Fundamentals of Cloud Computing: Securing the Cloud

Cloud security brings up questions of privacy, data sharing, compliance… but the concept of a secure cloud also depends on the relationship between the agency and provider. DLT’s Chief Cloud Technologist David Blankenhorn touches on all of the basics in this Securing the Cloud webcast - the concerns, the cautions, the considerations, but he also discusses how trust and an understanding of responsibilities play into the mix. Check out this clip for an overview of what responsibilities fall on the agency versus the provider. So, we can see that reliability of the cloud provider and control of application management are big factors when it comes to ensuring cloud security. But, aside from clarifying who handles each responsibility, establishing a trusting relationship between the agency and the provider is essential. David explains: “I have been heard many times to say ‘trust and verify.’  Implementing a public cloud strategy requires some level of trust in the cloud providers. And a key area to pay special attention to is insider access.  At the end of the day, the cloud provider and their employees are going to have access and control over these systems.  So, we’re going to need to make sure that there is some way we can verify the integrity of those employees. But again, it’s about trusting and verifying.” For more information about cloud computing and security, visit the DLT Cloud Advisory Group resource page.