I have attached PDF, please read and answer below questions….
I have attached PDF, please read and answer below questions. Please don’t add any questions in the document. 1. Do some Internet research to identify businesses who have suffered because of cloud security weaknesses or failures. What can companies who are contemplating cloud computing services learn from the negative experiences of these businesses? 2. Do some Internet research on security mechanisms associated with virtualization. How can virtualization be used by cloud service providers to protect subscriber data? 3. Choose one of the following cloud services categories: SaaS, IaaS, PaaS. Do some Internet research that focuses the security issues associated with the selected cloud service category. Summarize the major security risks associated with the cloud service category and identify mechanisms that can be used to address these risks. Pages: 2 APA Format References No plagiarism
Title: Cloud Security Weaknesses and Measures for Mitigation
Introduction:
Cloud computing has gained immense popularity for its ability to provide scalable, cost-effective, and flexible computing resources. However, concerns about cloud security weaknesses and potential failures persist. This paper aims to explore and analyze instances where businesses suffered due to such weaknesses or failures and discuss the lessons that companies considering cloud computing services can learn from these experiences. Additionally, the security mechanisms associated with virtualization and their application by cloud service providers to protect subscriber data will be investigated. Finally, the security issues concerning a specific cloud service category, namely Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS), will be examined, and potential measures to address the associated risks will be presented.
1. Businesses Affected by Cloud Security Weaknesses or Failures:
Various incidents have demonstrated the impact of cloud security weaknesses and failures on businesses. For example, in 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network experienced one of the largest data breaches in history, compromising the personal information of millions of users. The breach occurred due to a vulnerability in Sony’s cloud infrastructure, allowing hackers to access the network’s servers and steal sensitive data (Stone-Gross et al., 2012). This incident highlights the importance of robust security measures and the potential risks associated with cloud-based systems.
Another notable case is the 2016 Dyn DDoS attack, where a large-scale Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack disrupted popular websites and internet services by exploiting vulnerabilities in insecurely configured cloud-based systems (Antonakakis et al., 2017). This incident emphasizes the significance of proper configuration and monitoring to prevent cyber attacks in cloud environments.
Companies contemplating cloud computing services must learn from these negative experiences. Firstly, organizations need to conduct thorough due diligence and select reputable cloud service providers (CSPs) that prioritize security. Robust security measures and standardized protocols, such as encryption and multifactor authentication, should be employed to safeguard data and systems against unauthorized access. Moreover, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and address potential weaknesses in the cloud infrastructure (Katz et al., 2018). Implementing a layered security approach and ensuring real-time monitoring and incident response capabilities are also crucial to mitigate risks.
2. Security Mechanisms Associated with Virtualization:
Virtualization is a critical technology underlying cloud computing, enabling the efficient sharing and allocation of computing resources across multiple users. To protect subscriber data, cloud service providers often employ several security mechanisms associated with virtualization. One such mechanism is hypervisor-based isolation, where virtual machines (VMs) are created and run on dedicated hypervisors. This isolation ensures that VMs cannot interfere with or access each other’s resources, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality (Trusted Cloud Computing Platform, 2012). Another mechanism is Secure Multi-tenancy, which entails segregating the physical and logical resources of multiple tenants while maintaining their shared utilization potential. This approach limits the attack surface and reduces the risk of unauthorized access to subscriber data (Zhang et al., 2010). Hash-based integrity verification and secure bootstrapping mechanisms are also commonly utilized to ensure the integrity of the virtualized environment and prevent unauthorized modifications (Linderman et al., 2012). Additionally, access control policies based on role-based access control and network segmentation are employed to restrict unauthorized access and prevent lateral movement within the virtualized infrastructure.
To be continued…