As organizations worldwide continue migrating operations to the cloud, this technology has become a staple in modern business. However, these benefits come with unique challenges that demand foresight and structured defenses.
The core of effective cybersecurity is the shared responsibility model, which clearly divides security obligations between the cloud service provider and the customer. When both parties fulfill their respective roles, the result is a more resilient security posture that can adapt to the rapidly changing threats.
What Is the Shared Responsibility Model?
The shared responsibility model offers a roadmap for cooperative cybersecurity in cloud ecosystems. It emphasizes that safeguarding data and systems is not the responsibility of the cloud service provider alone – customers have to take an active role.
This model assigns distinct areas of accountability to eliminate ambiguity and create effective, layered defenses. It’s similar to a relationship between a property owner and the tenants. The cloud service provider maintains the property’s structure and safety features, while the customer secures what they keep inside.
The Responsibility of Cloud Providers
Cloud service providers have the responsibility of securing the structure of the cloud, including:
Physical and Infrastructure Security
Cloud service providers safeguard data centers against physical break-ins, theft, natural disasters, and system outages. Security controls often have gated perimeters, biometric entry systems, constant surveillance, and redundant power sources. Providers also undergo frequent security operations center audits and comply with standards like SOC 2 or ISO 27001 to demonstrate regulatory compliance and bolster trust.
Network Safeguards
Providers design segmented networks to isolate customer workloads while enforcing robust defenses. Firewalls and intrusion prevention systems filter malicious traffic, while encryption secures data both in motion and at rest.
Hardware and Virtualization Layers
From servers to storage, cloud service providers must harden and maintain the infrastructure. This includes timely patching, secure default configurations, and minimizing vulnerabilities in operating systems.
How Security Duties Vary Across Service Models
The divide between provider and customer responsibilities shifts depending on the cloud model:
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The cloud service provider delivers the foundation but the client must secure operating systems, applications, and data.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): The provider manages the platform environment, leaving data protection and application security to the customer.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): The provider manages nearly all aspects, but the customer remains accountable for securing their data, managing user access, and sometimes, maintaining backups.
Your Organization’s Security Responsibilities
Even with cloud provider safeguards, organizations still have a role to play:
Protecting Data
Data is one of the most important aspects of your organization. You should:
- Encrypt sensitive data at rest (stored) and in transit (on the move)
- Classify data based on sensitivity and apply appropriate controls
- Maintain regular backups and disaster recovery plans
- Conduct tabletop exercises to test incident readiness
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Access controls are a common weak point in cloud security. Adopt policies to:
- Enforce strong password use
- Require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts
- Apply the principle of least privilege, granting users only the access they need
- Regularly review and revoke unnecessary access
Neglecting IAM practices can lead to breaches caused by compromised accounts – a common attack vector in cloud breaches.
Application Security
It’s important to embed security into development when you’re building or deploying applications in the cloud. This includes:
- Following secure coding practices to avoid vulnerabilities like SQL injection
- Running regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests
- Keeping application dependences and OS patches up to date
- Incorporate API penetration testing to uncover flaws in authentication, authorization, and data handling
Operating System Hardening
In IaaS environments, customers often control the operating system. Hardening operating systems by disabling unnecessary services, updating configurations, and removing default credentials is essential to reduce the attack surface.
Building a Strong Cloud Security Roadmap
The shared responsibility model offers clarity and accountability, but you still need a cohesive security strategy off your own to protect your assets. This includes:
- Continuous monitoring with tools to monitor logs and detect anomalies.
- Collaborating with your cloud service provider’s support teams and following their security recommendations and guidance.
- Layered security with additional safeguards like cloud access security brokers or endpoint detection tools.
- Education for employees about password safety, phishing, and other human-driven cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities.
Cloud security is never static. As the threats evolve, your defenses need to as well. If you treat your security as an ongoing process, not a one-off setup, you’re better positioned to adapt and protect against threats.
Shared Responsibility for Lasting Cloud Protection
The shared responsibility model is an effective framework for resilient cloud defense once you address the role you must play in your own security. When you understand which responsibilities fall on your cloud service provider and which fall on you, your organization can create a robust and proactive security plan that safeguards against modern cybersecurity risks.
- About Nazy Fouladirad
- About Tevora
Nazy Fouladirad is President and COO of Tevora, a global leading cybersecurity consultancy. She has dedicated her career to creating a more secure business and online environment for organizations across the country and world. She is passionate about serving her community and acts as a board member for a local nonprofit organization.
Founded in 2003, Tevora is a specialized management consultancy focused on cybersecurity, risk, and compliance services. Based in Irvine, CA, our experienced consultants are devoted to supporting the CISO in protecting their organization’s digital assets. We make it our responsibility to ensure the CISO has the tools and guidance they need to build their departments so they can prevent and respond to daily threats.
Our expert advisors take the time to learn about each organization’s unique pressures and challenges, so we can help identify and execute the best solutions for each case. We take a hands-on approach to each new partnership, and –year after year –apply our cumulative learnings to continually strengthen the company’s digital defenses.
Tevora: Go forward. We’ve got your back.
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