The Need for Standards in Cloud Computing Security

For enterprises to view cloud computing as the best choice for storage of their data, standards are of great essence. Most IT enterprises are working hard to ensure that they get a cloud which will help them cut on their expenses while achieving their business needs.

Today, most organisations allow only a percentage of their daily operations to be supported by the cloud. Although IT experts expect that the adoption of the cloud should accelerate in the near future, many enterprises are still wondering whether the cloud is the best solution for storing their data. The main source of fear is security. The enterprises are not sure of whether their data will be secure in the cloud.

They are also in need of creating an on-demand service while keeping compliance and industry compliance. The enterprises shy away from storing g their data in the cloud for fear that they are not protected. The cloud is porous in nature, and this makes it an attractive target by attackers and securing it has become more complex as the site.

Currently, there is no definition on what an effective cloud security is. There exist no standards defining what an effective cloud security might, and what is expected from both the providers and the users to ensure that the cloud data has been well secured. Instead of having these, the enterprises and providers are left to rely on data center standards, list of auditing specifications, industry mandates and regulatory requirements for provision of guidance on how the cloud environments should be protected.

Although this approach can make cloud computing to be somehow complex, it is a good approach to ensure that the cloud data is well secured. There is a need for both the enterprises and the cloud providers to ensure that they focus on the core elements of well secured cloud such as identity and access management, virtualisation security, content security, threat management and data privacy.

It is also good for the industry to consider the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) specifications regarding the cloud security, so as to form a good foundation for protection of the data and services which are running in the cloud. Although most of the principles here were meant for the government organisations, they are very relevant and applicable in the private sector.

The guidelines provided by NIST are good for addressing serious issues regarding cloud security such as identity and access management, architecture, trust, data protection, software isolation, incidence response, availability and compliance. The body also states the factors which organisations have to consider in relation to public cloud outsourcing. The CSA (Cloud Security Alliance) is a good source of knowledge for rules regarding how to secure data running in on-demand environment. Here, you will know more about the best practices for securing such data. With CSA, all the necessary guidelines which can help you know whether your cloud provider is doing what they can to secure your data are provided.

Working through such organisations is good as they will help both the customers and the provide in laying of a good groundwork for the purpose of creating a secure cloud environment. Security principles should be applied as much as possible when we are securing our cloud environments. With good standards for cloud computing, the enterprises will be much guaranteed that their data is safe in the cloud. This will improve their trust for the cloud provider, and they will make cloud computing the best solution to their IT needs. The current customers will be much assured of the security of their data.