Cloud Security

What is cloud security?

 
Cloud security refers to an array of policies, technological procedures, services, and solutions designed to support safe functionality when building, deploying, and managing cloud-based applications and associated data. Whether operating in public, private, or hybrid cloud environments, cloud securitycreates and maintains preventative strategies and actions to combat any threat to networked systems and applications.
 
As IT managers know, security is a critical component to successful cloud adoption, and enterprises need to put adequate countermeasures in place when fending off increasingly complex attacks. However, cloud security is much more than a list of defensive protocols put in place to restrict network usage. Rather, it’s designed to create greater cloud agility and facilitate organizational growth while securing business applications.
 
Given the agility in which cloud applications are being developed, the traditional operational processes are moving toward more of an integrated development-security-operational (DevSecOps) process, with a security-first mindset.

Risks and threats

 
Today, cloud computing is a very approachable topic for both small and large enterprises alike. However, while cloud computing affords businesses near-limitless opportunities for scale and sustainability, it also comes with risks. Establishing successful cloud security processes is about understanding the common threats experienced by businesses operating in the cloud. These threats originate from both inside and outside sources and vary in severity and complexity.
 
The following are some common cloud security threats:
  • Data breaches: With so many organizations now operating in cloud-based environments, information accessibility has never been higher. As enterprises expand their digital footprint, cybercriminals can locate new access points to exploit, gaining access to private records and other sensitive data.
  • Malware injections: Malware injection is a common risk. Attackers upload these malicious scripts of code to a cloud server that hosts various applications and services. Successfully deployed, these scripts can cause any number of security issues to enterprises operating on those same servers.
  • Regulatory compliance: Fines and penalties for regulatory non-compliance can be steep. The cloud shared-responsibility model for security (see below)—where the cloud provider is responsible for the security of the cloud and the cloud customer is responsible for security inthe cloud—must be properly and diligently managed to demonstrate and maintain compliance.

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