Information Security in Cloud Computing: Threats and Preventive Measures

ITC595 Research Project
Information Security in Cloud Computing and its
Preventive Measures
N. V. Sunil
ITC595 MIT, School of Computing & Mathematics, Charles Sturt University
[e-mail]
ABSTRACT– Cloud computing is a vast technology aimed to
provide companies with the facility to store data over the Internet.
It allows maintaining records, share resources, process data using
remote servers on the Internet than localhost of a company. In
recent years, it has been widely used by companies with large data
like Google, Salesforce, Microsoft to effectively store that data with
minimized management attempt to arrange the huge stacks of data.
Cloud computing has been used as a public utility where it provides
a platform for companies to run their applications faster by
adjusting resources and to manage fluctuating demands of markets
more efficiently. Along with its assured benefits, it is as well
important to learn about the risks and security issues while moving
the data on the internet. Lack of safety and security is a merely
acceptable issue in the widespread computing world. The major
problems related to information policies and security, reliability,
and access to the cloud will be discussed in this report. Cloud
security issues have been dealt as per perspectives of both client
and users. According to the user’s perspective, computing records
security warranty troubleshooting and disturbed management and
maintenance. This paper will give an all over a review of statistics
protection and security issues regarding cloud computing.
Keywords- cloud computing, Information Security, cloud services,
prevention cloud attack, security threats.
INTRODUCTION
Cloud computing is a market technology that provides
system software, data access, computation and storage of
data without the end user’s knowing the exact location of the
system that provides all these services. It allows the user to
access their files via internet without downloading any specific
software. It basically is a technology that allows outsourcing
computer programs. Before cloud computing, it had been
difficult and expensive to run applications on a variety of
computers by installing and configuring them on each system.
With cloud computing, it has become easy to deal with
different software and applications as the user won’t have to
deal with the management of the software but the cloud
providers take charge of it. Assets are provided in the cloud for
every programming language and can be accessed from any
part of the globe. It is a cost-efficient way to store data. Cloud
computing is widely used in today’s scenario and is embraced
by all sort of companies from start-ups to global multi-national
companies for its use in creating apps, providing and
recovering the backup, hosting web pages, delivering services,
and analyzing data for patterns and predictions (Line, 2010).
Cloud computing has been divided into three segments that
provide different services to customers. The three types of
cloud computing are:
1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud provides
hardware or software infrastructure to clients for
easy operational benefits along with backup and
maintenance.
2. Software as a Service (SaaS) – Using cloud, an
application can be put to use over the internet and
acts as a useful tool to manipulate data.
3. Platform as a Service (PaaS) – This helps in managing
applications running over cloud without getting
caught in code and infrastructure.
Figure 1 Cloud computing Service Models
A. Research Problem
The research paper will cover several issues linked to the
security of information in cloud computing.
The process of creating and setting up a cloud computing
system is riskier as the new technology is not fully tested and
is prone to new attacks. The main threats in this technology
are data loss and data privacy. When data is loaded on the
cloud, it is the duty of both cloud provider and the client for its
privacy. Although through miscommunications among the
both, data privacy becomes more vulnerable to threat. As per
different service models, different responsibilities have been
assigned to both parties. In IaaS, the cloud provider is in
charge of physical and hardware security while the client is in
charge of software and application security. In SaaS, the cloud
provider is in charge of both physical and application security
(Shaikh, 2011).
Cloud computing, like any other internet technology,
is vulnerable to security threats. Attackers tend to penetrate in
customer cloud to get access to the information by passing
through connections, obtain cloud computational services for
free, and steal private information from storage areas after
breaking into it. The most common cloud attacks include SQL
injection, free VoIP calls, and data loss and leakages as data is
1

downloaded from drives. Security issues of cloud computing
have been a challenge to cloud providers who are facilitating
customers with their cloud services. A large amount of data
has been stored at a single place; it is easy for attackers to get
access to huge amount of data in a single successful attack.
Figure 2 Security hazards of cloud computing
B. Research Justification
The research examination has been aroused to deal with
security attacks and measures invalidated procedures of cloud
computing. Due to its zero maintenance and low cost, it has
been termed as ‘IT on Demand’ technology. Scalability is its
key feature that can be achieved by virtualization. The
Research has been done considering the security hazards of
cloud and solution for its prevention. The results of this
examination will prove to be impactful in cloud framework
that will store private and confidential information of clients
that can’t be accessed by unauthorized users. The problem
regarding the use of cloud computing will widely is tackled by
exploring its security threat and preventive measures.
Cloud computing can be deployed in three important ways as
public, private, and hybrid structure as per the requirement of
client and data availability issues. Security issues can be
improved by centralization of data and increasing security
focus on resources and controlling access to sensitive data. In
this report, we will discuss the security of information over the
cloud and the various means by which it can be harassed. It
will give us an overview of how to tackle situation when a
system or storage platform has been attacked over the cloud.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Shaikh & Haider (2011) this paper gives an overview of cloud
computing which gives the user the facility to use a collection
of resources and services via the internet. It serves its
customers by delivering services of virtual resources. This
paper helps in identifying most vulnerable threats to data
privacy in cloud computing. Different models have been
proposed in this research paper and by the study of a previous
research paper for the security implementation of the cloud
data from the most vulnerable attacks. As per suggested by
the study from the paper, it is found that both users and
administrator have to face the security issues. As the demand
for cloud is increasing due to its benefits over other
technologies, it is important to have a solution and preventive
measures for cloud computing from the known threats. Also,
this research paper helped in constituting a strong proposed
model for the prevention of security issues and helped in
strengthening my research work by providing a distinct idea of
the security issues that are known and most vulnerable to the
cloud.
Mohammed, Chaurasia & Mokhtar (2012) According to this
research paper, it has been stated that 36% lack in the usage
of cloud is due to its security issues. By securing the various
service models for cloud, we can indirectly secure the whole
cloud. Data security is related to confidentiality, accessibility
and data integrity, along with trust and other legal issues. To
deal with these issues, the report suggests encryption of data
to enhance the privacy and confidentiality of data so that only
authorized user can have access to the data. Tokenization of
sensitive data into dummy tokens has been considered as a
good option to provide security of data at cloud storage
devices. SaaS provides Ws- Transaction and WS-Reliability
functionalities to ensure data integrity so that people with
proper authentication can read and write to the data as per
their rights. In this paper, security challenges have been
addressed according to the three models of the cloud.
(Mowbray& Pearson, 2009) Researcher, through this research
paper, wants to introduce the most preliminary rule to the
wide assertion of ―security and assurance issues of cloud
providing organizations in appropriated procedures, clients
have stress over private data usage. When data has been set
up in the openly accessible cloud, security hasn’t been viewed
as a primary aspect. Some same minded situations have been
inspected in this paper, after which it has been recommended
largely to restrict the use of tricky and complicated
information when dealing with fogs and insurance and data
assurance should be ensured to end customers. To address
this problem, a chief gadget based on client assurance has
been presented in this research base. The proposed solution
minimizes security issues and provides security assurance
facilities. The device that has developed using proposed
solution has been attempted to work as necessities in
unmistakably circulated processing situations.
Figure 4 overview of the proposed solution
According to the research work of Wei et al. (2009), it had
been mentioned that cloud computing unfolds several new
data security hazards. These dangers have been concluded
internally and externally from a photograph repository side in
this research document. They've also examined the dangers
presented by the system heads and cease customers from
using cloud's image data storage and warehouse. An image
presentation framework configuration has been submitted to
report the related hazards. They assured that their proposed
model tends to one of the biggest risk in the scope of cloud
security and that the proposed model is precious and
implementable. The medium of the configuration in its initial
steps unveil resentful stuff and in further levels private
2

information such as passwords and so on are deleted.
Following that originators have been enabled to govern the
images and its access to get the information about which
images are reachable to which users. Clients can discover their
required pictures. The repository admin reduces the risks in
executing illicit programming. The preliminary outcomes in
this research report suggested that the levels are working
properly on the vault; similarity among pictures are being
discovered. They are looking forward to the form of services
that can additionally be completed productively of their image
management service. The charge in their images is the
proposed image administration framework which gives image
levels and scanners to become aware of suspicious
photographs. The inability of the system is that image
channels aren't antic and now and again legitimate similar
images may be recognized as a noxious photograph and their
bug scanner is no longer trusted. The scanner does not
profound to differentiate a large range of faults; contaminated
scanner approval is not provided by the creators.
The research document of Almorsy et al. (2016) suggests that
the focus of cloud computing security issues was on the
trouble faced during metering or checking of work, the cloud
providing organizations’ clients can affirm the charge on them
with the instructions for the expert enterprises they have been
profited with. Unparalleled assurance ambushes are inspected
likewise, patterns are created for each type of attack or threat.
Various legitimate and illegitimate security issues are looked
upon by a different method for customers of cloud providers,
keeping an eye from start to end so that the issue determined
with metering and help of customer certainties. In this way,
some of these attacks are handled in aggressor form and dealt
in due sequence regarding each issue is excessively presented.
The delayed results of propagation confirmed that proposed
pattern can be achieved economically with down to earth
character rate. Among the reinstalling of the system, it was
being watched and has been progressed to state that the
assigned server for figuring the process lacks few stock
partitions. The most amazing part of their proposed theory is
the machine anticipation that would talk about metering
problems. Along with this theory, at a definitive rate, their
presented gadget allows customers to inspect charging
purposes of interest by a method for the master center and
dodging of security ambushes. The need implies only the
entitlement to offers bundles.
As represented by Line & Squicciarini (2010) Cloud handling
provides particularly flexible resources to get through Internet,
making cloud a flexible solution to share resources. Since
cloud handling is evolving rapidly in a well-ordered manner to
make it available to individuals besides, organizations all
through the globe, data security issues in the dispersed
processing have not been taken care of by its originators. In
cloud storage, clients of cloud providers have the actual risk of
losing confidential data. Data security structures and
procedures have been proposed to address data insurance
issues of clients. As demonstrated in the model, the proposed
data security model provides a shield to the challenges faced
all through the cloud providing life cycle. Their proposed
architecture constitutes three main parts: situating action
course, system blend and a prerequisite for the approach. For
each level, they have presented different models and analysed
key properties of each model. This paper concludes with a
discussion on general guidelines for lifting up illustrated
structures in light of such kind of architecture. They have too
demonstrated a couple of data protection structures and
displayed cost limits.
Figure 5 above proposed model overview
CRITICAL EVALUATION- (LITERATURE GAP)
We have examined various research documents presented in
the context of cloud computing threats and the measures to
prevent those threats. Several types of research identify the
issues that are related to cloud security and some contains the
model presented as a solution for the identified issues in the
research. Cloud Computation gives clients the concoction of
having an exploring calculation foundation which is composed
and used at whatever point requirement emerges. Cloud or
distributed computing offers a few important highlights to its
clients that have not been covered in above research papers,
for example,
C. Multi Latent
It allows sharing IT framework as an asset on leased premises.
D. Substantial Range
The framework constitutes of various servers and computers
with a view of future goal across the globe regarding its
capacity and use.
E. Demonstration of leased administration conveyance
Clients pay for the advantage of implementing premises rather
than purchasing programming and equipment.
F. Dependability, the flexibility of use and extension
Cloud helps in secure storage of client's information without
worrying about the issues like programming Updating,
infections, information misuse.
G. Adaptability
Administrations can utilize the data any place, via an internet
connection. Besides, they can be effectively scaled across
globally.
H. Virtualization
All the foundation administrations can be virtualized that
helps clients to get to the administrations with the help of web
and get data from the cloud (Squicciarini, 2010).
The different issues and gaps are found in the research are;
Research context Issues found
3

Cloud security. Various security threats in the
cloud application that have not
been efficiently taken care of yet.
Risk of using cloud
applications
Security assurance and risk for
data loss.
Data confidentiality
issue
Denial of services
Data security and
privacy
Data privacy issue at risk or data
breaching
Cloud computing
applications Privacy and
security
Malware infection that can allow
an unauthorized user to get
access to the data.
Cloud services Abuses of Cloud services
PROPOSED DESIGN
Figure 6 overview of the proposed solution
The model proposed in the research document comprises of
the different tools that can be used for preventing the cloud
software from security threat and would help in securing cloud
computing. The model proposed will operate on the data loss,
data privacy, malware injection and the denial of service issue.
Further, the proposed solution will assist in securing the data
stored in the cloud storage devices. This model would help in
the overall implementation of cloud computing procedure.
The model proposed for the security of cloud will explain the
methods and techniques that have been implemented in the
cloud computing lifecycle for preventing it from the security
threats. The proposed design includes a data warehouse for
data storage, a cloud application to provide cloud computing
services, firewall as a shield against data loss and stopping any
malware injection, client module for communication of the
client with provided services, the digital certificate for data
privacy and prevention of denial issue. It has been proposed to
cover the gaps that have been found after so much of
research.
FUTURE SCOPE
Currently, cloud computing is not much secure and it is
upgrading its services day by day. With the increase in
services, the threats and security issues associated with cloud
will also increase. While researching on the cloud security
threats, many common have been identified and models have
been designed to tackle these issues. The solution provided in
this research paper is still not fully developed as it cannot
provide prevention against cloud abuse and data breaching. So
for providing solutions for these issues, further research has to
be done and new models will be prepared for resolving these
issues and the other issues that will be encountered during
further research program for making cloud computing
security.
CONCLUSION
Data or services presented by the cloud computing should be
secured and responsive to the security threats lest it would be
of great difficulty for the user as well as an administrator. So
different model and techniques have been used to enhance
security and prevention of threats in the cloud and it will also
help in improving the cloud services offered. The research
document gives an overview of different paper that deals with
the same issue and has provided solutions to tackle these
issues for creating a better solution of our research in favor of
tacking the unknown security issues in cloud computing.
REFERENCES
[1] Almorsy, M., Grundy, J., & Müller, I. (2016).An analysis of the cloud
computing security problem. arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.01107.
[2] Asma, A., Chaurasia, M.A. and Mokhtar, H., 2012. Cloud Computing
Security Issues. International Journal of Application or Innovation in
Engineering & Management, 1(2), pp.141-147-ACM.
[3] Lin, D., &Squicciarini, A. (2010, June). Data protection models for
service provisioning in the cloud. In Proceedings of the 15th ACM
symposium on Access control models and technologies (pp. 183-
192). ACM.
[4] Mowbray, M., & Pearson, S. (2009, June). A client-based privacy
manager for cloud computing. In Proceedings of the fourth
international ICST conference on Communication system softWAre
and middlewaRE (p. 5).ACM.
[5] Ogigau-Neamtiu, F., 2012. Cloud computing security issues. Journal
of Defense Resources Management, 3(2), p.141.
[6] Shaikh, F. B., &Haider, S. (2011, December). Security threats in
cloud computing. In Internet technology and secured transactions
(ICITST), 2011 international conference for (pp. 214-219).IEEE.
[7] Wei, J., Zhang, X., Ammons, G., Bala, V., &Ning, P. (2009,
November). Managing security of virtual machine images in a cloud
environment. In Proceedings of the 2009 ACM workshop on Cloud
computing security (pp. 91-96).ACM.
4