Adora is a multi-award winning Software Engineer based in Lagos, Nigeria. She currently works at Microsoft where she builds Mixed Reality on the Cloud. She is also the Vice President of the Nigerian chapter for VRAR Association. Her work there involves creating more awareness for Immersive Reality Technologies. Apart from building and advocating for mixed reality technologies, Adora is a Digital Creator. She has courses online that teaches people about Infrastructure automation, she has also published multiple content on Software Engineering, Productivity & Career Growth on her blog and YouTube channel , AdoraHack. Currently, Adora is a student of LEAD in the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Adora is the Author of “Cloud Engineering for Beginners”, “Beginning Azure DevOps” and “A Handy DevOps Roadmap and Study Guide”. She co-organizes community events, contributes to Open Source, and speaks at technology conferences worldwide.
Business operations have been changed by cloud computing, which provides adaptable, scalable, and economical IT solutions. Businesses may access their data and applications via cloud infrastructure at any time, from any location, and on any device. But the growth of cloud computing has also created new security difficulties. The COVID-19 pandemic solidified the work-from-home culture we see in a lot of organizations today, due to the inability to come into the office. This meant that a lot of businesses started leveraging the cloud for their operations. According to Business Wire, 81% of global organizations experienced increased cyber threats during COVID-19. The pandora’s box of security threats was open, and now more than ever, cloud security has become a very important field for businesses. This article will cover the best methods for safeguarding cloud infrastructure and protecting your company from online attacks.
Understanding the Types of Security Threats
Understanding the myriad of security threats that can affect cloud services infrastructure is essential for protecting them. For instance, it is well known that cybercriminals would take advantage of any vulnerabilities in the service to access information or software without authorization. To circumvent the security precautions of cloud-based services, they could employ strategies like phishing, social engineering, or malware.
Organizations also need to be mindful of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as a security crisis. These attacks try to clog up cloud servers with traffic so that genuine users can’t get access to them. Such attacks could have a disastrous impact on a company’s brand, revenue, and perhaps even the faith of its customers.
Businesses must also be aware of internal dangers in addition to external ones. These are people who have been given permission to access the cloud infrastructure, such as employees or contractors, and who could unintentionally or maliciously undermine the system’s security. Insiders might steal data or leak the private information of their customers.
Using Access Control Management to Secure Cloud Service Infrastructure
Access control is a crucial component of cloud infrastructure security that companies must give top priority to. Businesses can lower the risk of security breaches brought on by human mistakes, insider threats, or malicious assaults by limiting access to cloud resources to only those who need them. Businesses must have definite rules and procedures in place for managing user access if they want to develop effective access controls. This can entail setting up user accounts for each employee or contractor and granting access rights by their work duties. As employees leave the company or no longer need access, it is crucial to make sure that these accounts are frequently inspected and terminated.
Every access to cloud resources must be authenticated and authorized. This entails confirming that each person attempting to log into a cloud-based system is who they say they are and has been granted access to that specific resource. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires users to present two or more pieces of evidence to prove their identity, is one approach to this. This may involve a security token and a password, a face recognition check, and a fingerprint scan.
Just-in-time (JIT) access is also another strategy for managing access control. This security solution works by granting users access to a resource for a set period, usually just long enough for them to perform the task at hand. The user must request access once again if they require it in the future after which the access is immediately withdrawn.
Together with these precautions, businesses should routinely audit and monitor access records to spot any illegal or unusual activity. Businesses may drastically lower the risk of data breaches and other security issues by proactively managing access.
Monitoring Your Cloud Service Infrastructure for Vulnerabilities and Unusual Activities
Regular vulnerability examinations of your cloud infrastructure are another crucial procedure. To do this, the cloud environment must be scanned for security flaws and vulnerabilities, such as out-of-date software or incorrectly configured settings. You may stop hackers from taking advantage of these vulnerabilities by detecting and addressing them.
Continuous monitoring, in addition to regular vulnerability assessments, is essential for protecting cloud infrastructure. Thus, you must employ technologies that can spot and notify you of any atypical or suspect activities occurring within your cloud environment. Real-time monitoring allows you to respond to possible security problems right away and stop them from getting worse.
Encrypting Data in Your Cloud Service
Encrypting data while it is in transit and at rest is one efficient way to ensure data security. Sensitive data is transformed using cryptographic methods into an unreadable format that can only be decoded using the right key. Although encrypting data in transit entails encrypting data transferred over a network, encrypting data at rest entails encrypting data saved in databases or data storage systems. Depending on the amount of security required and the type of data being encrypted, businesses might employ different encryption algorithms like AES, RSA, Triple DES, or Twofish. Cybercriminals won’t be able to intercept and take sensitive data if it is encrypted.
Adhering To Security Compliance Standards
The goal of compliance standards like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is to protect sensitive data and guarantee that firms follow certain rules. Businesses must abide by these standards, which provide detailed guidelines for safeguarding cloud data, to avoid fines and reputational harm. For instance, the GDPR requires the implementation of safeguards to guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data. Healthcare organizations must safeguard all electronic protected health information (ePHI) by HIPAA. Data protection procedures are required by PCI DSS.
Businesses that store sensitive data in the cloud must make sure their cloud service provider complies with all applicable laws to assure compliance. To make sure that the supplier is adhering to the requirements, they should assess its security policies and practices. To adopt cloud infrastructure and services, firms must also alter their internal rules and processes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, organizations must secure their cloud infrastructure to safeguard their data and apps from security threats. These organizations can reduce the risk of security attacks by putting in place strict access controls, carrying out frequent vulnerability assessments, constant monitoring, and safeguarding cloud applications. Businesses can further guarantee they are adhering to industry standards and best practices by remaining updated and teaching their staff about regulatory compliance and data protection.
Lastly, case studies of businesses that have effectively protected their cloud infrastructure are worthwhile to review. Businesses may get insightful knowledge and discover best practices for their own cloud environment by studying other companies’ experiences.