Attacks like DDoS, brute force etc are inevitable on the internet. It can bring down an entire business without even entering your perimeter.
Infrastructure security depends on 4 key trust principles:
The system is protected, both logically and physically, against unauthorised access.
The completeness, accuracy, validity, timeliness, and authorisation of system processing.
The system’s ability to protect the information designated as confidential, as committed or agreed.
Personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed of in conformity with the commitments in the privacy notice.
Regular security testing, auditing, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning must be enabled for all infrastructure resources. Version-Controlled Security as Code to make it auditable and traceable. This approach permits portability across cloud providers, as well as tenant-specific customisation and review.
These security policies must be enforced in the code as a first-class member of their infrastructure creation making it a default feature in every stage of the application lifecycle.
As businesses navigate the complexities of modern technology, the decision to adopt cloud-based solutions or maintain on-premise systems hinges significantly on security considerations.
Here, we compare SaaS security with on-premise security across four key trust principles: protection against unauthorised access, system processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy:
Protection Against Unauthorised Access
SaaS:
IaaS providers invest heavily in both logical and physical security measures to protect their infrastructure. Logical security in the cloud often includes robust access controls, multi-factor authentication, and advanced encryption techniques. Leading providers, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, employ sophisticated intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), continuous monitoring, and regular security audits to prevent unauthorised access.
Physical security in cloud datacenters is typically stringent. These facilities are fortified with biometric access controls, surveillance systems, and are often located in undisclosed locations. The scale and expertise of cloud providers allow them to implement these high-security standards cost-effectively.
On-Premise:
These systems allow organisations to have direct control over their security measures. Logical security is managed internally, often tailored to the specific needs of the organisation. This can include firewalls, antivirus software, and internal monitoring systems. However, the effectiveness of these measures can vary widely depending on the organisation’s resources and expertise.
Physical security for on-premise systems is entirely the responsibility of the organisation. While some businesses may invest heavily in securing their data-centers, many may not have the resources to implement the same level of physical security as cloud providers. This can include the risk of natural disasters, physical breaches, and even insider threats.
Conclusion:
Cloud security generally offers superior protection against unauthorised access due to the significant investments and expertise of cloud providers. However, for organisations with specific security needs and the resources to implement them, on-premise solutions can be equally secure.
System Processing Integrity
SaaS:
These environments offer high levels of processing integrity. Cloud providers ensure the completeness, accuracy, validity, timeliness, and authorisation of system processing through various measures. These include automated backups, failover protocols, and data integrity checks. The scalability and redundancy of cloud services ensure minimal downtime and data loss, supporting continuous and accurate processing.
Cloud providers also adhere to strict compliance standards (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2) and undergo regular third-party audits. This ensures that their processing systems are not only reliable but also meet global standards for data integrity and security.
On-Premise:
On-premise systems provide organisations with complete control over their processing environments. This control allows for highly customised processing workflows that can be tailored to the organisation's specific needs. However, maintaining processing integrity on-premise requires significant resources, including skilled IT staff and robust infrastructure.
Challenges such as hardware failures, software bugs, and manual errors can impact the integrity of on-premise systems. Without the same level of redundancy and automated recovery options available in the cloud, organisations must implement and maintain their own disaster recovery plans, which can be resource-intensive.
Conclusion:
Cloud solutions generally provide higher levels of processing integrity due to their automated systems, redundancy, and compliance with global standards. On-premise solutions can achieve similar levels of integrity but require significant investment and resources to manage effectively.
Confidentiality:
SaaS:
Cloud providers are committed to protecting the confidentiality of the data they handle. This is achieved through advanced encryption methods, both at rest and in transit, and strict access controls. Service level agreements (SLAs) and compliance with international standards ensure that cloud providers adhere to best practices for data confidentiality.
Additionally, cloud providers implement role-based access controls (RBAC) and offer extensive logging and monitoring capabilities. These measures help organisations track access to sensitive data and ensure that only authorised personnel can access confidential information.
On-Premise:
On-premise solutions allow organisations to maintain direct control over their data confidentiality measures. This can be beneficial for businesses handling highly sensitive information, such as financial institutions or healthcare providers. Organisations can implement their own encryption standards, access controls, and monitoring systems.
However, maintaining data confidentiality on-premise requires constant vigilance and updates to security protocols. The risk of internal breaches, either malicious or accidental, can be higher if proper controls are not enforced.
Conclusion:
Cloud providers typically offer robust confidentiality measures backed by international compliance standards. On-premise solutions can offer equally strong confidentiality protections but require significant ongoing management and vigilance.
Privacy:
SaaS:
Cloud providers are bound by privacy commitments outlined in their privacy notices and comply with regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. They implement comprehensive data handling policies, ensuring that personal information is collected, used, retained, disclosed, and disposed of in accordance with legal requirements and privacy commitments.
Cloud services often include features that facilitate compliance, such as data anonymisation, access logs, and consent management tools. These features help organisations manage and protect personal information effectively.
On-Premise:
On-premise solutions provide organisations with full control over their privacy practices. This control can be advantageous for companies needing to comply with specific privacy regulations or industry standards. Organisations can develop and enforce their own privacy policies and procedures tailored to their unique requirements.
However, ensuring compliance with evolving privacy laws can be challenging. Organisations must stay updated with legal changes and adjust their practices accordingly, which can be resource-intensive.
Conclusion:
Cloud solutions offer comprehensive privacy protection measures and support compliance with global privacy regulations. On-premise solutions provide greater control but require significant effort to maintain compliance and adapt to changing legal landscapes.
How to balance the benefits and trade-offs of SaaS security vs on-premise:
Every organisation must have one objective, that is to design and implement a security policy for SaaS infrastructure based on industry-accepted norms to get them ready for third party information security audit.
Both saas and on-premise solutions offer distinct advantages and challenges across the key trust principles of security, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
SaaS providers generally offer superior protection against unauthorized access and processing integrity due to their scale, expertise, and compliance with international standards. Confidentiality and privacy are also robustly managed in the cloud, with comprehensive measures and regulatory compliance.
On-premise solutions, while offering greater control and customisation, require significant resources and ongoing management to achieve similar levels of security and compliance.
The choice between cloud and on-premise should be guided by the specific needs, resources, and risk tolerance of the organisation.
Cloud platforms will not guarantee your IP(Intellectual Property) security, your security configurations and policies will.
Security policies must be enforced as a first-class member of infrastructure-as-code making it a default feature in every stage of the application lifecycle.
If you like this article, I am sure you will find 10-Factor Infrastructure even more useful. It compiles all these tried and tested methodologies, design patterns & best practices into a complete framework for building secure, scalable and resilient modern infrastructure.
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Kamalika Majumder
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