Learn how to secure your cloud infrastructure with these best practices, such as identifying your assets and threats, encrypting your data, and adopting a defense-in-depth strategy.

One of the biggest risks in an organization is the permissions problem. Often people are getting far reaching permissions although they only work in a narrow field. This increases attack surface. Using the principle of least privilege and tools like RBAC one can assign permissions as needed.

What are the top cloud-based IT infrastructure security practices for you to implement?

Cloud computing has become a vital part of modern IT operations, offering scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. However, it also introduces new security challenges and risks that require careful planning and implementation. In this article, you will learn about some of the top cloud-based IT infrastructure security practices that you can apply to protect your data, applications, and systems in the cloud.

1 Identify your assets and threats

The first step to securing your cloud infrastructure is to identify what you need to protect and what are the potential threats. You should conduct a thorough inventory of your cloud assets, such as servers, databases, networks, storage, and applications, and assign them a value and a risk level. You should also analyze the threat landscape, such as cyberattacks, natural disasters, human errors, or compliance violations, and how they could impact your cloud infrastructure. By doing this, you can prioritize your security efforts and allocate your resources accordingly.

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Jeevesh W

Business Professional @ Denwo IT | Offshore Software Development, Cybersecurity
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Securing a cloud-based IT infrastructure is crucial to protect sensitive data, ensure compliance, and maintain the integrity of IT services and operations.Here are some practices to implement: 1.Identity and Access Management (IAM): Use robust IAM policies to manage user access to resources. 2.Data Encryption: Encrypt data both in transit and at rest. 3.Network Security: Implement network security best practices. 4.Security Groups and Network ACLs: Utilize security groups and network access control lists (ACLs) to control inbound & outbound traffic . 5.Regular Audits and Monitoring: Set up comprehensive logging and monitoring systems to detect and respond to security incidents promptly.

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2 Implement the principle of least privilege

The principle of least privilege means that you should grant the minimum level of access and permissions that are necessary for a user, role, or service to perform a task. This reduces the attack surface and limits the damage that can be caused by a compromised account or a malicious insider. You should implement the principle of least privilege across your cloud infrastructure, using tools such as identity and access management (IAM), role-based access control (RBAC), and multi-factor authentication (MFA). You should also regularly review and audit your access policies and revoke any unused or unnecessary privileges.

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Robin S.

Azure | Windows Server | Active Directory & Entra-ID | IT-Security
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One of the biggest risks in an organization is the permissions problem. Often people are getting far reaching permissions although they only work in a narrow field. This increases attack surface. Using the principle of least privilege and tools like RBAC one can assign permissions as needed.

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Anoop VK

AVP of Cloud Engineering & CISO at JIFFY.ai - Driving Transformation in DevOps, Cloud Engineering, FinOps, DevSecOps, Information Security & Corporate IT
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If using containerized applications, implement container security best practices. Secure container images, use container orchestration security features, and regularly update and patch containers.

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3 Encrypt your data at rest and in transit

Data encryption is a key practice to protect your sensitive and confidential information in the cloud. Encryption transforms your data into an unreadable format that can only be decrypted with a valid key. You should encrypt your data both at rest and in transit, using strong encryption algorithms and secure key management. At rest encryption protects your data from unauthorized access or theft when it is stored in the cloud, while in transit encryption protects your data from interception or manipulation when it is transferred over the network.

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4 Monitor and log your cloud activities

Monitoring and logging are essential practices to maintain visibility and accountability over your cloud infrastructure. Monitoring allows you to track the performance, availability, and health of your cloud resources, as well as detect any anomalies or incidents that may indicate a security breach. Logging allows you to record the actions and events that occur in your cloud environment, such as who accessed what, when, and how. You should use tools such as cloud-native or third-party monitoring and logging services, as well as alerts and notifications, to collect, analyze, and report on your cloud activities.

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5 Apply security patches and updates

Security patches and updates are software fixes that address vulnerabilities or bugs that could be exploited by attackers. You should apply security patches and updates to your cloud infrastructure as soon as they are available, to prevent any security gaps or exposures. You should also use tools such as automation, orchestration, and configuration management to streamline and standardize your patching and updating process. You should also test your patches and updates before deploying them to avoid any compatibility or functionality issues.

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6 Adopt a defense-in-depth strategy

A defense-in-depth strategy means that you should layer multiple security controls and mechanisms to protect your cloud infrastructure from different angles and levels. This increases the resilience and redundancy of your security posture, and makes it harder for attackers to bypass or break through your defenses. You should adopt a defense-in-depth strategy that covers your cloud infrastructure from the physical, network, host, application, and data layers, using tools such as firewalls, antivirus, intrusion detection and prevention systems, web application firewalls, and data loss prevention.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Anoop VK

AVP of Cloud Engineering & CISO at JIFFY.ai - Driving Transformation in DevOps, Cloud Engineering, FinOps, DevSecOps, Information Security & Corporate IT
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Secure API Practices: If using APIs in cloud environments, follow secure API practices. Use authentication and authorization mechanisms, validate input, and implement proper rate limiting to prevent abuse. Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Consider implementing a CASB solution to monitor and enforce security policies across cloud services. CASBs provide visibility and control over data in cloud applications.

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Shaun Dolan

Solutions Engineering Manager @ Lacework | Cybersecurity Presales Expert
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Threat detection using anomaly detection is the best way to find unknown across through changing behaviors(of identities, workloads, cloud activity, etc.). Attack surface is ever expanding and changing, how will you be alerted to bad actors, if you're only thinking about the risks and threats of yesterday? Think about any recent zero day exploit. It is NOT IF you'll get hacked, but WHEN and how prepared you'll be. Obviously also harden and protect for the known problems, but plan for what you might miss. I'm seeing ransomware more and more, and companies having to pay up to unlock their apps and source code. This isn't slowing down.

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Jordan B.

Infrastructure security engineer by title, security dude by nature.
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Remove or restrict unnecessary default resources: Cloud providers will often supply default resources such as firewall rules, VPC networks or other resources depending on which feature you’re enabling. These default resources may allow for a quicker sanity check upon initial setup, but will leave your organization exposed to unnecessary or unaccounted for risk. Consider using organizational policies with Terraform to limit any initial or even future exposure. Take this a step further and consider limiting usage of certain APIs, IAM bindings, region usage or size allocations; to name a few. As with any new tech stack, ensure your organization understands what “out of the box” gives you. Then plan accordingly to limit your exposure.

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Jun Macahiya

vCISO | Information Technology (IT) | Cloud Operations | Information Security | Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) | Global Team Management
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You can significantly enhance your security posture, protect critical data, and maintain the integrity and reliability of your services by: 1.) Proactive Approach: Regularly assess risks and stay prepared for emerging threats. 2.) Layered Defense: Implement a multi-layered security approach, combining physical, technical, and administrative measures. 3.) Employee Participation: Involve all employees in maintaining security through training and awareness programs. 4.) Stay Current: Keep abreast of the latest security trends and technologies in cloud computing. Remember, cloud security is a continuous process, requiring ongoing vigilance and adaptation to new challenges.

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What are the top cloud-based IT infrastructure security practices for you to implement?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your assets and threats

2 Implement the principle of least privilege

3 Encrypt your data at rest and in transit

4 Monitor and log your cloud activities

5 Apply security patches and updates

6 Adopt a defense-in-depth strategy

7 Here’s what else to consider

IT Operations

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What are the top cloud-based IT infrastructure security practices for you to implement?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your assets and threats

2 Implement the principle of least privilege

3 Encrypt your data at rest and in transit

4 Monitor and log your cloud activities

5 Apply security patches and updates

6 Adopt a defense-in-depth strategy

7 Here’s what else to consider

IT Operations

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