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CHAPTER 9
Securing the Cloud

For years, IT data centers have been secured physically to prevent users who did not have a need to physically touch computers, servers, and storage devices from doing so. A general security rule is that if an individual can physically touch a device, the individual can more easily break into the device. As you might imagine, for many IT personnel, the thought of hosting applications in the cloud is very concerning. When you consider cloud security issues, you should think in terms of two types of threats. Your first list of threats should correspond to the threats common to both cloud-based and on-premise-based solutions. Your second list should focus upon those concerns specific to the cloud.