Preface

*As the world is increasingly interconnected, everyone shares the responsibility of Securing Cyberspace and Security is always excessive until it is not enough.*

*- Anonymous*

This book is intended to teach you about the most important security controls for your most important assets quickly and correctly, whether you're a security professional who is somewhat new to the cloud, or an architect or developer with security responsibilities.

Cloud computing is the third wave of the digital revolution and it is actually a spectrum of things complementing one another, building on a foundation of sharing. Cloud computing enables simplified functionality of platforms and infrastructure used in IT-enabled industries, so that the end-users can consume what and when they want and pay only for the service they use. Cloud computing can be characterized as Internet-based computing in which many remote networked servers facilitate shared data-processing ventures, centralized storage, and access to services or resources online. With the advent of business process outsourcing of IT and IT-enabled services, cloud computing has gained significant commercial interest. Inherent dualities in the cloud computing phenomenon are spawning divergent strategies for cloud computing success. The public cloud, hybrid clouds, and private clouds now dot the landscape of IT based solutions. Cloud computing allows for both large and small organizations to have the opportunity to use Internet-based services so that they can reduce start-up costs, lower capital expenditures, use services on a pay-as-you-use basis, access applications only as needed, and quickly reduce or increase capacities. However, these benefits are accompanied by a myriad of security issues, and this valuable book tackles the most common security challenges that cloud computing faces. In almost all organizations, security has to fight for time and funding, and it often takes a back seat to implementing features and functions. While many of the security controls and principles are similar in cloud and on-premises environments, there are some important practical differences. As the title states, this book is a comprehensive guide to secure your cloud environments.

I would like to convey our appreciation to all contributors including the accepted chapters' authors. I owe special thanks to Ms. Mia Vulovic, Author Service Manager and Ms. Klara Mestrovic, Commissioning Editor, IntechOpen, London, UK for their kind support and great efforts in bringing the book to fruition. In addition, I also appreciate all those who worked in the background and have assisted in formatting the book.

> **Dr. Dinesh G. Harkut** Dean and Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Prof. Ram Mehge College of Engineering and Management, Badnera-Amravati, Maharashtra, India

**1**

**Chapter 1**

*Dinesh G. Harkut*

**1. Introduction**

ecosystem are:

access to the cloud customers.

**2. Types of service models**

Introductory Chapter: Cloud

so that they enable new IT services and new business models.

Computing Security Challenges

Cloud Computing is currently one of the hottest topics in computing and information technology (IT). The term "Cloud Computing" does not represent a host of new technologies, rather these technologies are combined and effectively upgraded

Cloud computing is a technology paradigm that is offering useful services to consumers. Cloud Computing has the long-term potential to change the way information technology is provided and used. The entire cloud ecosystem consists of majorly four different entities which plays vital role to fulfill the requirements of all the stake holders. The role played by each individual depends on their position in the market and their business strategy. These most prominent entities in the cloud

• **Cloud Service Provider:** it provides cloud services available to cater the

needs of different users from different domain by acquiring and managing the computing resources both hardware and software and arranging for networked

• **Cloud Integrator:** the facilitators, one who identify, customize and integrate the cloud services as per the requirement and in accordance with the customers' needs. It plays the important role of matchmaking and negotiating the

• **Cloud Carrier:** it is an intermediary which facilitates the connectivity and takes the cloud services at the doorsteps of end-user by providing access

• **Cloud Customer:** the actual user of services extended by the service provider which may be an individuals or organizations which in turn may have their

Cloud service providers harness the benefit of huge computing resources span over large geographical area to provide seamless, efficient and reliable services to customers at marginal price. The computing resource deployed over the Internet comprises hardware and application software and OS used in virtualization, storage

relationship between the consumer and producer of the services.

through different network access and devices.

own end-users like employees or other customers.
