Cloud Security
Cloud security refers to a collection of
policies, procedures, controls and technologies that function collaboratively to
protect systems, data and infrastructure that is cloud-based. The measures
that are related to cloud security are configured for the following-
Supporting regulatory compliance
Protecting the privacy of the customers
Setting authentication rules with regard to
devices as well as individual users
Cloud security can be configured as per the
exact requirements of an enterprise. It leads to a reduction in administration
overheads as the rules related to cloud security can be configured as well as
managed at one place. The way in which the delivery of cloud security takes
place, depends on the cloud provider or on the cloud security solutions that are
in place. Ideally, the implementation of cloud security processes has to be a
joint responsibility of the solution provider and the business owner.
To digress, the term “cloud” brings to mind
cloud hosting which is a type of web hosting. Web hosting is a service provided
by web hosting companies wherein server space along with essential services and
technologies are provided to website owners for the purpose of making their
websites accessible. Web hosting has many types, such as shared, dedicated,
VPS, reseller, WordPress, cloud etc. The “Top Cloud Hosting
Company”, the “Best Website
Hosting Company” and the “Best Windows Hosting
Company” are the terms that are frequently used to refer to website
hosting providers that excel in the field of hosting.
Benefits of Cloud
Security
There are numerous benefits of cloud
security. One of its important advantages is that with cloud security, protection
gets centralized. The various devices and endpoints involved in cloud-based
business networks are managed centrally, which enhances traffic analysis as
well as web filtering and streamlines network events’ monitoring. Moreover, a
centralized management of these entities leads to fewer updates with regard to
software and policies. The centralized management that is ensured by cloud
security makes it easy to implement disaster recovery plans. Another important
advantage of cloud security is the reliability that it offers. Regardless of
their location or the device that they are using, users can access safely their
data as well as applications that are within the cloud, when effective cloud
security measures have been implemented. There is the added benefit of
reduction in cost with regard to capital expenditure as well as administrative
overheads.
Need for Cloud
Security
With the rise in the number of
organizations that are using cloud computing and the increase in the volume of cyber
threats, it becomes imperative to implement cloud security measures. There is a
growing concern with regard to the governance and the security of the content
that is stored on the cloud as well as compliance issues related to such
content. Cyber-attacks pose a constant threat to the extremely sensitive
business data in terms of unauthorized access to it, its theft, manipulation
and eventual loss. This is where cloud security becomes important as it focuses
on protecting the crucial data that is stored on the cloud. Moreover, when
businesses fail to adhere to practices related to cloud security, it can result
in unfavorable compliance violations for such organizations.
It is essential to maintain cloud security
in order to reap the numerous benefits of cloud computing, such as reduced
upfront, administrative and operational costs along with the ease of scaling
and enhanced reliability and availability.
Essentials of Cloud
Security
It is evident that cloud security is of
paramount importance for businesses that use cloud-based infrastructure. Hence,
it is important to acquaint oneself with the best practices that ensure the
security of a cloud environment. The specific strategies that are needed to
secure an enterprise’s cloud will depend on its cloud usage and requirements.
The essential cloud security practices that should be taken care of by any
business to keep its cloud environment secure will be mentioned in this section.
One of these best practices has to do with
data encryption in the cloud. When data is stored in the cloud, it becomes
extremely important to ensure that it is protected adequately. Data encryption
should be supported by the cloud environment for data that is moving to and
from the cloud.
Another important practice is to manage
access control. Unauthorized access to the data that is stored in the cloud
needs to be curtailed. Access control policies need to be implemented for this
purpose. These policies allow the management of the users that attempt to
access a particular cloud environment. It enables the assignment of specific
rights to different users with regard to access to the cloud.
A practice that is a must to ensure cloud
security is to monitor constantly the cloud environment for security threats
and perform penetration tests regularly. This proactive measure aids in
discovering hidden malware and take the most appropriate steps to remove such
malware. Carrying out regular penetration tests helps to find security gaps in
a cloud infrastructure. These gaps needs to be tracked down and closed to get
rid of those vulnerabilities that threaten the security of a cloud environment.
Special attention needs to be paid when
forming, implementing and following cloud data deletion policies. Its
importance cannot be overemphasized in the event that an organization needs to
delete a certain client’s data when it is not required or when an enterprise
decides to either migrate to a new cloud provider or revert to an on premise
architecture. There could be various situations that would require deletion of
data from a cloud environment. Hence, it is vital to establish policies with
regard to data deletion that ensure its safe removal. Last but not the least it
needs to be understood that both, the cloud vendor and the service user, are
responsible for ensuring cloud security and that each should be aware of its
share of responsibilities with regard to maintaining cloud security.
Conclusion
As more and more companies are using cloud
storage and processing, greater emphasis needs to be placed on its security to
avail the benefits of cloud and avert the threats to it. This can be
accomplished to a significant extent by following the best practices with
regard to cloud security.
Source: https://htshosting.org/blog/2021/02/importance-of-cloud-security/
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