ENCRYPTION IN THE CLOUD

Written by Suchit Kumar M | Dec 8, 2021 5:55:20 AM

Prior to being transported to and stored in the cloud, data is encrypted using cloud encryption, which transforms it into unreadable cypher text. It is impossible to decipher encrypted information without the encryption keys, just like any other kind of data encryption. Even if the knowledge is lost, stolen, or leaked, this is still true.

A successful cybersecurity plan includes the use of encryption. While encrypting sensitive information on the cloud, cloud encryption simultaneously addresses other significant security issues, such as:

Regulations governing data protection and privacy
Protection from other unauthorized public cloud users
Exempting a business from reporting security incidents or breaches may be appropriate in certain cases.

Encryption in the Cloud
A key is required to decrypt encrypted data, making it inaccessible to anybody who does not have it. The key is used by authorised users to decode the encoded material and return it to its original form. In order to protect the integrity of the system, only trustworthy individuals are given access to the keys that are produced and disseminated.

In a nutshell, cloud encryption safeguards data as it moves between cloud-based applications. Data in transit and data at rest are both examples of this.

Encryption of data in transit

Add a security socket layer (SSL) to the IP protocol to encrypt data in transit using the HTTPS protocol. SSL encrypts all data, making it impossible for anybody except the intended recipient to read it. If an unauthorised person gets their hands on session data, the material is of no value. At the user level, a digital key is utilised to decode.

Encryption of data at rest

It's impossible to decipher encrypted information without the encryption key if it's stolen or mistakenly shared. Keys should only be accessible to those who are permitted to do so. The encryption and decryption of data at rest is handled by software programmes, much as data in transit.

EC's Cloud Authentication Methods

Two basic algorithms are used by cloud data encryption:

The decryption and encryption keys are the same. They are often used to encrypt large amounts of data. Symmetric encryption is easier and quicker to implement, but it is less safe since anybody with the encryption key may read the encrypted data.

Asymmetric encryption refers to the use of two keys to encrypt or decrypt data. The keys are similar, yet they are not the same. A public, shareable key and a personal token are required to access the data.

Encryption: Which Cloud Service Providers Has It?
Cloud service providers (CSPs) who are reliable offer encryption as a standard component of their security. But cloud users must take additional measures to secure their data.

There are several instances in which cloud security is based on a "shared responsibility approach." The cloud's underlying infrastructure must consequently be monitored and addressed by cloud service providers. End users, including individuals and enterprises, are ultimately in charge of safeguarding their own cloud-based data and assets.

In order to protect their cloud-based assets, cloud-based businesses must adopt a complete data security strategy. When it comes to cybersecurity, encryption is a key component. In addition, there are the following components:

Verifying a user's identity using two or more factors: multi-factor authentication
In the event of a breach, the cloud network is divided into independent zones that may be accessed individually thanks to micro-segmentation.
Advances in real-time vigilance and detection: Understand the network's behaviour and spot irregularities with the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI).

Benefits of cloud-based encryption
Encryption may be used to safeguard the data, intellectual property, and other sensitive information of a company, as well as the data of its consumers. It also deals with issues of confidentiality and security.

The following are included in this list:

In transit or at rest, encryption safeguards sensitive data, including that of customers, on any device or between users.
Businesses are required to encrypt all sensitive customer data under the terms of regulations and standards like FIPS and HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996).
Authorized users can immediately identify attempts by malicious parties to change or manipulate encrypted data.
Reputational damage and lawsuits are less likely to occur when material is encrypted and shielded from unauthorized public view.

Problems with cloud security
The simple yet effective way of security is cloud encryption. Sadly, many companies are unaware of the public cloud's shared responsibility model, which is a critical component of cybersecurity. The cloud provider is in charge of safeguarding the cloud infrastructure; private customers are in charge of safeguarding their own data and assets.

Time and money: Encryption is an additional step that firms must pay for. It's important to make sure that your PCs and servers can manage the additional processing power needed before encrypting data. It's possible that encryption will take some time, increasing latency.

Loss of Data: Encrypted data is pointless if you don't have the key. The data may be destroyed if the firm loses or destroys the access key.

Neither encryption nor critical management are foolproof. If the user has the ability to pick the encryption key, advanced hackers may easily break it. In order to protect sensitive information, you'll need at least two keys to get in.

If that's the case, how exactly do you go about it?
Businesses may use cloud encryption to safeguard sensitive data and customer information. Choosing the right third-party encryption solution to include into your current security technology stack should be discussed with your cybersecurity partner.

The following are some topics for discussion with your cybersecurity partner about cloud storage encryption:

Finding data that must be encrypted because it is too sensitive or doesn't meet regulatory requirements
How and when data is encrypted and the parameters for it.
Methods for enhancing CSPs' and cloud service providers' security procedures
To reduce the danger of weak passwords, how to generate and share access keys
Who will be in charge of keeping track of and storing the keys? CSP or organisation?
In the event of a CSP data breach, how and where will encrypted data be stored?
Improved visibility and coordination of data access throughout the firm may be achieved via a CASB
How will they continuously monitor the vulnerabilities on the cloud storage encryption ?

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