In the past, businesses had to invest in hardware and software to secure their data. This meant they had to purchase expensive network security appliances, which tended to be bulky and difficult to manage. Today, thanks to the cloud computing revolution and DevSecOps, companies can leverage more cost-effective solutions that are easy on their budgets while still providing robust cybersecurity features. However, this doesn’t mean you should entirely ignore your cloud security. Following these best practices will help ensure that your company’s information remains protected at all times.
1. Protect your cloud security keys
One of the most important practices is protecting your keys. The keys make your cloud security solution work and are also one of the most vulnerable parts of your infrastructure. If someone gets a hold of them, they can use them to access all of your data and applications.
To protect the keys from loss or theft, you should:
- Keep the private key on an offline device that does not touch anything outside of physical security (for example, in a safe).
- Use two-factor authentication for all accesses to the key so that even if someone steals it, they won’t have access to anything else needed to securely decrypt any data stored in the cloud.
- Create backup copies if something happens with the primary copy (such as losing it). You should also keep these backups somewhere physically secure so that no one else can get their hands on them, either accidentally or intentionally damaging them through negligence.
2. Implement solutions for encryption, access control, and authentication
Regarding cloud security, encryption and authentication are two of the most critical factors. Encryption protects data in transit and at rest by transforming readable information into a form that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized individuals. Authentication is used to verify the identity of users, devices, and applications accessing your sensitive data.
You can protect your data with solid encryption like AES-256 or SHA-2. Most major cloud providers already offer this level of encryption as part of their service offerings, but if you don’t have access to it yet, consider investing in some third-party software that will encrypt your files before they’re uploaded to the cloud.
It’s also crucial for end users who are using public clouds (like Amazon Web Services) to ensure that proper authentication measures have been taken by their organization so as not to fall victim to phishing scams or other forms of social engineering attacks aimed at gaining access without authorization
3. Set up a virtual private network (VPN) for better security on a shared network
A virtual private network (VPN) is a connection through which you can send and receive data over the internet. It creates a secure connection between your device and an external server. This means that as long as both of these devices are connected to the same VPN, neither of them will be able to access your data except through the VPN server. This makes it possible to protect sensitive data and user credentials while in transit in a shared network environment such as an office or coffee shop.
It also enables you to encrypt all traffic between yourself and your company’s network so only those with proper authorization from within the organization can access it. In addition, once connected, it will mask your IP address, so no one knows where you are connecting from or that you’re using a VPN at all!
4. Automate the deployment of new cloud services
Automation is a crucial feature of DevOps. In fact, the goal of DevOps is to automate as much as possible so that teams can deliver new features and services at a faster pace than ever before. Automating security testing can help you achieve this objective by increasing efficiency and limiting human error in your software development processes.
If you use an automated security testing solution (like Brakta), adding this new feature will be easy. Simply add your cloud service credentials to the application’s configuration file and rerun it! If not, it’s time to look into how you can integrate your current tools with whatever methodology you use for deploying new versions/services: manual or automated (e.g., Jenkins).
5. Use a unified cloud management platform
A unified cloud management platform can help you manage your multi-cloud infrastructure, applications, security, and compliance. The key to using a unified cloud management platform is having a single pane of glass for everything that happens in the cloud. You no longer have to rely on different tools for each aspect of your organization’s cloud use.
6. Ensure that your employees adhere to continuous compliance standards
To ensure that your employees are following the proper protocols for handling sensitive data, you must ensure that they receive compliance training. You may also need to create documentation on handling data and monitoring employee compliance.
Finally, if you do not already have a cloud management platform in place, consider purchasing one or moving your existing systems into one. Using a unified cloud management platform can help improve efficiency by streamlining processes across various departments and teams within an organization.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to secure your cloud. You must use all these methods when creating a secure cloud environment so that you don’t leave any holes for hackers to exploit.
