What Security Parameters are Present in the Cloud?

What Security Parameters are Present in the Cloud?

Cloud security parameters are the policies, technologies, controls, and services that safeguard the cloud servers, networks, infrastructure, applications, databases, and data from cyber vulnerabilities. Keeping in mind that the attacks are not specific to the provider or organization, it is, therefore, a shared responsibility to realize solutions. 

First, cloud security comes with an understanding of the parameters. It involves running a cloud environment in Tier IV data centers. These centers should have solid physical security to safeguard hardware. The presence of CCTVs, armed guards, alarms, and controlled access ensure contact only from authorized personnel. 

Also, an understanding of data encryption tools is vital when dealing with cloud security. Encrypting data ensures only the end user can read the requests. Data encryption reduces the risk of stolen data. It protects the reputation of businesses and safeguards the identity of users. 

Key Cloud Security Data Frameworks

Not all data is critical, but most of a company's information bears a risk when exposed. It's for this reason that businesses must remain vigilant. 

By default, most organizations have data protection policies. But technological advancements have led to more exposure to security threats. Recent developments have shown increased DoS attacks, ransomware, and data breaches. These threats occur from the cloud provider's side or within a company's system. The dynamic of the attacks depends on the weak points in application deployment and management.

It's common for a company that does not integrate cloud security into its strategic development to have gaps. The gaps can result in governance and compliance issues. The effects can spiral down to daily workflow and customer management systems. In the end, a company deals with losses or shutdowns.

However, initiating countermeasures for various cloud security parameters reduces risks. Parameters such as virtualization, database systems, memory control, load balancing, resource placement, and cloud networks can benefit from thoughtful cloud adoption. Understanding cloud security parameters also helps in the implementation of strong security frameworks.

1. Data Loss Prevention(DLP) Framework

Cloud Data Loss Prevention(DLP) protects against cyber attacks, internal threats, and accidental data exposure. The DLP works across cloud services such as Software as a Service(SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS), and Platform as a Service(PaaS).

Among the things that DLP does is discover data. A reliable DLP protocol will automate tagging, policies, and remediation alerts. In cloud DLP services, information can be set into dashboards, giving continuous visibility into security reports. 

Cloud DLP also classifies data. It associates data with source application, user involvement, and sensitivity. Some categories that DLP considers are data logs, payment information, monitoring software, and storage information.

Cloud DLP helps you understand when your data is at risk. It allows for data reporting from anywhere, anytime. Also, the ability to deploy reusable templates allows for easy workload integration.  

2. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery(BCDR) Applications

"Mission-critical data has no time for downtime, even for noncritical data, people have very little tolerance."  Christophe Bertrand, practice director of data management and analytics at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG).

Business continuity and disaster recovery frameworks minimize the effects of disruptions. They ensure business viability by protecting revenue streams, employee data, and customer information.

BCDR focuses on reputational management and gaining a competitive advantage. It helps a company measure its future success by how it responds to disaster and the time taken before recovery.  A BCDR guideline ensures a system is in place to fix networks, databases, servers, and applications during outages.

Normally, business continuity and disaster recovery are defined separately in cloud security. Business continuity refers to processes that continue to take place during a catastrophe. On the other hand, disaster recovery deals with the full restoration of operations. Business continuity is handled on-premise, while disaster recovery can be based on the cloud infrastructure. 

These two models are different but still discussed together because their collaboration during critical operations improves opportunities for recovery. For instance, a terror attack on a government entity requires immediate intervention. When a proper BCDR cloud framework has been drawn, the BC data will assist in rescue operations while the DR works on full access to stored data. 

But keep in mind that working on a BCDR is a thought process. Even though your cloud provider will deal with most of these issues, it's important that your team have an understanding of the concepts. You may want to keep these documentation and testing plans on the premises.

• Infrastructure review
• Risk identification 
• Design plan
• Implementation plan
• Costs
• Testing

3. Advanced Network Perimeter Firewall

A perimeter firewall acts as the first defense against vulnerabilities. It is an intermediary between a company, the internet, and users. Its role is to analyze data packets for threats. A perimeter firewall filters internal and external traffic. 

A network perimeter has several security parameters in place.

• Firewall - The gatekeepers that allow or deny entry of traffic. 
• Intrusion detection system - Serves as the alarm system that signals intrusion. 
• Border routers - Act as the final router from untrusted external sources. It directs traffic in, out, and within the networks. 
• Intrusion prevention system - Serves as a defense mechanism against malicious attacks. 
• Screened subnets - Uses logical screening to separate external, internal, and perimeter networks from untrusted sources. 

In cloud computing, perimeter firewalls are employed as software or hardware. Their infrastructure positioning is on the point of entry of data into a company's system. They monitor traffic flow using these services.

• Proxy services - Firewall proxy servers act as the middleman between public and private networks. They receive requests before they get to a company's system. Their purpose is to make it difficult for attackers to access business data. They mask the location and IP addresses and balance workloads. 
• Static Packet Filtering - A packet header contains protocols, source addresses, destination addresses, and header numbers. The static packet filtering parameter identifies and filters traffic based on packet information. It blocks restricted packets, such as banned websites, from reaching their intended destinations. 
• Stateful inspection - According to stateful inspections, requests should only be received through corresponding outgoing networks.  This means that any requests should receive feedback only through the initial outgoing route. Stateful inspection prevents network scanning and IP spoofing from external sources. 

4. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) Tools

CSPM automates cloud security around software, infrastructure, and platform services (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS). CSPM tools mainly concentrate on the cloud infrastructure deployed in an organization. The tools monitor cloud applications to detect misconfiguration. The automated system then resolves errors on a continuous, ongoing basis. CSPM tools are intended for monitoring compliance policies. Through CSPM automation, companies deal with internal security issues and violation policies as soon as they are detected. 

Conclusion

Security parameters can be found in various capacities in a cloud environment. The aspects range from data loss prevention, event management, access management, business continuity, and disaster recovery. The range of use of the security parameters depends on the level of risks in a company. Bigger organizations require advanced security technology to prevent data breaches, cyberattacks, and internal threats.