Cloud technologies have become quite common these days. Whether it is data storage, different computing-based infrastructures, or various applications – the cloud is omnipresent. And as its popularity started to increase, businesses started looking for more customized applications, one of which is Amazon Web Services or AWS.
AWS and the customer both share responsibilities for security. Customers have requested solutions to safeguard their AWS backups. Because security procedures were developed to address new threats, it’s critical to undertake frequent risk assessments to establish the relevance of security controls and install several layers of controls to protect your data.
Whatever rumors you’ve heard on the Internet, the fact is that you may obtain an adequate degree of data security in the cloud by assuming some responsibility for your activities and tailoring the cloud’s parameters, such as who can include data and who can access it. Here’s a list of five recommended AWS data protection services that you can include in your cloud security checklist to ensure that your data is always safe and secure.
Use S3 Encryption and Backup All Your Data
Encrypting all data in transit and at rest is a good rule of thumb. Data encryption renders data illegible unless it is decrypted, which means that if malevolent attackers gain access to it, they will not be able to compromise it fast. Encryption adds another degree of security since only those with the decryption keys have access to the data. Backup all data saved in the cloud because if you lose your critical data, data backups ensure 99.99 percent durability.
Data backup has shown to be essential, especially since ransomware cases continue to rise daily. In the event of a ransomware attack, you can rely on your backed-up data to keep your business running smoothly. As a result, automated backups for S3 (Simple Storage Service) objects, EBS (Elastic Block Storage) volumes, and RDS (Relational Database Service) Instances are required.
Implement a disaster recovery strategy after the data backup. A disaster recovery plan is a technique for restoring backups following a data loss since it allows you to restore your dataset to its original condition in a given amount of time.
Audit Your Resources and Protect Root Accounts
During configuration, tag your resources to keep track of what you have and where it’s kept. This will assist you in determining which data is crucial or sensitive. After that, prioritize security measures such as access permissions and backup policies.
After uploading programs, administrators sometimes neglect to disable root access for an API. An attacker can then acquire access to the root account and use it to interrupt operations or destroy data if this happens. Do not share the application root accounts; only grant access to those who require it.
Limiting Data Access
When configuring access rights and permissions for users, you should also follow the idea of least privilege. To build and then organize these modifications around your security systems, you may leverage the AWS identity and access management function. Separating management and database administration from applications that need to be stored, created, or configured in whatever manner feasible can help increase data security.
Encrypting Your Data
If you want the data to be completely secure, you should encrypt it immediately using the greatest encryption software or tools available. When a cyber breach happens, doing so will ensure that your data is jumbled and rendered worthless. You might use the AWS management service to create and maintain keys that can help you handle the encryption of your apps more efficiently. Also, apply it to the backups you’ve installed or stored in various geographic areas, making it easier and more convenient for you to keep track of them.
Implement Access Control Mechanisms
When it comes to cloud security, you should start with a solid identity foundation to guarantee that users have the appropriate rights to access data. Proper authentication and authorization can help to reduce the likelihood of security incidents. AWS users must create access control rules as part of the shared responsibility model. You can develop and manage access policies at scale with the AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) service.
When defining access rights and permissions, employ the principle of least privilege to ensure that any person or system accessing your backup data or Vault has just the permissions they need to complete their work. To safeguard your cloud workloads, you should use AWS Backup to enforce access control policies by specifying access policies on backup vaults.
Implementing access control policies, for example, allows you to permit users to establish backup plans and on-demand backups while restricting their ability to delete recovery points that have already been generated. You may share a destination backup vault with a source AWS Account, user, or IAM role using vault access policies, depending on your business needs. Also, share a backup vault with one or more accounts or your entire company in AWS Organizations using access policies.
The Bottom Line
You may use AWS Backup’s automated capability to keep your organization running in the event of a security breach. Perform your part of the shared duty to get the most out of AWS security features. This involves checking your settings for vulnerabilities and controlling system access. Following the five practices outlined in this post will guarantee that your AWS backups are kept safe in the cloud and that your data is always accessible.
