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Cloud security in Azure

1. Cloud security in Azure

In this lesson we will be learning about Azure cloud security.

2. Cloud security

Cloud security refers to the protection of data, applications, and infrastructure in cloud computing. It involves practices like data encryption, identity management, network security, compliance adherence, and measures to detect and respond to security incidents.

3. Cloud security

The responsibility for cloud security is shared between the cloud service provider and the users, and it aims to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information in cloud environments.

4. Zero trust model

Zero trust is a security model that starts with the assumption of a potential breach and safeguards resources accordingly. This model verifies each request as if it originated from an unsecured network. Microsoft strongly advocates for the zero trust security model, focusing on the following key principles.

5. Zero trust - explicit verification

Explicit verification states that you should always authenticate and authorize based on all available channels. Modern features, such as multi-factor authentication, simplify the implementation of this process, ensuring easy validation of a user's identity.

6. Zero trust - least privilege access

Least privilege access means restricting user access by using risk-based adaptive policies and data protection measures. Simply put, users should only be granted access to the resources and permissions essential for their specific job roles, avoiding unnecessary privileges.

7. Zero trust - assume breach

The assume breach principle acknowledges that determined attackers may find a way in. With this in mind, security measures are designed to minimize the impact of a breach, limit access, and implement additional protection within the network. Simply put, if a malicious actor gains access to specific components within an organization, they should be prevented from expanding their access to other areas.

8. Defense-in-depth

The goal of defense-in-depth is to safeguard resources and prevent unauthorized access and information theft. This strategy employs multiple layers of mechanisms to block the progress of an attack attempting to gain unauthorized access to data. Think of defense-in-depth as a layered approach, where the central data is surrounded by protective layers working together to ensure its security.

9. Defense-in-depth layers

Each layer acts as a safeguard, ensuring that if one is breached, the next one prevents further exposure. This eliminates reliance on a single layer, slowing down attacks and providing alert information for proactive security actions. Key layers include: Physical security layer protects computing hardware in the data center. Identity and access layer manages access to infrastructure and access control. Perimeter layer uses firewalls and other tools to protect against large-scale attacks, involving multiple attempts to gain access. Network layer controls resource communication through segmentation and access controls, like VNETs. Compute layer secures virtual machine access and ensures they are protected by anti-virus and anti-malware software. Application layer ensures applications are secure and free of vulnerabilities. Data layer controls access to critical business and customer data. These layers serve as a guide for making security configuration decisions across all application layers.

10. Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Although certain layers, as mentioned earlier, fall under the cloud provider's responsibility, Azure users must also implement security measures on their end. Azure helps customers by offering Microsoft Defender for Cloud, a monitoring tool for security posture management and threat protection. It monitors various environments, providing guidance and notifications to enhance security across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid setups. Defender for Cloud simplifies resource security, offers security posture tracking, defense against cyber threats, and overall security management. It is easy to start using it and integrates into Azure natively.

11. Assess, secure and defend

Defender for Cloud addresses three crucial requirements in managing the security of your resources and workloads across the cloud and on-premises: Continuous assessment helps you gain awareness of your security posture by identifying and tracking vulnerabilities consistently. Security hardening helps strengthen resources and services. And finally, threat defense detects and resolve threats targeting resources, workloads, and services.

12. Importance of cloud security

Cloud security is of high importance because it forms the foundation of trust in our digital landscape. It protects our valuable data, applications, and systems from unauthorized access, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our resources. Cloud security is not just a necessity; it's a strategic requirement. By understanding the challenges, embracing best practices, and using cutting-edge tools, we can navigate the cloud landscape with a fortified security.

13. Let's practice!

Let's test our cloud security knowledge with some exercises!

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