12 Steps to Cloud Security A guide to securing your Cloud Deployment Vishnu Vettrivel Principal Engineering Lead,

Step 1: Know your responsibility Cloud providers are responsible for some parts of the infrastructure stack. The other parts of the security stack is your responsibility. You are usually responsible for Application Security, Policies and configuration, machine images etc.

Step 2. Protect your Network Use Defense in Depth and services like: Virtual Private Clouds Network ACLs Routing rules Proxy Servers NAT Firewalls Application Host Network

Step 3: Protect your Machine Images Be sure your harden your images first Turn off insecure ports and services Change default passwords. Install AV Software Consider using a Baseline

Step 4: Protect your Data at Rest Know the different Cloud storage mechanisms and their Security implications. De-Identify when possible Understand the choices of Encryption primitives like key strength and Ciphers types. Don’t forget Secure Archival and Disposal of Data.

Step 5: Protect your Data in Transit Use secure application protocols whenever possible. TLS SSH RDP Securely Tunnel traffic when not possible: IPSEC SSL VPN SSH Use a Key Management System

Step 6: Protect and Patch your Instances Define and Categorize Cloud based assets Watch out for Zero Days Classify Risk Patch Affected Systems Use a Configuration Management System

Step 7: Protect Access to your Instances Create Individual User accounts Use Role based Access Grant Least privilege based on Business Need Enable Multi-Factor Authentication for Privileged Users Audit all User Activity Federate all User Access through a Directory Service

Step 8: Protect your Applications Implement AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Auditing). Familiarize yourself with the OWASP Top 10 Application Security Flaws. Follow Secure Development Best Practices.

Step 9: Audit and Monitor your Cloud Gather monitoring data at a secure and separate Network Establish baselines Monitor all layers and Protocols Deploy the IDS behind the Network firewall Fine tune alert levels Use redundant alerting channels

Step 10: Validate your Protection Test Network, Infrastructure and Applications separately for Security Vulnerabilities periodically Check for Input validation, session manipulation, authentication and information leakage Use 3 rd Party Tools where possible

Step 11: Automate Everything Use a Configuration Management System Employ Continuous Integration and Delivery. Automated Provisioning helps: Documentation BCP/DR Planning Change Management Treat Infrastructure as Code.

Step 12: Update your Security Policy Define security scope and boundaries Select proper risk Assessment Methodology. Align policies to Contractual Obligations Choose a suitable Security control framework

Step 13 ? There is no magic bullet! Some things are easier and some are harder in the Cloud Conventional security and compliance concepts still apply in the cloud. The 12 Steps will get your started on your continuous security improvement cycle

Resources         effective-devops/ effective-devops/ 

Thank You Vishnu Vettrivel Principal Engineering xpatterns.com linkedin.com/ company/atigeo