Cloud Security

Cloud security encompasses the technologies, policies, and controls used to protect data, applications, and infrastructure in cloud computing environments.

Cloud security addresses the unique challenges of protecting resources in AWS, Azure, GCP, and other cloud platforms.

Shared responsibility model: - Cloud Provider: Security OF the cloud (physical, hypervisor) - Customer: Security IN the cloud (data, access, config)

Key cloud security domains: - Identity and Access Management (IAM) - Data protection (encryption, DLP) - Network security (VPCs, security groups) - Compute security (container, serverless) - Logging and monitoring - Compliance and governance

Cloud-native security tools: - AWS: GuardDuty, Security Hub, IAM - Azure: Defender, Sentinel, Entra ID - GCP: Security Command Center, Chronicle

Why It Matters

Cloud misconfiguration is the leading cause of data breaches in cloud environments, responsible for more incidents than any other attack vector. Understanding the shared responsibility model is critical—cloud providers secure the infrastructure, but customers are responsible for securing their data, access controls, and configurations. A single misconfigured S3 bucket or overly permissive IAM role can expose millions of records.

Key Points

Shared responsibility model is fundamental

Misconfiguration is the top cloud security risk

IAM is critical in cloud environments

Cloud-native tools provide good baseline

Multi-cloud adds complexity

Applicable Compliance Frameworks

SOC 2 ISO 27001 HIPAA PCI DSS

Related Terms

CSPM

Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) continuously monitors cloud infrastructure for misconfigurations, compliance violations, and security risks.

Zero Trust

Zero Trust is a security model that requires strict identity verification for every person and device, regardless of network location.

Encryption at Rest

Encryption at rest protects data stored on disks, databases, or storage systems by converting it to an unreadable format that requires a key to decrypt.