Access Controls

At this point in our Cloud Security Series, we have discussed many resources you can use to keep your data secure. Now let’s discuss access controls and authenticating proper access to those new resources including files, folders, databases and web applications.

Next on our cloud security series, we will discuss the steps you can take to secure  your storage resources since data is the most valuable asset in the cloud environment. First, I recommend implementing resource controls and ensuring that only the right resources have access to the secured information. Also, consider implementing a data classification practice where data is sorted into certain categories to help define placement, access, backup, recovery and security policies. Additionally, consider implementing drive encryption, so if someone gains access to your data the information remains secured.

Next on our cloud security series, we’ll discuss ways to harden a new cloud system and ensure it’s configured in a manner that reduces threats and attacks from both internal and external sources. While the precise settings and measures for hardening your cloud system will differ from solution to solution, the fundamental processes required are similar, regardless of the technologies being hardened. A few of these essential hardening methods are:

We begin part two of our cloud security series by discussing layered security. To safeguard new cloud services from outside dangers in today’s market, cloud design often includes multiple layers or networks to ensure that secured resources are protected.

This is part one of a weekly blog series to discuss the extremely important topic of cloud security and how the three primary service models in cloud computing,  Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), have differing security strategies—which you should become familiar with to secure and protect your customers’ cloud environments.

At the core of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is an architecture that provides seamless cloud-based service delivery, cuts unnecessary IT costs and reduces the operational friction which inhibits business agility and value. As a result, IT departments now think more strategically about how to use infrastructure and hybrid cloud solutions to benefit their businesses.