Cloud Security: In-House vs.

Cloud
On Premises : In on-premises, from use to the running of the course of action,
everything is done inside; whereby backup, privacy, and updates moreover
should be managed in-house. At the point when the item is gotten, it is then
installed on your servers; requiring additional power labourers, database
programming software and operating systems to be purchased. With no prior
commitment, you anticipate complete ownership.
On Cloud : Cloud refers to the delivery of on-demand computing services over
the internet on “Pay As U Use “services, in simple words rather than managing
files and Services on the local storage device you can do the same over the
Internet in a cost-efficient manner. With a Cloud-based enrolment model, there
is no convincing motivation to purchase any additional establishment or
licenses.
Difference between On-Premises and On Cloud :
1. Scalability –
When it comes to scalability, we pay more for on-premises set up and get
lesser option too and once you scale up it is difficult to scale down and
turn into heavy loss like infrastructure and maintenance cost while on the
other hand Cloud allows you to pay only how much you use with much
easier and faster for scaling upper and down.
2. Server Storage –
On-premises need a lot of space, power, and maintenance to store while
on the other hand cloud solution are offered by the provider and maintain
the server which saves your money and space.
3. Data Security –
On promises offers less security and for security, we need physical and
traditional IT security measures whereas the cloud offers much better
security, and I avoiding all other physical and other security options.
4. Data Loss or Recovery –
If data loss occurs recovery in on-premises is very least while cloud
offers you the backup for easier and faster data recovery.
5. Maintenance –
On promises require an extra team for maintenance which increases the
cost while the cloud is maintained by the provider.

On Premises On Cloud
 Control of user is less as third parties are
Control of user is more.
1. involved.

Infrastructure is not easy to

Infrastructure is easy to scale.
2. scale.

Internet connectivity is not Internet is must for the services of the

3. need all the time. cloud.

The services of cloud depends on the

These services run within the
third parties so these are not only
enterprise only.
4. accessed within the enterprise.

These services are not quite

The services of cloud are highly flexible.
5. flexible.

Not available on a
Services are available for purchase.
6. subscription basis.

For hardware and software

For hardware and software updates, third
updates, enterprise is
party is responsible.
7. responsible.

Cost is not fixed, as additional services

Cost is fixed.
8. comes with additional charges.

9. Data is easily portable. Data is not easily portable.

The deployment happens in

The deployment happens on the internet.
10. the local environment.

11. Security is more. Security is less as all the information is

 stored in the cloud.

These services are used in These services are used in small and mid
12. large companies. sized companies.

Implementation time is
Implementation time is less.
13. more.

Virtualisation

Virtualisation means to hide the physical characteristics of the computing

resources. The virtual machines can be created by VMware. VMware
enables users to set up one or more virtual machines on a single physical
machine, and use them simultaneously along with the actual machine

Virtualization Security

Virtualized security is a software which refers to the implementation of

security measures and policies within a virtual environment or infrastructure,
such as virtual machines, servers, and networks. It involves using of software-
based security solutions that can monitor and protect these virtual systems from
threats and attacks, much like physical security does for traditional hardware-
based environments. This approach allows for more flexible and scalable
security management in cloud and virtualized data centres.
Working of Virtualized Security
Virtualized security is like a digital guard for the virtual world, such as cloud
services and virtual machines. It blends into the virtual setup, acting like an
invisible shield that keeps each part safe. Instead of watching over just one
computer or server, it oversees the whole virtual landscape, spotting and
stopping dangers.
This security type is smart and can handle lots of virtual spaces at once. It
watches the data moving around in these spaces to catch any harmful activity,
like viruses or hackers. When it finds something bad, it acts quickly to block it,
keeping every part of the virtual environment safe.
Virtualized security is also flexible, growing or shrinking to match the size of
the virtual area it needs to protect. It's always on duty, ensuring that even as the
virtual world changes, safety is a constant. Also, it helps keep the stored data
safe, using tools like encryption to lock away information so only the right
people can see it.
Types of Security Virtualization
Security virtualization can come in different forms, vecurity virtualization is a
type of sandboxing technique where VMs are isolated from each other and are
individually guarded against viruses, external malware and other threats. The
types of virtualizations include:
 Server virtualization
 Desktop virtualization
 Storage virtualization
 Network virtualization
 Application virtualization

Server Virtualization
This splits one physical server into several virtual servers. Each one acts like a
separate computer, running its own operating system and applications. This
setup increases efficiency, saves space, and reduces costs.
Desktop Virtualization
It separates the desktop environment from the physical device. You can access
your desktop, with all its apps and files, from any device, like a PC, laptop, or
tablet. This offers flexibility and secure remote access.
Storage Virtualization
This combines multiple physical storage units into one virtual storage device.
It’s like putting different hard drives together to make a single, big storage
space. This makes managing storage easier and can improve performance and
data backup.
Network Virtualization
This type creates a virtual version of a physical network. It allows you to split
one physical network into many separate, independent networks. This can
enhance security, speed up data transfer, and help manage network resources
better.
Application Virtualization
This lets you run applications on a device without actually installing them on
that device. The application runs on a server, and you can use it on your device
like it's right there. This method makes application management and
deployment easier and more secure.

Benefits of Virtualized Security

Scalability
Virtual security solutions are scalable by nature, meaning that scaling of the
virtual environment is not a problem and such security solutions can shrink or
expand along with the growth of the virtual environment. It is this flexibility
that means that security can be dynamic and changing to match any new load or
resource allocation that may be thrown in the way within the virtual
environment.
Flexibility
Virtualized security can be applied in multiple virtual systems and solutions
such as cloud, virtual machines, and virtual networks. This flexibility means
that organizations can integrate a singular security method across various types
of virtual platforms; consequently, improving the security status and reducing
complications.
Cost-Effectiveness
Virtualization of security leads to the fact that the use of hardware firewalls and
other specific security equipment is not required to such an extent. This results
in added savings concerning the first costs of investments and periodical
service, which can make this option relatively more effective for most
organizations.
Efficiency
Virtualized security is advantageous due to the possibilities of centralized
management of security policies and measures. There is a centralized control of
security-related policies in the whole virtual environment which makes it easier
to maintain security without the possibility of frequent collapses.
Enhanced Protection
Virtualized security implies constant surveillance of virtual territory and quick
execution of protective measures, thus guaranteeing virtual spaces’
invulnerability. Detection and response systems enable early detection of threats
and prevent their effects from escalating by mitigating them in real-time thus
safeguarding the data integrity and its confidentiality.

Disadvantages Virtualized Security (Risks)

Shared Resources:
In a virtualized environment, resources like CPU, memory, and storage are
shared among multiple virtual machines. If one VM is compromised, it can
potentially impact the security of others sharing the same physical host.
Complexity:
The complexity of virtualized systems can increase the risk of configuration
errors, making the environment more vulnerable to attacks. Properly securing a
virtualized environment requires a thorough understanding of both virtualization
technology and security principles.
Hypervisor Vulnerabilities:
The hypervisor, which creates and runs virtual machines, is a critical component
in virtualization. If the hypervisor has vulnerabilities, it can be exploited to gain
control over the entire virtualized environment.
Visibility and Control:
Traditional security tools may not have full visibility into the virtualized
components, leading to gaps in monitoring and control that attackers can
exploit.
Insider Threats:
With virtualization, administrative access is more powerful. Insiders with
malicious intent or negligent actions can cause significant damage or breaches.
Dynamic and Elastic Nature:
The ability to quickly spin up and down virtual machines can be exploited by
attackers to create transient attack vectors that are hard to trace and mitigate.

Cloud network security

Cloud network security refers to the security measures—technology, policies,
controls, and processes—used to protect public, private, and hybrid cloud
networks.
What is cloud network security?
Like cloud security, cloud network security refers to the technology, policies,
controls, and processes used to protect data and solely focuses on protecting
cloud networks from unauthorized access, modification, misuse, or
exposure.
Cloud network security forms one of the foundational layers of cloud security
that enables companies to embed security monitoring, threat prevention, and
network security controls to help manage the risks of the dissolving network
perimeter.
Why is cloud network security important?
You're moving beyond a traditional on-premises perimeter when you're
operating in the cloud. Whether you’ve moved completely to the cloud, or are
using a hybrid-cloud approach, trust in your cloud service provider and trust
in your own systems are incredibly important concerns.
When you extend your existing network to cloud environments, it has many
security implications. Historically, any on-prem approach involved a distinct
perimeter between the internet and your organization’s internal network and a
variety of multi-layered defences like physical firewalls, routers, intrusion
detection, and more. But as more workloads and users move beyond your on-
prem perimeter, it becomes harder to detect and respond to intrusions using
previous perimeter protections to create a secure network.
To keep up with the pace of modern IT environments, organizations need an
easier way to deploy, manage, and scale network security built directly into the
cloud. Cloud network security enables you to minimize risk, meet
compliance requirements, and ensure safe and efficient operations.

Cloud network security benefits

Improved security visibility

Cloud-based network security enables centralized security monitoring and
management, often from a single pane of glass. Solutions can also integrate with
existing on-prem solutions to help reduce the complexity of security across
cloud environments.
Policy-based security
Enforcing security and organizational policies can be difficult, especially if you
need to configure, deploy, and enforce them across multicloud and hybrid
environments. Cloud network security makes it easier to manage and update
granular policies.
Advanced threat prevention
Cloud service providers invest in the latest technologies, highly-skilled experts,
and partnerships with experienced leaders to provide real-time detection and
powerful prevention against intrusions, DDoS, and other web-based attacks.
Automated monitoring and configuration
Highly scalable networks require security tools and processes that can grow
with them without overburdening security teams. Cloud network security
solutions can automate configuration and management, helping to eliminate
misconfiguration errors, and maintain control over traffic.
Encryption by default
Encryption can’t stop breaches or security incidents, but it can limit the damage
if something happens. Most cloud providers offer encryption services to protect
data at rest and in transit, helping to reduce the potential attack surface and
prevent unauthorized access if data gets intercepted.

Centralized, consistent security

Cloud network security helps centralize protection, offering built-in security
capabilities and tools to help you monitor your network activity for potential
threats and performance and manage identity and access from a single place.

Cloud network security challenges

Network and cloud security can be challenging for many of the same reasons
that cloud computing is so powerful for accelerating digital transformation.
Cloud infrastructure can be scaled up or down automatically without adding
additional burden to development or security teams. Technologies like
containers, serverless computing, and autoscaling also mean that cloud
environments are rarely static and constantly changing according to
momentary needs. This is made even more challenging by the increasing
popularity of hybrid environments that comprise both on-prem and cloud
networks.
It makes getting an accurate sense of overall network security difficult and can
make it hard to track down malicious actors as they move between networks,
especially if security teams need to switch between various systems and security
tools.
In addition, network security in cloud computing is a shared responsibility
between the customer and the cloud provider. Shared responsibility models vary
according to the provider. As the network owner, you are typically responsible
for securing what’s in the cloud—your network controls, identity and access
management, data, and applications. It’s important to make sure these duties are
clearly defined as any misunderstanding could lead to serious gaps in coverage.
Cloud network security best practices
There are a number of strategies and tools that you can use to secure your
network. However, you can simplify your approach by following these cloud
network security best practices:
Deploy zero-trust networks
The zero-trust security model means no one and nothing is trusted by default,
whether they are inside or outside of your network. Zero trust allows you to
shift access control from the network perimeter to individual users and devices.
Secure internet-facing services
In general, it’s always best to restrict access from the internet to your cloud
resources unless necessary. However, if you can’t avoid it, you can still limit
access with network-level security in the cloud. This includes edge network
security with DDoS protection, web application firewall (WAF) policy
enforcement, identity-aware control access, and intelligent threat detection
with real-time monitoring, logging, and alerting.

Secure connections between all of your environments

Your workloads may reside on-premises, in the cloud, or across multiple cloud
environments. That’s why it’s critical to secure connections to your
environments to keep your deployments as private as possible to reduce
exposure to threats. You can avoid impacting critical workflows using private
access options that let cloud-based or on-premises clients communicate and
consume with supported APIs and services without an external IP address.
Micro-segment access
Even within your network, it’s essential to regulate and manage communication
between applications and services. Micro-segmentation helps contain lateral
movement with fine-grained security policies to control traffic precisely if an
attacker infiltrates your network. You can also use micro-segmentation
policies to isolate critical systems, strengthening regulatory compliance.
Understand your shared responsibilities
To achieve strong network security in cloud computing, it’s imperative to
recognize your weaknesses. Understanding exactly what responsibilities are
yours and what controls are embedded in your cloud provider’s services is
critical. For example, you may want to look for a cloud provider that operates
under a shared fate model, where providers offer more comprehensive guidance,
resources, and tools to help customers better navigate risk management and
security.