Cloud security risks are a constant concern for many companies, even with the many benefits of private clouds. Here is a look at three major ones.
Cloud security is a daily priority for most companies. Some of them might even see private clouds as more secure. While private clouds offer some security advantages, they are not entirely devoid of security risks. Many enterprises rely on private clouds because of their single-tenant nature, enabling admins exclusive access to the resources. Furthermore, private clouds give advantages such as self-service, scalability, and higher performance.
However, some cloud security risks can diminish the benefits of having private infrastructures. Here is a look at three major ones.
1. Managing Outdated VM images
Outdated VM images are one of the most significant security risks to private cloud environments. Admins granting users access to their private cloud also gives them the ability to function as a tenant admin and create VMs via the provided templates.
Unfortunately, admins do not know whether or not they assume that such a user is a security expert or adheres to best practices in cloud security. Hence, admins have to create templates that adhere to their organization's security requirements and are up to date.
2. Abusing Admin Powers
Another potential security issue to consider comes from within organizations. Some admins might need multi-tenant private clouds, enabling them to share hardware resources. Here are ways to prevent such abuse.
- Administrators must make sure to all parties that they do not tolerate such rogue behavior.
- They should use role-based access control to categorize and limit the scope of admin-level access
- They should enable audit logging, ensuring only the HR department has access to the logs.
- They should configure their private clouds to allow automatic shielding for tenant-created VMs.
- Avoid granting unrestricted admin access, even to tenants, even within their own VMs.
3. Other Cloud Security Risks
Another risk worth mentioning is data loss without proper backup. Even if providers tell tenant admins about the kind of backup established, there can be some miscommunication. This issue can lead to unprecedented data loss during a security issue; the data might forever be lost.
Admins must devise strategies to recover data for clients and their VMs should it become necessary. For example, admins might consider opting for backup-specific products that provide essential services like file sync and share and backup and recovery management.
Cloud Security with VEXXHOST Cloud Solutions
As an IaaS provider, we ensure that our clients are aware of the various security requirements and take the necessary steps to assure them. Our clouds are based on OpenStack, making the environments free from licensing fees or vendor lock-ins. Private clouds are the preferred choice for many of our clients because of their highly scalable and secure nature.
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