Cloud Computing: Security and Infrastructure

Table of Contents

Introduction

Cloud security and infrastructure

Application and impact of the research area

Large Businesses

Small Businesses

Personal Users

Hospitals

Educational settings, e.g. University, Colleges, School.

Summarisation

References

Bibliography

Introduction

In this report, a description of the research area is given and illustrating the application of the research area, with the final evacuation of the impact with summary.

Cloud security and infrastructure

When researching the area of cloud security and infrastructure, it was clear what the area was defined to revolved around. The research area can be split into 2 separate areas but can work together as they connect to each other. The first part of the research area would be ‘cloud security, cloud security is the term given to the service which uses the internet as its main source of communication to perform its following task, which are but not limited to providing protection to various backgrounds media and data like data stored on servers which can be accessed via cloud transportation. It protects from various of malicious/non-malicious attempts such as Denial of services attacks, unauthorised access, Botnet attacks etc. The infrastructure part of the research is connected as it talks about the structure and methods set in place to allow cloud security to take place and progress as it goes along with providing its service across different platforms.

Application and impact of the research area

Large Businesses

This is area of research can be applicable to this area due to many reasons. One of the first reasons would that, it would provide overall protection of their systems they use within their business, such as their computers. Cloud security would allow workers within the business to save their work onto the cloud instead of using local storage as it provides the business the security of their data not going missing or corrupt and in case of a disaster occurring, the downtime of the business wouldn’t be dramatic as it would allow the business to implement cloud storage and security onto a plan so they can reduce downtime. Along with providing security of their data. Cloud security and the infrastructure involved can be used within the business to protect the business from any downtime due to the business being attacked via the internet using various methods such as denial of services attacks which would normally hinder the internet used within the business useless until the attack is over. Also, the infrastructure of the cloud security can be some what implemented into the business to allow the security of the business to increase. For example, the business could implement a service that provide the security needed for cloud storage/computing but implement a similar system used in cloud security where the business mostly runs off the cloud instead of local storage or use as it provides the business to be more flexible in the aspect of where the technology doesn’t restrict the business in different ways such as being restricted due to the problems given from equipment such as data being stolen or lost on a computer due to various reasons or if data being hacked into by malicious users. Another advantage given is that the business online services like E-Commerce are protected from users trying to gain access from different areas for the personal gains which could result in the business losing revenue.

Overall the major impact of the research area would that businesses would have allows the business to be provided in various areas and still have space to allow the business to adapt and progress as they go on, making the biggest impact being that the business would have less problems to deal with.  (MATHER, T., KUMARASWAMY, S., and LATIF, S., 2009 pp 27/28) ( TAKABI, H., JOSHI, J.B.D., and AHN, G., 2010 pp 24-31)

Small Businesses

This area of research can be applicable for small businesses as it provides the security of the data being safe from various malicious sources such as users trying to hack into their data. Along with providing security of their private data, as mention above, it provides security to e-commerce services they possibly provide. Along with security, the infrastructure can be used within the business so that full integration allows any and all services to be used work flawlessly. Along with providing security online against attacks. By using cloud security over data being saved/used on the cloud, it allows the business to be more expandable as it allows business to move locations and not be restricted to a location, with the bonus of data not being accessible but being protected no matter where the data is being accessed from via an authorised user/service.

The overall impact of this area would be like the large business, but the difference would be that due to this research possibly allowing the business to progress faster as they would have lest problems to deal with and they would have space adapt the security they use in their business along with the infrastructure with have implemented. (MATHER, T., KUMARASWAMY, S., and LATIF, S., 2009 pp 27/28) ( TAKABI, H., JOSHI, J.B.D., and AHN, G., 2010 pp 24-31)

Personal Users

This area of research can be applicable for personal users as well because it allows the users to use services they purchase for personal use and to their highest potential they need it for. A user can save data to a cloud storage with the advantage of the user knowing no one can access their data accept from them. This allows the user to be safe on various compatible platforms. Such as smart phones, tablets and pc. The infrastructure of the cloud security allows users to use the services with the least amount of problems to occur as the infrastructure of various cloud security backgrounds are getting updated daily making it better for the users to use. (MATHER, T., KUMARASWAMY, S., and LATIF, S., 2009 pp 27/28)

Hospitals

This area of research can be applicable for hospitals as it has many advantages it can provide in this setting. One of the first advantages would be that cloud security would allow hospitals work more efficiently and more securely as it allows the workers within the hospital to upload private data to the cloud for other workers to use and share it to the correct recipient, instead of the workers from wasting time and resources either printing data or saving data to a local drive to share it to the right people by handing them a portable storage like USB. Along with that, it can provide security for the hospital as it would stop malicious users from accessing the personal patient’s information or messing with important information which could affect a patient’s life. The research of the infrastructure can be adapted and used within the hospital to allow the hospital to work more efficiently and securely. Finally allowing the hospital protection from online attacks so that the hospital has no downtime when handling patients of different severity.

Educational settings, e.g. University, Colleges, School.

This is like the impact it can gives to the hospital as it allows data to be protected from unauthorised users/services and allows staff to save and share data with other staff safely, so they are able to do their jobs without the student’s education being affected by problems that could be easily prevented. Such as unauthorised users trying to altar, delete or take data, or the place being attacked which could possibly hinder their network so they don’t access the internet or share data but with cloud security, the data is safe and can be used off the network to allow the downtime to be reduced dramatically because data isn’t lost or corrupted.

The overall impact for the last 3 settings, are all similar as the impact would be that the various places the cloud security is implemented would allow services and data they saved via the cloud to be used with protection meaning they would be hindered in the performance of the service but still have the protection in place needed when being used, similar with the infrastructure being adapted to fit the purpose its needed for.

Summarisation

When it comes to summarising the findings, it is shown that there are many advantages and disadvantages when researching the area. Due to topic being quite general, the research that was looked at can cover many topics and points, but the summary of what was shown was, that are there are many issues involved with the area however these areas are solved in a short period of time as this area is constantly updated/adapted. ( TAKABI, H., JOSHI, J.B.D., and AHN, G., 2010 pp 24-31)

References

• MATHER, T., KUMARASWAMY, S., and LATIF, S., 2009. Cloud Security and Privacy. ITNow, 52 (2), pp 27/28
• TAKABI, H., JOSHI, J.B.D., and AHN, G., 2010. Security and Privacy Challenges in Cloud Computing Environments. IEEE Security & Privacy, 8 (6), pp 24-31. Available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5655240.

Bibliography

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• WINKLER, J.R.(., 2011a. Securing the cloud : cloud computer security techniques and tactics. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Svantesson, Roger n. ”Privacy and consumer risks in cloud computing.” Computer Law and Security Review 26.4 (2010): 391-397
• Takabi, H. ”Security and Privacy Challenges in Cloud Computing Environments.” IEEE security & privacy 8.6 (2010): 24-31
• Luo, J. ”Cloud computing: Architecture and key technologies.” Tongxin Xuebao 32.7 (2011): 3-21
• PETER MELL and TIM GRANCE, 2010. The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. Association for Computing Machinery. Communications of the ACM (6), 50. Available at: https://search.proquest.com/docview/577585592 .
• ZISSIS, D. and LEKKAS, D., 2012. Addressing cloud computing security issues. Future Generation Computer Systems, 28 (3), 583-592. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167739X10002554