Security risks and solutions for the cloud computing age

Cloud computing is a development implementation of parallel computing, distributed computing and Grid computing. At present, cloud computing industry is divided into three layers: cloud software, cloud platform, cloud equipment. Top Rating: Cloud software provides a wide range of software services. Participants: Software developers from around the world; Middle Level: Cloud Platform Program development platform and operating system platform. Participants: Google, Microsoft, Apple, lower rating: Cloud Device integration infrastructure. Participants: IBM, Dell, HP, Amazon.

Second, the important characteristics of cloud computing

(i) Super scale. "Cloud Management System" has a considerable scale, Google's cloud computing has more than 1 million servers, Amazon, IBM, Microsoft, Yahoo and other "cloud" has hundreds of thousands of servers. The cloud gives users unprecedented computing power.

(ii) Virtualization. Cloud computing enables users to obtain application services in any location using a variety of terminals. The requested resource is from the cloud rather than the fixed physical entity. Applications run somewhere in the cloud, but in fact the user does not need to know or worry about where the application is running.

(iii) High reliability. The cloud uses such measures as data duplication fault tolerance and computing node isomorphism to ensure high reliability of services, and using cloud computing is more reliable than using a local computer.

(iv) universality. Cloud computing is not specific to the application, in the "cloud" under the support of the structure of the ever-changing applications, the same "cloud" can support the operation of different applications.

(v) High scalability. The scale of the cloud can be scaled dynamically to meet the needs of application and user-scale growth.

(vi) cheap. Because the special fault tolerant measure of "cloud" can use the extremely inexpensive node to compose the cloud, so the user can enjoy the low cost advantage of "cloud" fully.

Iii. information security in cloud computing

As an emerging technology that can dramatically reduce costs, cloud computing has been embraced by many companies. However, the security issues brought about by cloud computing should also give us enough attention.

Cloud computing allows companies to outsource part of their computing work, and companies can access computing infrastructure over the Internet. But at the same time, the data is a company's most important asset, the data in cloud computing for users other than the data owners of cloud computing users is confidential, but for the provision of cloud computing business is indeed no secret. With the development of cloud-based services, cloud computing services are shared by many service providers. In this way, the company's confidential documents will be passed through layers, security risks are enormous.

Overall, the information security issues brought about by cloud computing are as follows:

(i) Access of privileged users

Handling sensitive information outside of a company can be risky because it bypasses the "physical, logical, and manual control" of this information by the Enterprise IT department.

(ii) the availability of review

Users are ultimately responsible for the integrity and security of their data. Traditional service providers need to pass external audits and security certifications, but some cloud-computing providers refuse to accept such scrutiny.

(iii) Data location

When using cloud computing services, users are not aware of where their data is stored, and users don't even know which country the data is located in. Users should ask the service provider whether the data is stored in a specific jurisdiction and whether they are complying with the local privacy agreement.

(iv) Data isolation

Users should understand whether the cloud provider separates some data from others and whether the cryptographic service was designed and tested by an expert. If there is a problem with the encryption system, then all data will no longer be available.

(v) Data recovery

Even if the user does not know the location of the data store, the cloud provider should also tell the user what the user data and services will face in the event of a disaster. Any data and applications that have not been backed up will have problems. Users need to ask the service provider if they have the ability to recover data and how long it will take.

Iv. the specific methods of ensuring information security in cloud computing

(i) Encrypting the saved file

Encryption can encrypt a file so that only the password can be decrypted. Encryption allows you to protect data even when it is uploaded to someone in a distant datacenter. PGP or the corresponding Open-source product TrueCrypt and other programs provide strong enough encryption capabilities.

(ii) encryption of e-mails

To ensure message security, use programs such as Hushmail or mutemail to encrypt all incoming and outgoing messages.

(iii) use of reputable services

Recommend the use of well-known service providers, they are not likely to take their own brand to risk, will not allow the data leakage incident, and will not share data with marketers.

(iv) Consideration of business models

When trying to determine which Internet applications are trustworthy, consider how they intend to be profitable. Internet application services that charge fees may be safer than those that are advertised. Advertising to internet application providers to bring economic incentives, so as to collect detailed user information for targeted online advertising, so that user data may fall into the hands of outlaws.

(v) Use of filters

Companies such as Vontu, Websense and vericept provide a system designed to monitor which data is leaving your network, which automatically blocks sensitive data. For example, social Security numbers have a unique digital arrangement. This type of system can also be configured so that different users within a company enjoy varying degrees of freedom in exporting data.