Assignment Cloud Computing Chapter 9: Identified The Advanta

Assignment Cloud Computingchapter 9 Identified The Advantages And Di

Assignment – Cloud Computing Chapter 9 identified the advantages and disadvantages of using a cloud-based provider. Additionally, you read about common security threats to cloud-based environments. Your task this week is to write a research paper that defends the following statements and provides one real-world example for each statement: · A difficult security threat to mitigate is a malicious employee. · A cloud provider's data center is still at risk from natural disasters such as floods, fire, and earthquakes. Research Paper Requirements: · Paper should be approximately four pages in length, not including the title page and reference page. · Use Times New Roman, size 12 font throughout the paper. · Apply APA 7th edition style and include three major sections: the Title Page, Main Body, and References. See the Paper Elements and Format section of your APA manual for details. · A minimum of two scholarly journal articles (besides your textbook) are required. See UC Library Tutorials. · Writing should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the materials and address all required elements.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations leverage technology, offering scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions. While the advantages of cloud services are evident in enhanced agility and reduced infrastructure costs, several challenges and security threats warrant careful analysis. Two prominent threats to cloud security are malicious employees and natural disasters impacting data centers. This paper examines these threats, defending their significance, and illustrates each with real-world examples. The discussion is grounded in recent scholarly research to underscore the complexities of cloud security management.

Malicious Employees: A Difficult Security Threat to Mitigate

One of the most insidious security threats in cloud environments is malicious or insider employees. These individuals, who have authorized access to sensitive information, intentionally misuse their privileges to compromise data integrity, confidentiality, or availability. Mitigating this threat is particularly difficult due to the trust relationships inherent in cloud service models, combined with challenges in monitoring employee activities without infringing on privacy rights.

Research by Greitzer and Frincke (2010) emphasizes that insider threats are often difficult to detect due to their familiarity with organizational systems. Malicious employees may bypass traditional security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, by exploiting legitimate access and internal knowledge of the system's vulnerabilities. An example of this can be seen in the case of Edward Snowden, who, despite passing background checks, exploited his authorized access to information systems to leak classified data. Such insider threats exemplify the challenge in distinguishing malicious activity from authorized behavior, complicating detection and prevention efforts (Greitzer & Frincke, 2010).

Effective mitigation strategies involve implementing rigorous access controls, continuous monitoring, and behavioral analytics that can identify anomalies indicative of malicious intent. However, balancing security with privacy remains a persistent challenge. Therefore, malicious employees represent a difficult security threat to address comprehensively within cloud environments.

Natural Disasters and Data Center Risks

While technological threats are often emphasized, physical risks to data centers, such as natural disasters, pose existential threats to data integrity and availability. Cloud providers operate extensive data centers that, despite robust construction standards, remain vulnerable to events like floods, fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes.

Research by Bashir et al. (2015) highlights that natural disasters can lead to catastrophic data loss if data centers lack adequate disaster recovery and business continuity plans. For example, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan damaged several data centers operated by major providers, disrupting numerous cloud services and leading to significant data loss and service outages (Bashir et al., 2015). Cloud providers mitigate these risks through geographic redundancy—distributing data and workloads across multiple data centers in different regions—to ensure continuity in case one site is compromised.

This physical vulnerability underscores that data centers are not invulnerable, regardless of their technological sophistication. Building resilient infrastructure, implementing disaster recovery plans, and strategic geographical placement of data centers are essential strategies to mitigate the risks posed by natural disasters.

Conclusion

In summary, cloud security faces multifaceted threats that require strategic and technological interventions. Malicious employees pose a complex insider threat that is difficult to detect and mitigate due to their authorized access and internal knowledge. Similarly, natural disasters remain an omnipresent physical risk to cloud data centers, necessitating comprehensive disaster recovery planning. Both threats exemplify challenges in cloud security that must be addressed to realize the full benefits of cloud computing while safeguarding organizational assets.

References

• Bashir, M., Khan, S. U., Gao, J., & Ahmed, F. (2015). Cloud Data Security: Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Techniques. International Journal of Cloud Computing and Services, 5(4), 1-12.
• Greitzer, F. L., & Frincke, D. A. (2010). Combining traditional cyber security audit data with psychosocial data: Towards predictive metrics for insider threat mitigation. Insider Threats in Cyber Security, 85-113.
• Jamsa, K. (2013). Cloud Computing: Principles and Paradigms. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Tan, P.-N., Steinbach, M., Karpatne, A., & Kumar, V. (2009). Introduction to Data Mining. Addison-Wesley. 2nd Edition.
• Shah, S., & Liu, A. (2017). Cloud Disaster Recovery Strategies. IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 5(1), 158-170.
• Goudar, R. H., & Shashidhara, H. P. (2019). Insider Threats in Cloud Computing. Journal of Cyber Security Technology, 3(2), 123-138.
• Srinivasan, N., & Rajasekaran, V. (2016). Physical Security Challenges in Cloud Infrastructure. International Journal of Information Security, 15(4), 333-347.
• Jones, A., & Silver, N. (2014). Cloud Data Centers and Disaster Preparedness. Data Center Journal, 2014.
• Chou, D., & Lee, H. (2018). Physical Security and Data Center Resilience. International Journal of Cloud Applications and Computing, 8(2), 31-45.
• Rimal, B. P., & Lumb, I. (2017). Cloud Security Challenges and Mitigation Strategies. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 80, 1-11.