A Security Governance Framework For Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has recently emerged as a ground-breaking model for hosting and delivering services over the Internet. This paradigm is engaging to business organizations since it removes the need for users to plan ahead for provisioning and enables enterprises to start from minimal and increase resources only when there is an increase in demand for service. However, the deployment and implementation of cloud computing for enterprises has been characterized with various challenges and security concerns. In essence, the successful deployment and cloud computing in an enterprise needs proper planning and understanding of the various emerging threats, risks, vulnerabilities, and potential counter-measures. As there are top five challenges in cloud computing for the enterprise, there are various available solutions with varying benefits and limitations, which necessitate the development of a new solution.

Cloud computing is on the rise. Cloud computing is a style of computing where software and virtualized hardware is provided over the internet (O’Brien & Marakas, 2011). The seven most common uses of cloud computing include: infrastructure as a service, private cloud or hybrid cloud, test and deployment, big data analytics, file storage, disaster recovery and backup (Ferkoun, 2014). The biggest advantages of cloud computing include increasing competitiveness through cost reduction, greater flexibility, and elasticity and optimal resource utilization (Ferkoun, 2014). Cloud computing basically uses the internet to provide for the computing needs of the end users.

The focus of cloud computing is providing with scalable and a cheap on-demand computing infrastructure with a good quality of service levels. The process of the cloud computing involves a set of network enabled services that can be accessed in a simple and general way. Cloud computing provides with a unique value proposition for any organization to outsource their information and communication technology infrastructure. Moreover, the concept itself provides with a value proposition for an organization as using the cloud saves on cost, resources, and staff, and business opportunities for the organization (Katzan). An extensive connectivity of

A lot has being said concerning issues surrounding the law and cloud computing. Some of these issues include privacy and data security concerns and laws and regulations. Regardless of what cloud computing models an organization uses, both the cloud provider and the consumer ha to operate under this laws. Therefore both parties need to have a broad knowledge of the these laws such as data breaches, information ownership and control and how close customers can manage risk both at the federal and state levels.

A significant paradigm shift is represented by public cloud computing from conventional norms of an organizational data center to a de-parameterized infrastructure which opens gates for potential adversaries to use. Cloud computing should be approached carefully with any emerging information technology area with due consideration to the sensitivity of data. A good planning helps and ensures that the computing environment is secure to the most possible extant and is in compliance with all relevant policies of an organization and makes sure the privacy is maintained.

The high regard to cloud computing is on the rise due to its ability to improve flexibility, expand access to data, and lower costs. Cloud computing release organizations from being required to have their hardware and software infrastructure from being acquired and maintained (Holt, Niebuhr, Aichberger, & Rosiello, 2011). On the other hand, while there is much noise being made about the benefits of cloud computing, questions have been brought up with respect to whether cloud computing is safe especially when it comes to its privacy, security, and reliability. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the different general controls and audit approaches for software and architecture, cloud computing, service-oriented architecture, and virtualization. This paper gives a summary analysis of the recent research that is available. Additionally, risks and vulnerabilities associated with public clouds, private clouds, and hybrids have also been researched. Within the research conducted, there are important examples provided. Recommendations are shown on how organizations could implement and mitigate these risks and vulnerabilities. This paper even outlines a list of IT audit tasks that focuses on a cloud computing environment due to the results of the analysis, the risks and vulnerabilities, and the mitigation controls.

According to Prasad, Gyani and Murti (2012), “Cloud computing can be defined as a new style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet” (p.7). This statement is from five years ago, and although cloud computing is no longer considered new, this definition still describes what cloud computing means today. Cloud computing being private or public is becoming more primordial in the IT sector due to the numerous advantages it gives to its end users (Basmadjian et al. 2012). Since the interest in cloud computing keeps on increasing, efforts need to continue to evaluate current trends in security and privacy. Cloud computing

to note here is the fact that these services are provided over a network. Hence, typical

In this paper, the authors survey many sources and literature on cloud security issues, namely vulnerabilities, threats, and attacks. A total of 504 articles were look at to gather the data used in this paper. While the authors use this number to say that the research trend is up on mitigating security risks, they also suggest that security is the main priority of most research to the detriment of other areas. They offer no concrete numbers to back up this claim..

However, with all the benefits, the rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) involves certain security challenges as well. The associated challenges and issues of Cloud computing must be considered prior to the ubiquitous adoption of the technology [2]. The paper presents the analysis of the cloud computing model in terms of the deployment of its service models, along with the security issues associated with it. The paper also presents the possible techniques of eliminating the security concerns of the cloud computing.

Cloud computing security is a set of control based technologies and policies that must follow certain rules in order to protect applications, data and any information associated with cloud computing. It is known to provide excellent services but is still not supported by organizations due to privacy issues that includes security and privacy protection. As they obstruct the managers as well as the

Considering both the gains and harms related to the cloud world, Cloud Security Alliance(CSA) has set some cloud security standards throughout the industry. The report “Treacherous 12 - Top Threats” is an important research artifact done by the CSA. Though there are

One of the main reasons to deliver security and privacy for the data in cloud computing is, as it utilizes distributed resources in an unsecured location or environment to allocate their services among people that belong to different organizations [1]. Enlargement in cloud adoption rates will result in increased computing security problems [2]. The greatest terror of cloud clients is that, most of the companies are not relaxed or comfortable accumulating their data and applications on systems that exists outside of their own assumed data centers [3]. Increased security of potential unwarranted approach and discovery to customer’s personal information is caused by relocating workloads to a distributed infrastructure. Data security and privacy protection issues are relevant to both hardware and software in the cloud architecture. This study is to review different security challenges and solutions for protecting data in the cloud and also aims at enhancing the data security and privacy protection for the trustworthy cloud environment. In this paper, we made a research analysis of an overview of security and privacy levels in secure provisioning and composition, about the interfaces which are been provided to user throughout the data storage and recovery and backup techniques which have been developed in the cloud p province where the data of the clients can be backed up[4]

Usage of remote servers via internet to store, manage and process data instead of using a personal computer is known as Cloud computing. It’s a set of Information Technology services with the ability to scale up or down their service requirements. Most of the cloud services are provided by a third party service provider. In cloud computing, organizations can utilize IT services without in advance investment. Despite its benefits obtained from the cloud computing, the organizations are slow in accepting it due to security issues and challenges. Security is one of the major problems which hinder the growth of cloud. It’s not wise to handing over the important data to another company; such that clients need to be vigilant in understanding the risks of data infringement in this new environment. This paper discusses a detailed analysis of the cloud computing security issues and challenges. (Ayoleke)

Cloud computing is currently being used by a large number of organizations. Many consider it a major development of the decade in computing. In this article I define cloud computing, various services available on the cloud infrastructure, then discuss the technological trends which have led to its emergence, its advantages and disadvantages, and the applications which are appropriate to outsource to a cloud computing service.