Security Concerns of Cloud Computing-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Security Concerns of Cloud Computing as well as the cloud computing technologies. Answer: Technology description Cloud computing security controls Cloud computing security controls refer to the technologies that are used to monitor the data which is stored in the cloud. There is an increased insecurity level on the internet as a result of networking. Cybercrimes are growing, and breaches on the data are increasing on the website of organizations. Bringing these technologies into use will help in minimizing these risks thus creating a reliable cloud computing activities. Cloud computing refers to the process which involves the use of remote network servers which are hosted on the internet for data storage, management, and processing. This reduces the dependency of a personal computer to store data for firms. The cloud security controls technology has the ability to safeguard weaknesses which are likely to be used as a way of attack. Nevertheless, they have the potential to reduce the attacks effects. There are several categories of these security measures, and they can be divided into the following: Deterrent controls: they are meant to lower the levels of attacks on the cloud system. Detective controls: these identify the incidents of risk that take place hence providing one Preventive controls: these are intended to prevent activities such as hacking into the system. Cloud security controls technologies came into place due to increased complaints of people invading the private information of some firms with different intentions. Some steal information with the aim of bringing the company down by stealing its financial resources, creative labor forces among several other things. To ensure the efficiency of cloud computing in firms, these technologies are a necessity. Technology solution How will this technology impact the security of the data? The cloud has several complex security challenges which need to be protected at all costs. For instance, if a financial organization, like lets say a bank has some of its data stored using cloud computing, what will happen if such information leaks to the people? Most cyber-attacks do aim at getting financial benefits. If such sites are not protected, there are high chances that hackers will get access to the information. The cloud computing security technology has a positive impact on the data. It ensures the following: Data is safely transferred from devices to the cloud via networks. Security threats and vulnerabilities are detected before they cause damage to the information. Once identified, the necessary approaches can be taken to control the risks. The maximum amount of data is encrypted in a language that others cannot understand. This is increasing the security level during the transfer of data. Even if someone intercepts it on the way, he/she will not be in a position to understand what it means. For the person, the data is meaningless; it only makes sense for the one who encrypted it. Why is this technology needed? There is a number of reasons as to why the cloud security technologies are of great essence to a firm. Some of them include: There is a great need to protect confidential government data, business information as well as regulatory data. Imagine leaking out the Australian army information to the public. There are high chances that it will get into the hands of the nations enemies such as terrorist groups who will use it to attack. Having the documents will inform them of the weaknesses in the government, and they will use this to their advantage. With the aid of the preventive technologies, detective, and deterrent controls, the government is able to manage data security effectively. Auditing of data in the cloud needs to be regulated. If people just have access, they can manipulate the information of the company and lead to losses. Any logging activities get detected by the cloud security control technologies, and they are reported to the primary server where more safety measures can be taken to prevent more attacks. The main objective of the cloud computing security technologies is to ensure that applications, data, and any associated infrastructure to cloud computing is well protected. These technologies are used by the service providers to make sure that most of the time, the kind of infrastructure they are providing to their clients is safe for data storage, processing, and analysis. Without a safe infrastructure, customers are exposed to the dangers of the web which include piracy, cyber crimes like hacking among others. With this technologies, data is often encrypted to ensure that it is private. There are several applications such as Oracle and ServiceNow which are helpful in encrypting data. The good thing with these products/software is that they have the ability to intercept data and replace it with random encryption for security purposes. The diagram below shows cloud data protection and security solution. The following are the Cloud data security capabilities: The cloud data security is able to propagate across several enterprise clouds easily while protecting data. It can support multiple models hence minimizing expenditures. With this kind of protection, the cloud computing security technologies will add several values to the data privacy of the company. This is more especially with companies which intend to allow their employees to bring with them their mobile devices to work as a way of improving the work rate. When companies allow employees to work with their mobile devices, there are increased chances of information leakage. One thing with cell phones is that they can get lost at any time due to their portability. If they get into the wrong hands, information which is supposed to remain private might spread to many people creating a significant threat to the company or concerned clients. To minimize the effects of the mobile devices in the work environment, most firms have adopted cloud computing as a way to keep their data safe. This is because: Cloud computing provides enough space for data keeping. When working with personal electronic gadgets in the firm, it is advisable that the data should remain within the organization. However, some people might be tempted to move out with the information which might be accessed by others intentionally or unintentionally. With networking in place, now all the devices get networked to the cloud where all the information gets stored. To ensure that it is safe, the cloud computing security technologies are employed. They help to regulate data to and from the server. Only people with passwords are able to access the site. These technologies have improved a lot in ensuring data is kept safe. Nowadays, only a few individuals hold information on their mobile devices. By providing backup information, much security is assured. Losing information due to machine breakdown is a kind of insecurity in a firm. When information is lost, there are high chances that your clients will feel insecure with the services provided. As a result, they will shift their attention to other organization. Losing such people is a loss to a business firm with the aim of increasing the sales hence high returns inwards. By providing encrypt data, most people will not be able to understand the message in it until it is processed. This increases the security level of the data in the cloud. In case anybody tries to access it, the detective controls send messages, and the activity can be monitored. Increased security systems in business are what lead to the attainment of organizational goals. It is the priority of every firm to keep the employee's data safe. Customers are obligated to know: That their data is secure. This is what will create a long-term relationship with them. Consumers should be able to trust that the privacy of the data they store on the cloud is high and it is only visible to them whenever they need it. Other cloud security technologies that will impact data security positively include: Cloud Firewall It has the ability to support a distributed environments. Different users are able to operate from different locations, yet the data remains secure. Some of the ways it helps to protect data include preventing data loss through the transfer of files and prevents malware attacks. Through the use of a securely hosted getaway, the cloud firewall assures clients the security of their data. The impact of this kind of protection is that it encourages more people to invest in cloud computing since their data is transferred safely. Cloud Application Security This kind of security technology protects the cloud applications. This is vital to the service providers as well as the customers. Protecting the software should be the priority of the organization. If you cannot provide security to your application, how can you protect the data? Maximum security of information is only available once one is able to protect the software that handles the information. It will not be wrong to say that the one who owns the software is the one who owns the information. He/she can be able to manipulate the data. Without the cloud application security, there will be an adverse impact on the data stored since one might be denied an opportunity to access the software. With no access to the software, no changes can be made. Hence, all the information is lost. It is thereby recommended to keep up to date with the changes in the technology industry Organizational change assessment There are several ways through which the cloud security technology can change an organizations activities and processes. This in most cases will affect the IT department first, then the entire organization. Some of the big changes which can be experienced in the institutions include the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to the workplace concept. Several companies fear to allow individuals to come with their own devices such as mobile phones, IPads, tablets, and laptops to the work environment to use in accomplishing their tasks. This is due to the issue of internet security. With knowledge of the cloud security technologies and software, these processes will change. The BYOD strategy has several advantages which will ensure the success of any organization that values IT. Such benefits include: Increased work rate. In the case a starting company, IT technologies might be limited. This means that the amount of workload will be minimal. Allowing the employees to come with their technologies to work might help solve the problem before bringing in enough resources to the company. Now, with the availability of these technologies, there assured security for cloud computing which provides them with data storage platform (Alani, p.16). Employees like working with the technologies they understand better. For instance, in a scenario where an organization upgrades all their computers to Windows 10 most employees will be faced with challenges. Some people do not adjust fast to changes; some are only well informed of windows 7. Windows 10 will just be stressing them. One thing for sure about change is that there is no way some sections of the institution will be left without change. The best way to go about it is to educate these people how to adjust. But before then, it will be wise to let them bring what they are familiar with to the office. This will facilitate work output despite change. Most companies fear cloud computing due to the recent mobile insecurities. Several systems and websites have been hacked and brought down, while others infected with viruses (Belussi et al., p.33). This has forced the organizations to look for huge storage facilities to keep their data in. These storages occupy a lot of space in offices thus leading to congestion. Nevertheless, hard drives are prone to tear and wear. After some time, they might lose the data if the drives get spoiled or the premises get invaded. Cloud computing security technologies have changed the way this is done (Messier, n.d). With the assurance of high-security levels, firms have moved to storing their data online. There is no need to keep moving with bulky drives around which can get lost and bring great damage to many. The need to change how to store data comes with the desire to keep track of information permanently. When people store documents, for example, others may come in and misplace them. A misplaced document is as good as a lost document since it cannot help when needed. Technology is moving very fast, and so should businesses do. Documents stored in the cloud do not get lost easily. Nevertheless, they can be tracked easily. With information online, CEOs can access the companys data from their homesteads, assign duties and manage other important things while on seminars outside the country. Internet threats and vulnerabilities bring great harm to the data. For instance, viruses might delete data while it is being transferred to the cloud storage. In fact, most data get lost during transfer. With the help of the cloud firewall, such activities are minimized. The threats get detected before they cause more data loss and are eliminated from the way. Now that IT experts have learned the benefits of the cloud computing security technologies, then it is their responsibility to implement it to the entire organizational processes which involve online activities and transactions. There are reasons as to why implementing these cloud security software will serve best (Cloud Computing Security, P.40). Among them include: Client trust Clients need to trust the safety of the information they provide you with. Secure the firm's privacy Every firm has secrets behind their success which should not be made public. Such include organizational culture and practices. Increase work output Work output will be increased in a number of The first one is that these cloud security technologies will help to reduce virus infection into the system which leads to slow work rates. And secondly, it will allow BYOD model in the organizations. Increase the efficiency and speed of the process. With the ability to support multiple clients, the cloud computing technology facilitates the speed at which an organization produces. Relying on the same server also leads to uniformity (Bhowmik, P.66). Create a source of backup Cloud computing provides a reliable backup platform. With a large capacity to hold information, the entire data of the organization can be backed up. Even if the premises burn down, for instance, only the hardware and infrastructure get destroyed. The data of running it will remain intact for a long time with the security measures in place. How the organization can adopt the changes Change is something which most people fear since it comes with a cost (Barnett, William, Glenn, p.11). However, this should not be a thing to prevent the organizations from switching to cloud computing. The first step is to identify the IT resources of the company and the kind of data which should be given priority. Not all information must be kept in the cloud. For instance, if a company has allowed the use of BYOD technologies, then it is the responsibility of every employee to ensure that the security measures are well-employed in their devices. Employing skilled IT experts will help the organization to install the cloud security software appropriately and ensure a continuous update (Floyd, P.8) There are several models which can be used to ensure that the implementations are made successful. Perimeter security model Using strong passwords is also another way of preventing unauthorized entry into data that is stored in the cloud. Some people use simple passwords like for instance, 1234. This kind of passwords can be easily cracked. In other cases, untrusted employees in the organization just decide to leak out the passwords to their friends. Despite the security measures put in place, they will still get access to the server and destroy the data they intend to. To prevent such from happening with an objective of ensuring that the security measures put in place is effective, organizations should provide passwords to specific people. In any organization, there are often different communication channels. They include upward, horizontal, and vertical communication. The few individuals with access to information will share it with the rest of the team. This is to minimize information leakage. Information is the driving force of a company. Every little piece of detail found in the data stored in the cloud is vital. If taken away, the building block is affected (Information Security, P.51). Therefore, maximum caution must be taken into account when online data storage is considered as an option to back up your information. Especially if dealing with financial statements, keeping watch at all times will serve as the best security (Bishop, P.47). But how will this be possible? Cloud security controls technologies are in place. Make use of the preventive controls to ensure that harm does not come into your data. Use the detective controls to know and counter the risks which might come into your information systems (Rhodes, n.d). And finally, there are deterrent controls and cloud firewall. The deterrent controls will aid in the reduction of the attacks. The cloud firewall will enable a wide area coverage from different users while at the same time ensuring that data transfer i s secure (Jeanes, P.10). Works Cited. Alani, Mohammed M. Elements of Cloud Computing Security: A Survey of Key Practicalities. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. Print Barnett, William P, and Glenn Carroll. Organizational Change. Berkeley, CA: University of California at Berkeley, Center for Research in Management, Consortium on Competitiveness Cooperation, 2013. Print. Belussi, Alberto, Barbara Catania, Eliseo Clementini, and Elena Ferrari. Spatial Data on the Web: Modeling and Management. Berlin: Springer, 2017. Print. Bishop, Matt. Information Security. Place of publication not identified: Springer International Pu, 2016. Print Bhowmik, Sandeep. Cloud Computing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Internet resource Information Security. London: DISC, 2013. Print Cloud Computing Security. Cisco Systems, 2012. Print. Data Storage. New York, NY, USA: Engineering Information, 2014. Print. Endrijonas, Janet. Data Security. Rocklin, Calif: Prima Pub, 2015. Print Floyd, Peter. Organizational Change. Oxford [England: Capstone Pub, 2012. Print. Jackson, Kevin, Egle Sigler, and Cody Bunch. Openstack Cloud Computing Cookbook: Over 110 Effective Recipes to Help You Build and Operate Openstack Cloud Computing, Storage, Networking, and Automation. , 2015. Internet resource Jeanes, David L. Data Security. , 2014. Print. Messier, Ric. Collaboration with Cloud Computing: Security, Social Media, and Unified Communications. , 2014. Internet resource Poole, Marshall S, and de V. A. H. Van. Handbook of Organizational Change and Innovation. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2014. Print Rhodes-Ousley, Mark. Information Security: The Complete Reference. New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2013. Internet resource Rountree, Derrick, and Ileana Castrillo. The Basics of Cloud Computing: Understanding the Fundamentals of Cloud Computing in Theory and Practice. San Diego, CA: Elsevier Science Technology Books, 2014. Internet resource Senior, Barbara, and Stephen Swailes. Organizational Change. , 2016. Print. Srinivasan, S. Cloud Computing Basics. , 2014. Print Stuckenschmidt, Heiner, and Harmelen F. Van. Information Sharing on the Semantic Web. Berlin: Springer, 2005. Internet resource. Tajts, Tiberiu. Cloud Computing Security. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace, 2012. Print Tipton, Harold F, and Micki K. Nozaki. Information Security Management Handbook: Volume 7. , 2014. Print Vacca, John R. Cloud Computing Security: Foundations and Challenges. , 2017. Internet resource Williams, Mark I. A Quick Start Guide to Cloud Computing: Moving Your Business into the Cloud. London: Kogan Page, 2010. Internet resource Zelkowitz, Marvin V. Information Security. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press, 2004. Internet resource