Securing Your Private Cloud

Although spending on cloud-based solutions is increasing at a very fast rate, security of the cloud is still a concern for many businesses looking into private cloud adoption. Scalability and affordability are two reasons why the private cloud is so popular, however, concerns about networking breaches are still fairly high. Security fears tend to be directed at public clouds, but more businesses are now more open to private cloud security solutions that they can implement.

Securing the private cloud in the virtual world involves a multifaceted approach. You need virus/anti-malware protection, firewalls, access controls to make sure the virtual infrastructure cannot be brought down by an employee, intrusion prevention products to keep hackers out, as well as auditing and compliance tools to ensure security compliance is always up-to-date. When you acquire a private cloud, there are a number of ways you can secure the cloud and make sure the cloud’s infrastructure remains secure at all times:

Secure All Files: Although it is important to use checksum/secure to create cryptographically secure specific security files like descriptors and manifests that have been pre-checked, it is also important to secure the retrieval process for the entire archive. For instance, when using signatures, make sure it is at every point of entry.

Implement All Best Practices: It is important to implement all of the best practices regarding security of the private cloud infrastructure. For instance, make sure you utilize secure password creation and usage for network security. Implementing and adhering to a genuine password management system with proper randomization is vital for ensuring proper data security. Think about utilizing a secure password management service that provides protection for password data and user ID and can flag users that repeat passwords over different systems. As well, ensure authenticity, integrity, and authenticity best practices are in place.

Virtual Security for Virtual Services: When securing the virtual part of the private cloud, it is important to be aware that security hardware will not always stop an attack. For this reason, you should secure the virtual environment along with hardware based security solutions.

Standard Security Policy: All employees who are involved with security measures should understand the security measures in place and the company’s security policy so all will be on the same page. This will ensure a staff member does not do something different that opens up security vulnerability. Backup procedures of customer data are also intensely scrutinized. Who has access to backup data? Does more than one organization touch the backup data? Create an incident response policy and plan Develop procedures for performing incident handling and reporting. Establish guidelines for communicating with outside parties about a breach. Enforcing stringent security processes can help prevent an entire disaster.

Compliance and Private Cloud Host: It is important to use a cloud host that offers efficient services when it comes to security. For instance, it is beneficial to use host service that does SAS70 audits and SSAE16 audits. This will help ensure you remain PCI compliant and HIPAA compliant. Ask the service provider if they are PCI or HIPAA compliant. When picking a cloud solution supplier, it is important to inquire about not just their identity management practices, but also background check measures for their administrators. You should also ask how access to data is controlled.

Transitioning to the cloud can often be more secure than a traditional in-house solution. Cloud providers have collectively invested billions in implementing standards and procedures to safeguard data. However, it is important for a business to be proactive by taking measures to ensure complete security of the private cloud infrastructure.

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