How to Overcome Content Security Concerns in the Cloud

How to Overcome Content Security
Concerns in the Cloud

More services are moving to the cloud as businesses
seek new ways to store data, collaborate within
organizations, and share information with clients and
partners.
Synergy, Innovation and Creativity
www.synotive.com | connect@synotive.com | 1300 894 506

Cloud services offer versatility and high levels of
redundancy, but solutions need to be approached with
an appropriate level of caution to ensure that a largely
decentralised system remains secure.

To achieve this, hosting providers are required
to implement solutions that rely on robust cloud
computing infrastructure that is secured against
data loss and external threats.

Achieving Multiple Levels
of Security

Although cloud services are mostly decentralized, they
still rely on physical data centers to store information
and compute data. Because the data center is one of
the most important aspects of cloud computing and
infrastructure, it must remain secure at all costs.

Data centers should take precautions to only host
equipment that is owned and managed by them, or
when it is necessary to on-sell data center access,
they should ensure that third party cloud computing
equipment meets the security policies of the data
center.

The software running on any piece of cloud computing
equipment should also meet strict security policies.
Computers used for cloud services should run proven
operating systems such as industry standard Linux
servers, which run in most of the world’s largest cloud
infrastructures. Operating systems should have
adequate protection with strict access policies and
regular patch updates.

Software side security should also be implemented
in cloud services to allow for encryption and sever side
authentication. Authentication can rely on technologies
that enforce two-step verification, as well as single
session authentication to prevent unauthorised
sessions. Encryption will help to protect data that is
being transmitted over public networks.

Because cloud services run on networks that are both
publicly and privately visible, network security is an
essential element to securing cloud content. Everything
from provisioning, to access lists, and even maintenance
teams need to be maintained with strict care.

Provisioning and design should take in to account the
primary storage, database, and web servers on a cloud
service, and protect this with load balancers and
firewalls before they enter the public domain within
the network infrastructure.

Storage Redundancy for
Data Recovery

Cloud infrastructure can be hosted in multiple data
centers, or on multiple pieces of hardware. This will
allow service providers to implement robust backup
and recovery systems.

This can be implemented through hard disk arrays
that replicate data on different drives, or by backing
up data at different sites.

Daily backups are a standard practice for most cloud
service providers, and they allow for rollback after
unplanned changes or faults, or in the case of disaster
recovery.

SLA - Service Level Agreements.
Maintaining Customer Relationships

Because cloud services replace business functions
traditionally performed in-house, end users need strong
indicators of a commitment to reliable service. Service
providers can achieve this by offering a competitive
SLA, with a guaranteed or best effort uptime.

Cloud computing service providers should ensure that
they have sufficient infrastructure, resource, and
redundancy to assure that they can meet agreements.

Privacy, A User’s Most
Important Concern

Maintaining privacy is essential to the reputation of a
cloud service provider, and to the sensitive data of an
end user. Maintaining privacy needs to be approached
through multiple channels.

Access to sensitive information including customer
records, as well as customer data itself should be
strictly controlled. Service providers need CRM
software to maintain customer interactions in a
controlled environment.

The above aspects of security will also contribute
to privacy. Encryption, authentication, and log-in
protection can all help to secure the data of an end
user, therefore maintaining their privacy.

Firewalls can help to prevent unauthorized access
to a cloud computing system which can help prevent
privacy breaches and data loss caused by malicious
sources.

Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft with
their Azure platform have shown that cloud computing
and cloud services are a key technology in the future
of not just IT, but all businesses.

As more companies migrate storage, services, and
computing functions to the cloud, the responsibility
to address content security will intensify for service
providers. By adhering to industry standard practices
and implementing strict internal policies, cloud
computing service providers will be able to maintain
the integrity, and the desirability of cloud services.

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How to Overcome Content Security Concerns in the Cloud

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