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Cloud Security
Cloud spotting in the past involved us going to a field on a warm sunny day, looking up at the almost clear sky and discussing what we can see in the form of a white fluffy cloud. Nowadays, however, these objects also refer to servers accessible over the internet. These rhetorical clouds are now computers handled by third-party companies for our comfort. However, the handling of such services could also come with some risks.
Common Cloud Deployment Types
There are multiple ways to deploy cloud services that could benefit the company, such as:
Private cloud: This environment provides a service dedicated to a single organisation which could be hosted by either the organisation’s infrastructure or third-party providers. This deployment can provide more security, if maintained properly, for the price of investing more in hardware, software, and expertise.
Public cloud: Typically hosted by third-party providers, this deployment type’s resources are shared between organisations on a pay-as-you-go basis. The security of the cloud from external threats is handled by the providers. However, it is still the responsibility of the customer to ensure that their data and applications are handled properly. But when implemented and maintained securely, the products provided by the cloud service allow for easy integration of a customer’s workflow, increasing efficiency and quick ways to adopt new technologies without having to invest in their own infrastructure.
Hybrid cloud: This deployment allows a company to run some of its applications and workloads in a private cloud while using a public cloud for the others. This allows organisations to keep sensitive data and applications on-premises, where they can have greater control and security while still using the public cloud for less sensitive workloads, such as testing and development. However, managing a hybrid cloud can be complex, as it requires expertise in both public and private cloud environments. Organisations need to ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources to manage and integrate the different environments effectively.
Multi-cloud: A computing strategy that involves using two or more public clouds from different cloud service providers, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, to host an organisation’s workloads and applications. The goal of a multi-cloud strategy is to leverage the strengths of each cloud provider while avoiding vendor lock-in and increasing resilience. In a multi-cloud environment, an organisation may use one cloud provider for certain workloads and applications, while using another cloud provider for other workloads and applications. This allows the organisation to optimize its resources, reduce costs, and improve performance and reliability. However, managing a multi-cloud environment can be challenging, given the need for proficiency in multiple cloud platforms and technologies. Therefore, it is crucial for organisations to have the requisite skills and resources to effectively manage and integrate various cloud environments.
Summary
When choosing a cloud deployment strategy, it’s important to consider how your data and applications will be kept secure. Here are some simple things to think about:
- Check that the cloud service provider you choose has measures in place to keep your data safe, such as encryption, access controls, and network security.
- Make sure that the provider you choose is following all relevant regulations and standards to protect your data, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
- Think about how much control you need over your data and applications. If you have sensitive data, you may want to choose a private cloud or a hybrid cloud that gives you more control.
- Use strong passwords and other ways to confirm your identity (multi-factor authentication), like fingerprint scans or a code sent to your phone, to stop other people from getting into your cloud account.
- Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in your cloud environment by monitoring and logging everything that happens.
- Make sure that your cloud environment is regularly updated and protected against known problems.
- Develop and follow a clear security policy that covers all the different ways you keep your cloud data and applications safe.
By considering these measures, you can make sure that your cloud environment is properly secured and that the sensitive information of customers is adequately protected.
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