Cybersecurity in Cloud Computing

By: Achit Katiyar¹

¹ International Center for AI and Cyber Security Research and Innovations (CCRI), Asia University, Taiwan achitktr@gmail.com

Abstract: Cloud computing is a new model of computing that has revolutionized IT through the provision of shared resources through the internet. Nevertheless, the speedy pace of cloud services delivery and consumption has posed some risks on security, privacy and data protection. This paper aims at presenting an analysis of the current cybersecurity challenges in cloud computing, describe the major security concerns including data breach, insider threats and compliance issues and identify various measures that are considered to be effective in enhancing security as including encryption, identity management and cloud governance. This paper ends with the identification of the requirements for an effective security strategy that can help to counter the current and future threats in cloud computing.

Introduction

With the growth of cloud computing services, cybersecurity has become an essential factor because organizations store their data in the cloud. The issues that complicate the process of protecting the cloud are breaches, insider threats, and compliance problems. It therefore reroutes how people and organizations use data and applications through flexible and cheap computing services. However, incorporating cloud computing has several disadvantages, of which security concern is central to it. Companies that adopt cloud services experience challenges most importantly in security aspects like data protection, privacy, among others, compliance with regulations. Consequently, as cloud computing becomes more widespread, the threats applicably escalate concurrently for cybercriminals. It is important therefore the right measures are taken in order to safeguard the data so as to increase confidence with cloud computing services.

Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity

• Overview of cloud computing:

Cloud computing indicates a new approach to delivering computing services over the Internet, as a service where shared resources are provided on an on-demand basis. This paragon of view alters the responsibility of infrastructure management from the user to the third party which makes it easier to scale and use a service.

Key Characteristics:

1. On-Demand Self-Service: Consumers can employ and secure computation authority or computing power without the necessity for human interference [1].
2. Broad Network Access: Customers can obtain services from diverse systems and gadgets through the network [2].
3. Resource Pooling: Providers work with multiple clients in a multi-tenant environment and manage resources based on dynamic occupant’s demands [2].

Service Models: Cloud services are categorized into three primary models:

1. Software as a Service (SaaS): Software is not installed on the computers but is accessed by simply browsing the internet.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS): Environments for creating applications and for experimenting with them in controlled and naturalistic environments.
3. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): These computer resources are made available over the internet [2].

This has been driven by several reasons including the effectiveness of cost control and ease of information access and some issues with the storage and safety of information remain a concern in Cloud computing [3].

Importance of Cybersecurity in Cloud Computing

Because of such risks, there can never be too much focus on security since it greatly decreases the dependability of the cloud computing services and the authenticity of the information. This is especially so because the use of cloud structures as a means of implementation to mitigate threats inherent in breaches, unauthorized access and compliance have become more apparent.

• Key Security Challenges

1. Data Breaches and Insider Threats: It is vulnerable to threats like data loss and some internal event that is very catastrophic to the business-like appropriation [4].
2. Compliance Requirements: The regulations that are stricter in security requirements on the cloud providers include GDPR and HIPAA as asserting compliance in almost all the security frameworks established [4].

• Effective Security Solutions

1. Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): The analysis of the machine learning based IDS proposed here can efficiently detect and mitigate threats to improve the security of cloud services [5].
2. Encryption and Access Control: Encryption is achieved, reduced user access to the database is provided since high-level security access encryption is put in place to protect data from unauthorized individuals, corrupted copies, or malicious actors [6], [7].

• Innovative Approaches

1. AI and Machine Learning: Integrating AI technologies are helpful in increasing threat and detection and response effectiveness in cloud systems and better equipped to protect itself from looming cyber threats [7].

Whereas, the emphasis on information security is critical, it is significant to suggest that even though cloud technologies advancement is a high priority area, the space may be evolving faster than protection methods, and adjustments or innovations in their security may be needed periodically.

Major Cybersecurity Threats in Cloud Computing

The SaaS model revolutionized the IT structures and the services delivery to a very large extent, but at the same time created many threats in the cybersecurity arena that have to be addressed. This is so because threats are real and they could be categorized into data leaks, Internal threat, DDos attack, MitM attack. The comprehending of these threats is vital for either coming up with or implementing methods of minimizing such threats [8].

• Major Cybersecurity Threats

1. Data Breaches: Breaches in such information continues to be a major problem that emanates from misconfigurations or lack of sufficient access controls [4], [9].
2. Insider Threats: It is also widely understood that employees or contractors who are using the cloud systems maybe deliberately or accidentally endanger data institute [9], [10].
3. DDoS Attacks: Such attacks saturate cloud services and cause service interruptions and possible data loss [11], [12].
4. Shared Technology Vulnerabilities: In multi-tenant environments resources are shared; the user’s risks are prone to be attacked by other occupants [10], [12]

Though these threats are real new technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning could help to counter threats and enhance the cloud security by increasing the efficiency of threat recognition and security measures [11], [12]. However, since these threats have the capability of spending a lot of time admiring the strategies, it becomes very relevant always to be involve in security issues.

Future Trends in Cloud Cybersecurity

The future of cloud cybersecurity is expected to advance in both ways based on improvements in constantly developing techniques as well as new security paradigms. This article claims that the trends in development include the Zero Trust concept, integration of artificial intelligent agents, as well as the development of machine learning principles and Hypervisor Security.

• Zero Trust and SASE:

The Zero Trust model mandates that none of the resources should be trusted without proper authentication for any request they make. Also called Secure Network Access, SASE integrates features of network security and WAN to provide improved secure access to cloud services [13].

• An Intelligent agent-based approach In Cyber Security:

They are now establishing themselves more and more as indispensable tools in threat identification and handling of incidents, developing along with new security threats in cloud settings [14].

• Machine Learning and Deep Learning:

Machine learning consists of artificial intelligence and deep learning is a subcategory models under artificial intelligence. Some of the techniques used are Machine learning and deep learning, which are used also in anomaly detection and security automation and some of the drawbacks are data privacy and scalability [15].

• Hypervisor-Based Security:

Traditional approaches to software vulnerability either lack necessary real-time capability for analysis or provide no possibility for forensic examination, which is solved by hypervisor-based virtual machine introspection (HVMI) as a method to secure cloud environment [16].

These, however, come with several issues that organizations have to consider keenly in a bid to protect their cloud networks.

Conclusion

Since cloud computing is on the rise, cybersecurity in cloud computing is an important issue for most organizations. Owing to the increasing tendencies of virtualizing the infrastructure and the rising level of possible cyber threats, the cloud security plan should be effective. As pointed out by Bossi (2014), risks that are associated with cloud based

As the threats evolve and new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Zero Trust emerge as potential solutions for the future of cloud security, organisations must remain vigilant; layer up their security strategies; and adhere to the ever-changing legal requirements.

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Cite As

Katiyar A. (2024) Cybersecurity in Cloud Computing, Insights2Techinfo, pp.1

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