It has become essential for businesses to use cloud computing so that they have a technological advantage over their counterparts. But, the management of applications in the cloud has opened a window to potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Hence, the concept of Security Management in the Cloud has gained popularity and momentum among businesses. This robust management system includes the implementation of processes, solutions, policies, and people for safeguarding the company’s cloud data and applications.
Security Risks and Issues Related to Cloud Computing
There can be several unique cloud computing security issues that result in the increase of threats and hence risks. Major ones are mentioned here:
· Reduced Visibility: The way the Cloud is exposed to the Internet causes decreased visibility as well as control which directly results in it being vulnerable to data breaches, operational disruptions, and other malicious actions.
· Lack of a Perimeter: There is always a conventional on-premises network present, which is led by the firewall. However, in the case of cloud-hosted applications/data, the perimeter is further extended to places where the endpoints exist that can be a local coffee shop or remote office. This results in open accessibility that is used by the attackers to cause a security mishap.
· Continuously Changing Cloud Environment: There is a need to ensure responsiveness in the cloud computing security concerning the continually changing cloud environment that allows altering of services, storage, applications, and virtual machines.
· Cloud security is data and identity-centric: Conventional on-premises security implements the logical perimeter for its main defense. Since the cloud is exposed, its security needs to be modified for safeguarding the data and application of user credentials for authentication.
· Shared Responsibility: Cloud Service Provider (CSP) is responsible for lending security to some portion of the cloud environment. The end users are themselves responsible for security related to the operating system, application, and data. It is important to understand which parts of cloud security is your responsibility so that the overall network can become highly secure.
Security Management in the Cloud: Defined and Explained
To define it, there are a set of strategies that permit a business to make the best use of all the cloud applications and networks in conjunction with limiting the potential threats and vulnerabilities. Few common independent tactics are as follows:
- Identification and assessment of cloud services along with examining their threats and vulnerabilities.
- Auditing and adjustment of indigenous security settings
- Via encryption of data, data loss can be prevented.
- Management of user for restriction of data and alteration of user permissions.
- Quick reporting for a malicious activity for getting an improved understanding.
Conclusion
Management of all the aforementioned strategies is difficult for IT and security personnel, because of a huge number of cloud applications and services in use. This makes it near impossible to ensure consistent security settings throughout the hundreds and thousands of cloud-based applications. So you need a single platform (centralized location) from where management and monitoring of the entire cloud are possible. CloudCodes CASB security solutions can help you considerably in this regard!