Despite the fact that the conception of network-based computing (i.e., “cloud computing”) dates back to the 60s, today’s users had to wait until August of 2006 for Google to introduce the term during an industry conference. Since then, cloud computing and storage has gone from a novel idea to a ubiquitous reality; however, this prevalence has introduced modern issues: How do we keep privacy secure on the cloud?
Cloud security refers to the panoply of strategies and technologies used to defend against both internal and external cybersecurity threats that threaten cloud environments. But how is cloud security different from the other strategies you employ to protect your data? Cloud security is more complicated than other secure data protection systems, due in part to the way multiple networks must exchange resource functions and orchestration technologies to ensure threats are managed and secured. This can look different based on size (e.g., your personal cloud protection vs. your organization’s protection). For this reason, several players are needed to secure the cloud: From cloud infrastructure owners, to deployed cloud function suppliers, it takes a team to properly outfit and protect your cloud-stored data.
As a growing target for cyberattacks, innovating cloud security is a must. Since developers deploy new resources rapidly, security controls are required to integrate these resources as they arise. When working in an office environment, it is important that your organization keeps pace with the speed of application changes as well as managing new demands. What steps can your organization take to ensure cloud safety? A Cloud Security Assessment is a good place to begin. Although the particulars of these assessments will vary by whichever third-party vendor your organization partners with, any thorough assessment will investigate the following factors: access controls, cloud storage and provider security, general security posture, incident response, network security and workload security.
