Cloud Data Security Flashcards
List data lifecycle phases
Create Store Use Share Archive Destroy
Nmemonic - Colorado State University Stinks at Dodgeball
In the cloud data lifecycle list examples of data in the create phase?
New Data can be:
Freshly generated
Imported data new to the cloud
Data that has been updated/modified and has a new shape or state
- Describe the create phase.
2. What actions should be performed on data in the create phase?
- Data/digital content is CREATED, ACQUIRED, VERSIONED OR MODIFIED
2. Classify, Tag/Label data Ensure the right security controls are implemented Tag data with important attributes Assign access restrictions, as needed
- Describe the Store phase.
2. What activities happen during the Store phase of the cloud data lifecycle?
- Committing the data to some sort of STORAGE repository
- Store
Assign and PROTECT with security controls (e.g. ENCRYPTION, ACL, logging, monitoring)
Consider back up
- What happens in the Use phase of the cloud data lifecycle?
- What is not included?
- Viewing, processing, or using/consuming of data previously stored
data is protected with DLP, DRM/IRM - Read-only phase, so no modifications
What state must data be in order to be in the Use Phase?
Given this state what security mitigations should be taken?
Data must be unencrypted to be used
File access monitors, logging and monitoring, or Information Rights Management systems are important to detect and prevent unauthorized access during this phase
Should only be used based on NTK and Least Privileged
Share Phase of Cloud Data Lifecycle
Data is made available for use by others, such as employees, customers, and partners.
Should only be shared based on NTK and Least Privileged
data is PROTECTED with DLP, DRM/IRM
What security mitigations should be taken during the share phase of the cloud data lifecycle?
Proper encryption (in transit) is important during this phase, as well as IRM and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) technologies that help ensure sensitive data stays out of the wrong hands.
Archive Phase of Cloud Data Lifecycle
Example activity during Archive Phase
The Archive phase involves data transitioning from active use to long-term “cold” storage. Archiving can entail moving data from a primary storage tier to a slower, less redundant tier that is less expensive or can include moving data off the cloud to a separate medium altogether (backup tape, for example).
Cost and availability considerations can affected data access (hard to get data back from LTS)
Ex of activity Data Retention Policy enacted, Encryption
Destroy Phase of Cloud Data Lifecycle
Destroying data involves completely removing it from the cloud by means of logical erasure or physical destruction (like disk pulverizing or degaussing).
In cloud environments, customers generally have to rely on logical destruction methods like crypto-shredding, purge, clearing or data overwriting, but many CSPs have processes for physical destruction, per contractual agreements and regulatory requirements.
Data dispersion
Data dispersion is the process of replicating data throughout a distributed storage infrastructure that can span several regions, cities, or even countries around the world.
each storage block is fragmented and storage application writes each bit into different physical storage containers
Erasure coding
A more specific implementation of data dispersion, it enhances data security by segmenting a file, encrypting the segments and then spreading the segments out across multiple locations — meaning a compromise of any location would yield only a portion of the file.
Volume
A volume is a virtual hard drive that can be attached to a Virtual Machine (VM) and utilized similar to a physical hard drive. The VM Operating System views the volume the same way any OS would view a physical hard drive in a traditional server model.
AKA Block Storage
Object?
Object Storage?
An object is file storage that can be accessed directly through an API or web interface, without being attached to an Operating System
Object storage consist of the files that are actually just virtual objects in an independent storage structure that rely on key values to reference and retrieve them.
What type of storage does PaaS utilize?
Structured storage - RDBMS and others for searching and running operations
Unstructured storage
What type of data storage is used by SaaS
Information Storage and Management - customer data entry into app via web interface, the app storing int back end database and generating data on behalf of the customer and stored internally
Content and file storage
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Ephemeral storage
Ephemeral storage is temporary storage that accompanies more permanent storage. Ephemeral storage is useful for temporary data, such as buffers, caches, and session information.
Raw-disk storage
Raw-disk storage is storage that allows data to be accessed directly at the byte level, rather than through a filesystem.
Threats to storage types
Unauthorized access or usage (external or malicious insider)
Data Leakage and exposure - CSPs must protect data when replicated/distributed across regions
Denial of Service - CSP must manage spikes in bandwidth, otherwise data availability is at risk
Corruption or loss of data - read CSPs data terms that include availability and durability SLOs and SLA’s; can happen intentionally or accidentally
Durability (or reliability)
Durability (or reliability) is the concept of using data redundancy to ensure that data is not lost, compromised, or corrupted.
Durability vs Availability
Availability focuses on uptime through redundancy, Durability focuses on reliability through redundancy
Data loss prevention (DLP)
Data loss prevention (DLP), also known as data leakage prevention, is the set of technologies and practices used to identify and classify sensitive data, while ensuring that sensitive data is not lost or accessed by unauthorized parties.
Components of DLP?
Discovery and classification - first stage of DLP
Monitoring - monitoring the data against one or more policies; if policy is violated, the system provides an alert
Enforcement - policy violations are logged/alerted, or blocked from unauthorized exposure or loss and kept inside boundary
DLP Implementation/Architecture
Data At Rest - At Rest Implementation runs where the data is stored (cloud or endpoint device, e.g. workstation, file server, and other storage system)
Data in Motion/Transit - Network-based DLP protect data in transit, monitors outbound traffic (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP) near network perimeter
Data in Use - data being processed in RAM and/or CPU. DLP should be installed on endpoint device (host/client-based DLP) preventing sharing or processing of data that violates policy
Host-based or endpoint-based DLP run on workstation or other endpoint device
Data de-identification/Anonymization
Data de-identification (or anonymization) is the process of removing information that can be used to identify a specific individual from a dataset.
Data sanitization technique with an intent to protect privacy
Name Techniques available to de-identify or anonymize sensitive information
Masking (obfuscation)
Tokenization