into stored and processed data by automating discovery, classification, and de-identification of regulated data in the cloud.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): SIEM solutions automate monitoring, detection, and incident response within cloud environments. Leveraging AI and ML technologies, SIEM tools analyze log data from applications and network devices to quickly identify and respond to potential threats.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI): PKI is the framework used to manage secure, encrypted data exchange using digital certificates. Cloud-based PKI services enable organizations to deploy and manage digital certificates for user, device, and service authentication, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: These solutions are crucial for swiftly recovering from data breaches or service disruptions in both on-premises and cloud-based infrastructures. They provide tools, services, and protocols to expedite data recovery and restore normal business operations.
Five Pillars of Cloud Security
The approach to cloud security varies by organization, but the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework recommends five pillars that can help establish a secure cloud computing environment:
Identify
This principle is about understanding and managing cybersecurity risks relating to an organization’s systems, assets, people, data, and capabilities.
Examples:
- Identifying physical and software assets to establish an Asset Management program.
- Identifying the organization’s role in the supply chain and critical infrastructure sector.
- Identifying cybersecurity policies and legal/regulatory requirements.
Protect
This principle focuses on safeguarding critical infrastructure services, limiting the impact of potential cybersecurity events.
Examples:
- Implementing identity management and access control for physical and remote access.
- Empowering staff through awareness and role-based training.
- Establishing data security measures to protect information.
Detect
This principle involves identifying cybersecurity events in a timely manner.
Examples:
- Detecting anomalies and events and understanding their potential impact.
- Implementing Security Continuous Monitoring to verify protective measures.
- Maintaining detection processes for awareness of anomalous events.
Respond
This principle includes taking action in response to detected cybersecurity incidents, supporting the ability to contain the impact of a potential cybersecurity incident.
Examples:
- Executing response planning processes during and after an incident.
- Coordinating communications with stakeholders and law enforcement.
- Conducting analysis and mitigation activities to resolve incidents.
Recover
This principle discusses maintaining resilience and restoring capabilities or services after a cybersecurity incident, ensuring a timely recovery to normal business operations.
Examples:
- Implementing recovery planning processes to restore affected systems/assets.
- Making improvements based on lessons learned and existing strategies.
- Coordinating communications during and after recovery from a cybersecurity incident.
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