Discussion and Response: how organizations have faced the challenges that incident handlers are challenged with in identifying incidents when resources have been moved to a cloud environment.

by Jagruthi Gundeti

Security incident response procedures to address the new challenges cloud computing presents to cyber security. In this article, we consider cloud security challenges and propose a proactive approach to address them based on the concept of digital risk management. Cloud computing is a disruptive trend in the way companies do business. It is a “client–server computing environment that uses a computing model in which the client and the service provider share resources on a shared, pay-per-use basis.” The benefits of cloud computing for business owners are tremendous. It enables the cost savings associated with the use of off-the-shelf software, improves operational efficiency,(Davis & Jankow, 2019). enables remote business locations, and provides a secure environment to conduct business remotely. Cloud computing also provides an advantage to cyber security (the use of information systems to prevent security threats). Cloud computing helps reduce the cost of security operations, including incident response, investigation, and forensic analysis. This, in turn, enhances the overall protection of an organization's confidential information. The potential threats to confidentiality, integrity, and availability associated with cloud computing were addressed in the 2012 Cloud Computing Report of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The report indicated that while organizations are exposed to the potential loss of sensitive data, the threats are mitigated when an organization works with cloud computing service providers to “develop and maintain a strategy for incident response and emergency planning.” With cloud computing, the use of hardware and software purchased and managed by a third-party service provider is generally much less expensive than traditional computing solutions, provided the organization has a good business relationship with the provider.

References

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