Public Cloud Security Services 101

Companies often hesitate to transition to public cloud technologies due to the complexity and differences from on-premises services, despite the shared foundational elements of network, storage, and compute. Security responsibilities in the cloud are split between the provider and the customer, with the provider handling infrastructure security and the customer responsible for the secure configuration of services. Public cloud networks are software-defined, allowing for flexible management through APIs, and require understanding of provider-specific limitations. Cloud providers offer tools like AWS WAF and AWS Shield for DDoS protection, and services such as VPC Flow Logs and Cloud Trail for auditing and monitoring network activities. Identity and Access Management (IAM) is critical for defining access permissions and maintaining security in cloud-native applications, with major cloud providers offering tailored IAM services. Holistic security services like AWS Guard Duty, Azure Security Center, and Google Cloud Security Scanner provide integrated threat detection and vulnerability scanning, enhancing overall cloud security strategies. Understanding these components is essential for developing an effective security strategy and leveraging available managed services can result in time and cost savings.