Security Implications of Cloud Computing

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

Narendran Calluru Rajasekar

November 30th, 2009

Supervised by

Dr Chris Imafidon

(formerly Queen Mary University of London)

MSC Internet Systems Engineering

University of East London,

Docklands.

Acknowledgements

Anne-Marie Imafidon

University of Oxford.

Table of Contents 1 Abstract
2 Cloud Computing
2.1 Definition
2.2 Understanding Cloud Computing
3 Security Implications
3.1 Security Components
3.1.1 Encryption
3.1.2 Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems
3.1.3 Antivirus
3.1. 4Firewall
3.2 Security Threat
3.3 Authentication and Access
3.4 Data Security
3.5 Tempting Target for Cybercrime
3.6 Benefit to Risk Ratio
3.7 Legal Issues
4 Conclusion
5 Appendix - Glossary
6 References

1 Abstract

This paper is focussed on the security implications of cloud computing. Before analysing the security implications, the definition of cloud computing and brief discussion to under cloud computing is presented. The actual analysis of this paper focuses on the basic security components of cloud computing and security threats involved in various aspects of cloud computing.

There are many leading providers in the market like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, HP and IBM. They provide different services and call it with their own names. What exactly is cloud computing? It isn 't new; it already exists in different forms such as Virtualisation, Software as a Service, Utility Computing etc. The major aspect in cloud computing is that it is exploited based on the pay per usage charging model.

Though cloud provides many benefits one of which is moving the capital expense to operational expense, the security and legal issues are very high and an organisation can decide to adopt cloud only on based on benefits to risk ratio.

The security implications in cloud computing is discussed in detail in this paper.

Keywords: Cloud Computing, Cloud Security, Cloud Legal

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