So, you are wondering if you should shift to cloud after seeing the negative publicity from security professionals…Yes, they have been a bit strong on the subject. There are valid and real security concerns, but we are trying to equip you, to evaluate cloud security and acceptability as a part of your organization’s technology portfolio. We have a sort of checklist for you to look at when you are planning your migration or cloud expansion.
1. Integrated Security & Compliance
Security and Compliance are interlinked and interdependent on both the cloud provider and cloud user. Understand the trust boundary, where your responsibility lies and the provider’s ends. The cloud provider’s responsibility includes recognized security best practices & certification and industry-specific certification, especially for highly related industries. Look for third party validation for your cloud platform’s ability to meet global compliance standards. You should have the ability to inherit the provider’s security controls in to your own compliance to have an efficient and cost-effective security. Look for the compliance failure clause and the implications. Typically, the provider limits its implications to refund of fees.
2. Scale with Enhanced Visibility & Control
You should go for full integration of your existing and new solutions, helping you simplify compliance reporting. You should always have full visibility of your data and who is accessing it at all times, irrespective of where you are and where the user is. Activity monitoring services that detect configuration changes and security across your ecosystem gives you an edge. Look for strategic use of isolated availability zones in different geographical regions.
3. Protect your Privacy & Data
Any business with a Web presence or individuals who post on social-networking sites is recording data on one or more servers that could actually be located anywhere. As businesses move toward using and embracing cloud providers, the location of the data is more important due to data privacy, legal or regulatory demands. You should have total control over global regions of your data storage, helping you meet data residency requirements.
Depending on the cloud provider you contract, you will have to understand if your data is going to be mined by the supplier or others. Based on the sensitivity of the data, ensure your contract respects your need to encrypt, move and manage your way. So look for tools that easily allows encryption in transit and at rest. You will need to be confident that the security in place will detect any unauthorized access to your data.
A provider may go out of business or a data centre could become inaccessible for any number of reasons. Disaster recovery is imminent for business continuity in such cases and you should always protect your interests by ensuring regular data backups. Your level of preparedness could turn the events in to a mere inconvenience for your business.
4. Trusted Security Marketplace & Partner Network
Cloud providers with a network of handpicked partners & proven success securing every stage of cloud adoption can make your job easy. Try-before-you-buy or try-as-you-buy model allows you to experiment & find out the challenges before hand while allowing you to scale easily & cost-effectively. Look for access to complimentary solutions that work together to help secure your data irrespective of the cloud architecture.
5. Improved Security through Automation
Automation aims to make all activities related to your cloud fast, efficient and as hands-off activity as possible. So automation makes it possible to accelerate software delivery and innovation, allowing you to do more with fewer resources even as you scale up your business. You should look for platforms that can handle high-scale checks efficiently, freeing your resources for other important business activities. Ensure API integrations that helps your security teams become more agile & responsive and better at working with developer and operation teams. Your confidentiality, integrity and availability at all times should never be compromised, so ensure availability of automated checks that enforce the security and compliance controls.
6. Security Innovation at Scale
Look for solutions which allow you to stay ahead with best security, continually enhancing services, a rapid innovation cycle and solutions with test on the fly options without huge investments or timeline.
