Your Options for Data Security in Cloud Computing

Businesses from all sectors are beginning to understand and reap the benefits of the cloud. Some organizations are just starting to dip their toes, while others have created complex multi-cloud strategies suitable for their specific business models. One of the most significant challenges at any stage of cloud adoption is navigating data security in cloud computing. 

Data security in cloud computing requires you to not only deal with threats but also with compliance, government standards and security models. Below are the key considerations for data security in cloud computing to help you develop a strategy that best fits your needs.

Securing your data begins with a strong understanding of its location. It is essential to have a consolidated view of data from any on-premises infrastructures to hybrid clouds. Knowing what data you have, where it is, how it could be potentially exposed, and what applications access it are key to building data security in cloud computing. Implementing consistent, unified, and automated data protection will help secure your data throughout the cloud environment.

• Ensure your data is easily and effectively visible and accessible. 
• Use federated access, thus eliminating manual maintenance of separate identities by relying upon an active directory.
• Back up data on a variety of media in various locations.
• Automate processes to reduce the burden on your IT team. Doing so will expedite workflows with decreased manual intervention, resulting in less room for error.
• Utilize encryption for sensitive and critical data when it is traveling and at rest. Ensure your cloud vendor offers encryption. You can even add a third-party encryption solution if necessary.
• Monitor who accesses what data in an authorized manner. An identity and access management system (IAM) allows the right people to access specified data through a single-sign-on, encompassing your whole cloud environment.
• Use multi-factor authentication to further secure passwords and reduce the risk of compromising sign-in credentials. 
• Incorporate password policy and other password management solutions for employees and other end-users to maintain secure log-ins
  

Data security in cloud computing relies on data integrity and confidentiality.

Data Integrity 

Data integrity prevents unauthorized modification of data. Configuration errors, transfer errors, compromised hardware, malicious intruders, and general human errors can all affect data integrity. 

Ensuring the integrity of your data involves a variety of methodologies including a high-availability and integrity layer (HAIL) to provable data possession (PDP). By automatically comparing the current state of the cloud to the last-known safe states, you can alert administrators of deviations. It is also critical to implement strict data access controls and regularly monitor user activities, modifications, and sign-in attempts.

Data Confidentiality 

Data confidentiality is critical for meeting compliance requirements and maintaining best practices. The largest threat to confidentiality is unauthorized access. 

One approach to dealing with this issue is to categorize your data. Ensure you store sensitive data in specified protected locations that only authorized users can access. Additionally, make sure to apply different security controls based on classification. 

Another approach involves strong encryption, either asymmetric (requiring one public or private key) or in a symmetric method, where a single private key encrypts and decrypts. 

As businesses continue with cloud adoption, the environment will only become more complex. Keeping in mind these options for data security in cloud computing will help mitigate risks as they grow. Work closely with your cloud provider and set up a service-level agreement that guarantees your data security needs are met.

Synopsys is the industry’s largest provider of electronic design automation (EDA) technology used in the design and verification of semiconductor devices, or chips. With Synopsys Cloud, we’re taking EDA to new heights, combining the availability of advanced compute and storage infrastructure with unlimited access to EDA software licenses on-demand so you can focus on what you do best – designing chips, faster. Delivering cloud-native EDA tools and pre-optimized hardware platforms, an extremely flexible business model, and a modern customer experience, Synopsys has reimagined the future of chip design on the cloud, without disrupting proven workflows.

Take a Test Drive!

Synopsys technology drives innovations that change how people work and play using high-performance silicon chips. Let Synopsys power your innovation journey with cloud-based EDA tools. Sign up to try Synopsys Cloud for free!