Liberty Beverages Network Design
Organizations tend to develop an entrepreneurial culture through a strong orientation toward innovation. Cloud computing refers to a computer-enabled architecture that provides flexible and scalable IT-enabled capabilities as a virtual service through the internet. Cloud computing technology is characterized by resource pooling, broad network access, on-demand self-service, rapid elasticity, and measured services (Mohamed, 2018). Consumers that use cloud computing technology strive to integrate many services from a central point that is conveniently accessible from any device linked to the system. Some of the resources include virtual storage units, processors, and network bandwidth. It is a developing technological trend that was adopted in the late 1990s. The pay-as-you-go on-demand computer infrastructure and resources are owned, operated, and managed by various service providers (Mohamed, 2018). Some of the renowned cloud computing service providers include Amazon, Oracle, SoftLayer, and Microsoft.
Liberty Beverages Network Design
Liberty Beverages Corporation is a large-scale enterprise that has adopted cloud technology to enhance service delivery, faster deployment of applications, and enable employees to access the network resources remotely. The public cloud will also enable real-time data processing and distribute the network resources evenly to all users. However, the cloud infrastructure has critical security concerns that Liberty Beverages Corp must ensure they establish effective measures to mitigate these risks. Cloud computing is prone to threats such as server downtimes, inaccessibility of the network resources, and breach of privacy policies, as explained below.
Typical Computer Security Threats
Denial of Service Attacks
Denial of Service (DOS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks are security threats that compromise the effectiveness of the shared cloud resources. DOS attacks originate from one zombie computer that targets a specific server to deny client computers access to the network resources. In the case of DDOS attacks, the perpetrators use multiple zombie machines that usually flood the server until it becomes exhausted. Once they exhaust the server, some resources such as storage units and other cloud applications become unavailable for the remote users.
The Denial of Services can be categorized as volume-based, protocol, and application-layer attacks (Bekerman, 2018). Volume-based attacks usually strive to saturate the network bandwidth to slow down the transmission speed. Typical examples are ICMP and UDP floods. A protocol attack consumes the server resources or equipment, such as firewalls. They include Smurf DDoS, fragmented packet attacks, SYN floods, and Ping of Death (Bekerman, 2018). An application-layer attack crashes the server by sending frequent unsuspected client requests.
They include GET floods and low-and-slow attacks. These DDoS attacks are explained in detail by the paragraphs below:
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Floods. They usually flood the targeted server with UDP packets by occupying the host’s ports. The flooding causes servers to check for the application requesting the port and responds with the ‘Destination Unreachable’ data packet (Bekerman, 2018). When this activity happens repeatedly, the server assumes that all its ports are occupied, and this makes the resources unavailable for genuine remote clients.
Ping Floods. These attacks overwhelm the server by sending multiple ping (Echo Request) packets without waiting for the latter’s reply. Repeated requests compromise the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) by consuming both the outgoing and incoming bandwidth. The server attempts to respond to all the requests by sending ICMP Echo Reply packets, and this causes a system downtime (Bekerman, 2018).
POD (Ping of Death). An IP packet typically has a maximum length of 65, 535 bytes, which the receiving host can decode in a single transmission. POD attackers send multiple malicious packets that exceed the recommended packet length. The multiple malicious fragments overwhelm the allocated memory buffers for incoming data packets, which causes a denial of service for other genuine packets.
SYN Attacks. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection is usually initiated by SYN requests, which must be responded to through the SYN-ACK response from the host before the requester confirms this process through an ACK response. SYN floods are the cases in which a remote computer sends several requests without acknowledging to the server’s SYN-ACK responses. This results in the denial of services to other genuine users since the server will reserve particular resources as it waits for the requester’s acknowledgment.
Worms
A worm refers to malicious software in a networked computer that replicates itself to infect other computers connected to the same network. The software usually maneuvers through the automated parts of the operating system that cannot be accessed by users. Before the development of complex computer networks, worms were traditionally propagated through infected storage unites such as floppy disks and USB drives. Common infections include email, bot, and instant messaging (IM) worms (Bedell & Loshin, 2019). Worms can be prevented by encrypting files, updating the operating system, using firewalls, installing antivirus software, and avoiding unknown links.
Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks
MITM attacks refer to the act of eavesdropping, where the cybercriminal intercepts the communication between two devices on the network (Yassir & A., 2016). The communicating parties usually believe that they are having a private transmission of data without knowing that there is a third party spy. This happens when remote users attempt to access financial applications, and the attacker intercepts to steal credentials such as passwords, credit card numbers, and other details associated with the user’s account. MITM attacks are usually launched through IP, ARP, and DNS spoofing (Bekerman, 2018). They can be prevented by logging out after finishing tasks, avoiding insecure websites, and unprotected Wi-Fi networks.
Rootkit Injections
Organizations tend to develop an entrepreneurial culture through a strong orientation toward innovation. Cloud computing refers to a computer-enabled architecture that provides flexible and scalable IT-enabled capabilities as a virtual service through the internet. Cloud computing technology is characterized by resource pooling, broad network access, on-demand self-service, rapid elasticity, and measured services (Mohamed, 2018). Consumers that use cloud computing technology strive to integrate many services from a central point that is conveniently accessible from any device linked to the system. Some of the resources include virtual storage units, processors, and network bandwidth. It is a developing technological trend that was adopted in the late 1990s. The pay-as-you-go on-demand computer infrastructure and resources are owned, operated and managed by various service providers (Mohamed, 2018). Some of the renowned cloud computing service providers include Amazon, Oracle, SoftLayer, and Microsoft.
Liberty Beverages Network Design
Liberty Beverages Corporation is a large-scale enterprise that has adopted cloud technology to enhance service delivery, faster deployment of applications, and enable employees to access the network resources remotely. The public cloud will also enable real-time data processing and distribute the network resources evenly to all users. However, the cloud infrastructure has critical security concerns that Liberty Beverages Corp must ensure they establish effective measures to mitigate these risks. Cloud computing is prone to threats such as server downtimes, inaccessibility of the network resources, and breach of privacy policies, as explained below.
Typical Computer Security Threats
Denial of Service Attacks
Denial of Service (DOS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks are security threats that compromise the effectiveness of the shared cloud resources. DOS attacks originate from one zombie computer that targets a specific server to deny client computers access to the network resources. In the case of DDOS attacks, the perpetrators use multiple zombie machines that usually flood the server until it becomes exhausted. Once they exhaust the server, some resources such as storage units and other cloud applications become unavailable for the remote users.
The Denial of Services can be categorized as volume-based, protocol, and application layer attacks (Bekerman, 2018). Volume-based attacks usually strive to saturate the network bandwidth to slow down the transmission speed. Typical examples are ICMP and UDP floods. A protocol attack consumes the server resources or equipment, such as firewalls. They include Smurf DDoS, fragmented packet attacks, SYN floods, and Ping of Death (Bekerman, 2018). An application layer attack crashes the server by sending frequent unsuspected client requests.
They include GET floods and low-and-slow attacks. These DDoS attacks are explained in detail by the paragraphs below:
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Floods. They usually flood the targeted server with UDP packets by occupying the host’s ports. The flooding causes servers to check for the application requesting the port and responds with the ‘Destination Unreachable’ data packet (Bekerman, 2018). When this activity happens repeatedly, the server assumes that all its ports are occupied, and this makes the resources unavailable for genuine remote clients.
Ping Floods. These attacks overwhelm the server by sending multiple ping (Echo Request) packets without waiting for the latter’s reply. Repeated requests compromises the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) by consuming both the outgoing and incoming bandwidth. The server attempts to respond to all the requests by sending ICMP Echo Reply packets, and this causes a system downtime (Bekerman, 2018).
POD (Ping of Death). An IP packet normally has a maximum length of 65, 535 bytes which the receiving host can decode in a single transmission. A POD attacker sends multiple malicious packets that exceed the recommended packet length. The multiple malicious fragments overwhelms the allocated memory buffers for incoming data packets, which causes denial of service for other genuine packets.
SYN Attacks. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection is usually initiated by SYN requests, which must be responded to through a SYN-ACK response from the host before the requester confirms this process through an ACK response. A SYN flood is the case in which a remote computer sends several requests without acknowledging to the server’s SYN-ACK responses. This results the denial of services to other genuine users since the server will reserve particular resources as it waits for the requester’s acknowledgment.
Worms
A worm refers to a malicious software in a networked computer that replicates itself to infect other computers connected to the same network. The software usually maneuvers through the automated parts of the operating system that cannot be accessed by users. Before the development of complex computer networks, worms were traditionally propagated through infected storage unites such as floppy disks and USB drives. Common worms include email, bot, and instant messaging (IM) worms (Bedell & Loshin, 2019). Worms can be prevented by encrypting files, updating the operating system, using firewalls, installing antivirus software, and avoiding unknown links.
Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks
An MITM attack refers to the act of eavesdropping where the cybercriminal intercepts the communication between two devices on the network (Yassir & A., 2016). The communicating parties usually believe that they are having a private transmission of data without knowing that there is a third party spy. This happens when remote users attempt to access financial applications and the attacker intercepts to steal credentials such as passwords, credit card numbers, and other details associated with the user’s account. MITM attacks are usually launched through IP, ARP, and DNS spoofing (Bekerman, 2018). They can be prevented by logging out after finishing tasks, avoiding insecure websites, and unprotected Wi-Fi networks.
Rootkit Injections
A rootkit refers to a malicious software that grants the administrative access to a remote computer then cancels the request (Yassir & A., 2016). The program launches concurrently with the computer’s operating system or before the latter boots, making it difficult to detect. Rootkits can cause harms such as file deletion, unauthorized remote access, eavesdropping, and information theft. This malware usually propagates through piggybacking, blended threats, and droppers (Yassir & A., 2016). Typical rootkits include bootkits, rootkit hypervisors, kernel mode, application, and firmware rootkits. Anti-rootkit measures include regular software updates, examining network logs, antivirus scans, and detecting suspicious CPU usage patterns.
Misconfiguration of remote mobile devices
Misconfigurations occur when security settings are not secured or set up appropriately during the initial network installation. A misconfiguration can be caused by technical poorly documented configuration settings, and this puts the system data at the risk of violation and theft. Misconfigurations can be detected by using the VMPSCM (Vulnerability Manager Plus Security Configuration Management) software. This software can resolve issues such as logon security, legacy protocols, password policy, user account management, internet explorer hardening, and chrome security hardening (ManageEngine, 2019).
Trojan Horses
Trojan horses are malicious programs or applications that control computers by posing as legitimate software. Once the user executes the program and loads it into the system, it paralyzes the latter and disrupting crucial network functionalities and applications. The program can propagate itself through email attachments. The typical examples include mail finder, ransom, rootkit, sms, info stealer, fake AV, backdoor, downloader, and DDoS attack Trojans. A Trojan can be mitigated by running the internet security suite, updating operating systems, using unique password combinations, using firewalls, avoiding suspicious mail attachments, and backing up essential files (Yassir & A., 2016).
Network Architecture Security Measures
Firewalls
A firewall can either be a software, hardware, or a combination of both. Its primary objective is to enhance network security by monitoring the incoming and outgoing data traffic. Firewalls have security protocols that allow specific traffic into the network and blocks suspicious traffic that do not meet the established criteria. They also protect secured internal networks from unauthorized outsiders from the internet (Sullivan, 2014). Typical examples include proxy, stateful inspection, Unified Threat Management (UTM), and next-generation firewalls.
Antivirus Protection
An antivirus is a software that detects and removes potential malicious programs that can compromise system security and functionality (Sullivan, 2014). It also protects computer systems from DDoS attacks, malicious links, Trojans, browser hijackers, rootkits, and other related threats. The latest version of the antivirus software should be installed to ensure effective protection from the attacks. Some of the most effective antivirus software include Bit defender, McAfee, Bull Guard, Norton Life Lock, and Kaspersky.
Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
An IDS refers to a software application or hardware device used for monitoring computer networks to detect privacy violations and suspicious activities. The IDS collects all intrusion activities through a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) system (Sullivan, 2014). An IDS checks for bad patterns and threat reputation scores to determine whether the activity violates security protocols. Typical IDS examples include host-based (HIDS) and network (NIDS) systems.
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
A perimeter network, popularly known as a demilitarized zone, is a sub-network that separates an internal network from the external internet. The DMZ provides an additional security layer by detecting and addressing potential breaches before they compromise the internal network. Any external traffic to the network is automatically terminated at the DMZ. This measure protects the network from malicious traffic and unauthorized remote logins (Sullivan, 2014).
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
A SIEM refers to a set of services and tools that monitor information security in a computer system. It serves as a central point that collects data and activity logs from different network resources to detect potential security threats and trends that enable admins to establish suitable mitigation methods (Bekerman, 2018).
Security Concerns in Cloud Computing
Servers and Applications Access
Administrative access to the servers in traditional data centers was restricted to on-premise connections, which a different case in cloud computing architecture. Administrative access in cloud computing must be done through the internet, and this exposure is a potential risk factor that can undermine data integrity. Cloud users do not see administrative changes that take place in the infrastructure, which might be a violation of privacy in some instances. Large organizations have strict privacy policies, and only specific levels of management can access some data sets.
On the contrary, the cloud computing architecture has a sole administrator with privileges to access all this data (Eken, 2014). Companies that retrench employees have to deactivate the accounts of former workers and create new ones for the incoming workforce. Most cloud admins make these modifications outside the company’s firewall, which violates the privacy of the employees.
Transmission of Data
In traditional architecture, data is usually encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols during transmission, and only the intended recipient has the decryption key to access the sent message. The transmission medium, in this case, does not have privileges to modify the transmitted signals. In cloud computing, data is usually transmitted without observing such security protocols. The cloud architecture allows data to be processed and altered without being decrypted (Hoofnagle, 2010). This may corrupt data integrity and authenticity.
Virtual Computer security
The Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) provides virtual processors, memory, I/O devices, and other resources to be used by virtual machines in a cloud environment. VMM shared folders grants guest users access to read and write on other guests’ or the host’s file systems. Full virtualization replicates the entire hardware architecture virtually. The case is different in para-virtualization, which only modifies the operating system so that it runs concurrently with other systems. The dynamic nature of virtual computers means that they can easily be paused, reverted to previous instances, or restarted quickly (Gupta, 2011). The machines can as well be cloned and moved seamlessly between the physical layers, making it difficult to establish and maintain standardized security protocols.
Network Security
Network-level security issues are mainly associated with reusing IP addresses, sniffer attacks, and DNS (Domain Name System) attacks. Domain Name Servers translate the domain names of client computers on a network into IP addresses. In a cloud environment, the user can be routed to some random servers as opposed to the one they had initially requested to be redirected. Cloud servers usually reuse IP addresses, meaning that if one user exists the system, the incoming user will be assigned the previous user’s IP. This happens without the former user’s consent; hence, it violates their privacy rights. The Network Interface Card (NIC) has a sniffer program that records all the data being transmitted in a cloud infrastructure. The program also records data from other systems sharing the same network, meaning that clients’ privacy is always at the mercy of their service providers.
Data Security
Cloud computing architecture grants general users access to its root storage. The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Secure Shell (SSH) protocols in traditional on-premise setups do not allow unauthorized users to view some sensitive information. In a cloud setup, the enterprise data usually resides on the service provider’s servers, meaning that malicious employees from the other end can easily compromise the data. Providers such as Amazon have made significant efforts to curb this issue by prompting enterprises to encrypt their data before transmission and only gain access to the host using their encrypted SSH keys.
Data Privacy
Since data in cloud architecture is distributed globally, many enterprises using these services risk being exposed to potential attackers. The exposure of such data may also put these organizations at risk of not complying with government policies regarding privacy jurisdictions. The cloud service providers also risk legal liabilities for exposing people’s sensitive data without a proper procedure.
Data Integrity
A single database in standalone systems enhances data integrity by following ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability) properties when processing all transactions. Data integrity in these setups is guaranteed since users have control of all the ACID procedures when performing any operation on the database. In cloud computing, users have no control over such measures, and this may end up corrupting their sensitive data.
Data Segregation
In a cloud setup, data is usually shared with those from other consumers using the same resources. Some users prefer not to encrypt their data because of the possible loss of the same in case the decryption process is unsuccessful. The segregated data is, therefore, prone to manipulation by unauthorized users. Cloud service providers should establish necessary transmission protocols to ensure that data is encrypted at every level.
Data Availability
Most enterprises strive to avail their customers with the data they request at convenience. Cloud computing means that this data only resides on the vendor’s servers. In case the vendor experiences technical issues, this problem will directly affect the customer.
Solving the Security Issues in Cloud Computing
The security challenges discussed above are mainly associated with data transmission, unrestricted access to information, third party trustworthiness, violation of privacy policies, and consumer reliability. There are also issues with potential server downtimes, which can be addressed by deploying resource distribution at different levels to avoid relying on a single server (Hoofnagle, 2010). The underlying challenges can be solved by adopting specific security measures, as discussed in the paragraphs below.
Data Encryption
For better security during transmission, both the consumer and service providers should encrypt the data being transmitted. Multistage encryption ensures that users first encrypt their data before sending it to the cloud servers. The cloud vendor encrypts the data again to enhance its security and protect it from possible insider attacks. Multistage encryption will improve data integrity by ensuring that only authorized users can access, modify, or delete specific data sets.
Legal Jurisdiction
The cloud computing architecture does not adhere to legal jurisdictions of various countries regarding privacy policies. In Europe, for instance, the law requires all business entities to be aware of where the personal information of all their employees is stored. Cloud vendors should establish a framework that allows specific entities access to physical servers where the latter’s sensitive data reside. Sharing resources in the distributed cloud environment end up confusing clients who find it complicated, trying to comprehend the specific path of tracking their data.
Fog Layers
DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks occur when hackers use multiple zombie machines to infect servers. When servers get exhausted, some resources such as storage units, become unavailable to users. DDOS attacks can be eradicated by placing fog layers between users and the server to filter all the requests being sent to servers (Sabir, 2018).
Digital Signatures
Users should protect their data in cloud servers using digital signatures. The signature should be used along with AES encryption algorithms and the Diffie Hellman key exchange facilities. The combination of these three security mechanisms gives hackers no room for intercepting sensitive information in cloud servers.
Biblical Principles Related to Cybersecurity
Cybercriminals possess the same skills as security professionals, only that the latter use them for the good purpose. While cybercriminals specialize in committing crimes, the security experts use their expertise to protect the people’s data by securing computer systems. Cybercriminals should mind the impact of their actions on victims, as Mark 12:31 emphasizes that “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Gowing, 2019). People with such exceptional computing skills should equally possess Christian and use them when utilizing their expertise, as 1st Corinthians 10:31 reminds us that “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (Gowing, 2019). rootkit refers to a malicious software that grants the administrative access to a remote computer then cancels the request (Yassir & A., 2016). The program launches concurrently with the computer’s operating system or before the latter boots, making it difficult to detect. Rootkits can cause harms such as file deletion, unauthorized remote access, eavesdropping, and information theft. This malware usually propagates through piggybacking, blended threats, and droppers (Yassir & A., 2016). Typical rootkits include bootkits, rootkit hypervisors, kernel mode, application, and firmware rootkits. Anti-rootkit measures include regular software updates, examining network logs, antivirus scans, and detecting suspicious CPU usage patterns.
Misconfiguration of remote mobile devices
Misconfigurations occur when security settings are not secured or set up appropriately during the initial network installation. A misconfiguration can be caused by technical poorly documented configuration settings, and this puts the system data at the risk of violation and theft. Misconfigurations can be detected by using the VMPSCM (Vulnerability Manager Plus Security Configuration Management) software. This software can resolve issues such as logon security, legacy protocols, password policy, user account management, internet explorer hardening, and chrome security hardening (ManageEngine, 2019).
Trojan Horses
Trojan horses are malicious programs or applications that control computers by posing as legitimate software. Once the user executes the program and loads it into the system, it paralyzes the latter and disrupting crucial network functionalities and applications. The program can propagate itself through email attachments. The typical examples include mail finder, ransom, rootkit, sms, info stealer, fake AV, backdoor, downloader, and DDoS attack Trojans. A Trojan can be mitigated by running the internet security suite, updating operating systems, using unique password combinations, using firewalls, avoiding suspicious mail attachments, and backing up essential files (Yassir & A., 2016).
Network Architecture Security Measures
Firewalls
A firewall can either be a software, hardware, or a combination of both. Its primary objective is to enhance network security by monitoring the incoming and outgoing data traffic. Firewalls have security protocols that allow specific traffic into the network and blocks suspicious traffic that do not meet the established criteria. They also protect secured internal networks from unauthorized outsiders from the internet (Sullivan, 2014). Typical examples include proxy, stateful inspection, Unified Threat Management (UTM), and next-generation firewalls.
Antivirus Protection
An antivirus is a software that detects and removes potential malicious programs that can compromise system security and functionality (Sullivan, 2014). It also protects computer systems from DDoS attacks, malicious links, Trojans, browser hijackers, rootkits, and other related threats. The latest version of the antivirus software should be installed to ensure effective protection from the attacks. Some of the most effective antivirus software include Bit defender, McAfee, Bull Guard, Norton Life Lock, and Kaspersky.
Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
An IDS refers to a software application or hardware device used for monitoring computer networks to detect privacy violations and suspicious activities. The IDS collects all intrusion activities through a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) system (Sullivan, 2014). An IDS checks for bad patterns and threat reputation scores to determine whether the activity violates security protocols. Typical IDS examples include host-based (HIDS) and network (NIDS) systems.
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
A perimeter network, popularly known as a demilitarized zone, is a sub-network that separates an internal network from the external internet. The DMZ provides an additional security layer by detecting and addressing potential breaches before they compromise the internal network. Any external traffic to the network is automatically terminated at the DMZ. This measure protects the network from malicious traffic and unauthorized remote logins (Sullivan, 2014).
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
A SIEM refers to a set of services and tools that monitor information security in a computer system. It serves as a central point that collects data and activity logs from different network resources to detect potential security threats and trends that enable admins to establish suitable mitigation methods (Bekerman, 2018).
Security Concerns in Cloud Computing
Servers and Applications Access
Administrative access to the servers in traditional data centers was restricted to on-premise connections, which a different case in cloud computing architecture. Administrative access in cloud computing must be done through the internet, and this exposure is a potential risk factor that can undermine data integrity. Cloud users do not see administrative changes that take place in the infrastructure, which might be a violation of privacy in some instances. Large organizations have strict privacy policies, and only specific levels of management can access some data sets.
On the contrary, the cloud computing architecture has a sole administrator with privileges to access all this data (Eken, 2014). Companies that retrench employees have to deactivate the accounts of former workers and create new ones for the incoming workforce. Most cloud admins make these modifications outside the company’s firewall, which violates the privacy of the employees.
Transmission of Data
In traditional architecture, data is usually encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols during transmission, and only the intended recipient has the decryption key to access the sent message. The transmission medium, in this case, does not have privileges to modify the transmitted signals. In cloud computing, data is usually transmitted without observing such security protocols. The cloud architecture allows data to be processed and altered without being decrypted (Hoofnagle, 2010). This may corrupt data integrity and authenticity.
Virtual Computer security
The Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) provides virtual processors, memory, I/O devices, and other resources to be used by virtual machines in a cloud environment. VMM shared folders grants guest users access to read and write on other guests’ or the host’s file systems. Full virtualization replicates the entire hardware architecture virtually. The case is different in para-virtualization, which only modifies the operating system so that it runs concurrently with other systems. The dynamic nature of virtual computers means that they can easily be paused, reverted to previous instances, or restarted quickly (Gupta, 2011). The machines can as well be cloned and moved seamlessly between the physical layers, making it difficult to establish and maintain standardized security protocols.
Network Security
Network-level security issues are mainly associated with reusing IP addresses, sniffer attacks, and DNS (Domain Name System) attacks. Domain Name Servers translate the domain names of client computers on a network into IP addresses. In a cloud environment, the user can be routed to some random servers as opposed to the one they had initially requested to be redirected. Cloud servers usually reuse IP addresses, meaning that if one user exists the system, the incoming user will be assigned the previous user’s IP. This happens without the former user’s consent; hence, it violates their privacy rights. The Network Interface Card (NIC) has a sniffer program that records all the data being transmitted in a cloud infrastructure. The program also records data from other systems sharing the same network, meaning that clients’ privacy is always at the mercy of their service providers.
Data Security
Cloud computing architecture grants general users access to its root storage. The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Secure Shell (SSH) protocols in traditional on-premise setups do not allow unauthorized users to view some sensitive information. In a cloud setup, the enterprise data usually resides on the service provider’s servers, meaning that malicious employees from the other end can easily compromise the data. Providers such as Amazon have made significant efforts to curb this issue by prompting enterprises to encrypt their data before transmission and only gain access to the host using their encrypted SSH keys.
Data Privacy
Since data in cloud architecture is distributed globally, many enterprises using these services risk being exposed to potential attackers. The exposure of such data may also put these organizations at risk of not complying with government policies regarding privacy jurisdictions. The cloud service providers also risk legal liabilities for exposing people’s sensitive data without a proper procedure.
Data Integrity
A single database in standalone systems enhances data integrity by following ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability) properties when processing all transactions. Data integrity in these setups is guaranteed since users have control of all the ACID procedures when performing any operation on the database. In cloud computing, users have no control over such measures, and this may end up corrupting their sensitive data.
Data Segregation
In a cloud setup, data is usually shared with those from other consumers using the same resources. Some users prefer not to encrypt their data because of the possible loss of the same in case the decryption process is unsuccessful. The segregated data is, therefore, prone to manipulation by unauthorized users. Cloud service providers should establish necessary transmission protocols to ensure that data is encrypted at every level.
Data Availability
Most enterprises strive to avail their customers with the data they request at convenience. Cloud computing means that this data only resides on the vendor’s servers. In case the vendor experiences technical issues, this problem will directly affect the customer.
Solving the Security Issues in Cloud Computing
The security challenges discussed above are mainly associated with data transmission, unrestricted access to information, third party trustworthiness, violation of privacy policies, and consumer reliability. There are also issues with potential server downtimes, which can be addressed by deploying resource distribution at different levels to avoid relying on a single server (Hoofnagle, 2010). The underlying challenges can be solved by adopting specific security measures, as discussed in the paragraphs below.
Data Encryption
For better security during transmission, both the consumer and service providers should encrypt the data being transmitted. Multistage encryption ensures that users first encrypt their data before sending it to the cloud servers. The cloud vendor encrypts the data again to enhance its security and protect it from possible insider attacks. Multistage encryption will improve data integrity by ensuring that only authorized users can access, modify, or delete specific data sets.
Legal Jurisdiction
The cloud computing architecture does not adhere to legal jurisdictions of various countries regarding privacy policies. In Europe, for instance, the law requires all business entities to be aware of where the personal information of all their employees is stored. Cloud vendors should establish a framework that allows specific entities access to physical servers where the latter’s sensitive data reside. Sharing resources in the distributed cloud environment end up confusing clients who find it complicated, trying to comprehend the specific path of tracking their data.
Fog Layers
DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks occur when hackers use multiple zombie machines to infect servers. When servers get exhausted, some resources such as storage units, become unavailable to users. DDOS attacks can be eradicated by placing fog layers between users and the server to filter all the requests being sent to servers (Sabir, 2018).
Digital Signatures
Users should protect their data in cloud servers using digital signatures. The signature should be used along with AES encryption algorithms and the Diffie Hellman key exchange facilities. The combination of these three security mechanisms gives hackers no room for intercepting sensitive information in cloud servers.
Biblical Principles Related to Cybersecurity
Cybercriminals possess the same skills as security professionals, only that the latter use them for the good purpose. While cybercriminals specialize in committing crimes, the security experts use their expertise to protect the people’s data by securing computer systems. Cybercriminals should mind the impact of their actions on victims, as Mark 12:31 emphasizes that “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Gowing, 2019). People with such exceptional computing skills should equally possess Christian and use them when utilizing their expertise, as 1st Corinthians 10:31 reminds us that “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (Gowing, 2019).