IT Cloud Security Risk Analysis Report: Risk Assessment Project

This report provides a comprehensive risk assessment of cloud security within IT projects. It covers various aspects of cloud computing, including its components (Platform as a Service, Software as a Service, and Infrastructure as a Service), risk assessment processes, and potential risks (organizational, technical, and legal). The report also discusses major cloud security threats and vulnerabilities, their effects on organizations, and proposes control measures. The literature review highlights protection mechanisms against risks, emphasizing the importance of control measures, encryption, and updated access control tools. The document concludes with a summary of key findings and recommendations for mitigating cloud security risks.

Running head: Cloud Security Risk Analysis Report 1
IT Cloud Security Risk Assessment Report
Professors Name
Affiliate Institution
Date

IT Cloud Security Risk Analysis Report 2
Executive summary
Computing resources can be offered through the storage cloud. Cloud computing as a
technology advancenment provides service for storage of data and users may acquire these data
through the use of the internet. Resources which can be stored in the cloud includes programs
and applications, data and information. Examples include email management and software
storage.
The target groups upon the implementation of the cloud computing includes the
following; private users, public users, members of the community and the hybrid group. The
private group will have their services accessed from different location. Unlike the public where
bidding process is involved so that anyone will be able to give out the best proposal is given the
offer.
The main functional parts in the cloud include the following three models
 Platform as a service- the software programs are installed in this cloud model
 Software as a service- this is where software programs are downloaded and
uploaded
 Infrastructure as a service- ensures that all network devices are connected through
the right protocol.

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Contents
ecutive summaryEx ........................................................................................................................................2
iterature reviewL .........................................................................................................................................4
ntroductionI ...................................................................................................................................................6
mportant cloud componentsI ..................................................................................................................8
Risk assessment process..............................................................................................................................9
Risks....................................................................................................................................................... 11
rganizational risksO ..................................................................................................................................12
echnical risksT ........................................................................................................................................13
egal risksL ..............................................................................................................................................14
Major cloud security threats and vulnerabilities.........................................................................................14
ff
ects of cloud security on the organizationsE ............................................................................................16
Control measures......................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................18
References.................................................................................................................................................20

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Literature review
The organization should also make use of control measures concerning cloud security
issues and may stay away from them. Likewise, if there should arise an occurrence of an event,
the company will be prepared to control the harm and recover from the fiasco in negligible
reaction time (Mather, Kumaraswamy & Latif 2009).
Recurrence of a problem is one of the security estimates that will be utilized to shield the
cloud applications from a range of related risks. The hackers won't have the capacity to stick to
the system if the recurrence is adjusted at normal cycles. The cloud APIs can prevent security
issues by just giving out an alert to the users and admins to alert them on the problem issue. The
admins will immediately block the intruder from further appearances. This a security concern to
all the users of the cloud storage model. The popup message can be link to the email to ensure
that a quick alert is passed to all the admins (Robinson, Vogt & Wagealla, 2006). The utilization
of encryption of the considerable number of informational indexes will be influenced obligatory
with the goal that the attackers will bomb in the abuse of the data sets.
The verification plans utilized in the cloud storage will likewise be improved to stay
away from information ruptures. Since cloud platforms are prone to various types of attacks such
as the brute force attacks, a confirmation, and multi-overlay verification plans are used to keep
away from those threats from infringing of access control (Robinson, Vogt & Wagealla, 2006).
Organizations must not limit to the well-established cloud access control measures. The
more up to date types of access control tools in the cloud will be utilized and incorporated in the
application (Robinson, Vogt & Wagealla, 2006).

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Innovation is quickly progressing and the use of innovation in the field of security
controls has been noteworthy. The ascent of cyberattacks and other electronic attacks has
prompted the rise and improvement of specialized devices and controls for security. Malware
attacks on the cloud applications will be controlled and identified with the mix of the application
with the most recent attacker of malware devices (Takabi, 2010). Denial of service devices and
dispersed software of managing and controlling attacks will be identified and counteracted with
the denial of service devices.
The point of the association will not be limited towards the counteractive action and
recognition of the attacks. Be that as it may, the event of such issues will be maintained a
strategic distance from and the success must be done towards that path also. One of such
estimates that will be utilized will benefit reviewing of the service. The procedure will rattle off
every one of the administrations being done on the cloud server. Every one of the points of
interest related with the system ports and hubs and the cloud conventions will be presented by
this procedure. An ongoing introduction and investigation of the application administrations will
be made accessible. Another procedure that will be utilized in a similar way will be document
reviewing (Krutz & Vines, 2010).
Disaster recovery and risk control are also the instruments that will prompt the measure
of the data and informational collections. There must be a catastrophic recovery plan created for
the task with the goal that all types of security issues might be taken care of and handled. There
are computerized reinforcement and recovery instruments and plans that must be incorporated in
the cloud service providers. These instruments will keep a duplicate of the informational indexes
at a substitute area. The application will be taken back to the recovery state on account of the
service provider.

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Introduction
Cloud computing is proving a model that is utilize the opportunity to raise the ability of a
business to grow rapidly. Cloud computing utilize the internet as a resource to ensure its quick
delivery of service. There are some major components which must be there for the storage cloud
to exist. The following components materials are needed;
Hardware components which include the site servers, desktop computers, and the transfer
media. Without these components, one will not be able to access the cloud storage service.
Without hardware devices, cloud computing could not be inexistence and therefore security risks
concerning hardware devices have to be taken into account. Hardware devices must be well kept
in a save place where the security is of high priority. Cloud servers are hardware devices which
assist several customers to store their large amount of data in the storage cloud because they have
a lot of space to accommodate large amount of data. These kind of servers are of high speed and
they are capable of processing large data formats at a time (Krutz & Vines, 2010).
Software components. Software is one of the major item that is needed for both the cloud
management and its accessibility. Cloud infrastructure requires the APIs which assist during the
management. The interface of the cloud is the overall API which will help the users to actually
understand what they are supposed to do in the cloud.
Cloud computing consist of high level instant scalability of network resources e.g.
database, memory, and hardware. The cloud computing is also very flexible and can easily be
expanded. Management systems and abstracted materials and resources are also available in the
cloud. So for this case, cloud computing has really lead to an increase in reliability and the
productivity of various organization because it has made the work become easier for the

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customers to access resources and information at their own comfort. Also in case of any serious
damage like fire outbreak, cloud storage can allow us to access the information even if the
storage physical servers got burnt down. It is the best when it comes to the recovery of the data
loss after the disaster (Mather, Kumaraswamy & Latif 2009).
Clouds can be classified into three categories;
1. Public cloud is where resources are shared publicly to the users and any company can
register for its access
2. Private cloud which can only be access by users through private network. It is
designed following the cloud computing protocol
3. Partner cloud where resources are shared to a minimal number of parties
The graph shown below indicates varying cloud assurance according to the cost,
commodity, liability, and assurance
Assurance liability cost commodity
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
classification of types of clouds
Public Private Partner

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Important cloud components
Cloud computing can be categorized in three major components which includes;
Platform as a service, this provide a platform in which the hardware and software
products are provide by the third party user. This makes it possible for all the on demand tools
and software available at any given time over the cloud. The application can be run without
maintaining any premise within your company. (Pearson, 2013).The main purpose of this cloud
model is to provide an environment through which we can install programs and device drivers.
Platform as a service provides a computing and editing platforms where we can test different
kind of software.
Software as a service- this is the cloud storage where all the applications and programs
are stored over the internet. This cloud model gives a platform in which software application are
shared and customers can access them through the internet. Every application required by the
clients can be downloaded from this model at any given time once needed. These resources are
accessed by users through the web browsers. Software that are on demand for commercial use
can be accessed from this model cloud(Mather et al, 2009). The software which can be located in
this platform include the on-demand software, hosted systems and web based applications.
Infrastructure as a service- this is a cloud storage which is managed over the internet.
The high demand will be accommodated because this service is highly scalable and supports as
many clients as possible. Infrastructure as a service enables one to reduce the expenses of buying
your own servers and installing your own datacenter which is so costly. In terms of security
storage, this kind of service is more secure than when you have your own data centers (Pearson,
2013).This is because your employees has the only role of entering the data into the cloud.

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Infrastructure as a service gives services like hosting of websites, testing and development,
storage and recovery backups and big data analysis
Despite all these important features of cloud computing, the fact remains that cloud
storage service is a target to attackers. Therefore it brings the issue of being a serious security
threat to the organizations who use these services to run and manage their businesses. As it is
known that because of the invention of high speed network, security risks has rampantly
increased. This has brought up the fear of how information are kept secured over this cloud
service.
Risk assessment process
During the risk analysis about cloud computing, a process flow was used. This process
allowed the project team to document the report after conducting some research about this cloud
security service. Water fall process flow was used to gather and analyzed the results collected
during the research (Pearson, 2013).The research which was done gathers all the importance and
the threats that may be caused by cloud computing to the users.
Risk
evaluation
Problem
identificati
on
Reporting
and
monitoring
Risk
controls
Risk
analysis

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During the research, the above process was followed where the problem was
identified and was brought to the discussion by the project team. After the problem had been
identified the possible risk are analyzed and grouped together. After grouping, they are
documented for future reference. Risks are then evaluated and the control measures were placed
on board for the discussion. The full report is now documented and the project is supposed to be
monitored during implementation (Pearson, 2013).
During the risk assessment process, the risk level is to be estimated according to
the likelihood of the concern scenario located against the possible negative result. The possibility
of the incident problem is given by the issue exploiting the weakness with the likelihood.
Therefore the possibility of each scenario was examined by the experts and was documented on
this report (Jansen, 2011). Drawing was made and it experienced. For the impossible cases, it
was assume not applicable during the documentation and while carrying out data analysis.
The level of risks was drawn as show in the below diagram with figures;
1. To show that the risk is low: 0-2
2. To show the risk is moderate: 3-5
3. To show that the risk is very high 6-8
Possibility Very limited Moderate High risk Too high

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of the risk limited risk
Impact on
business
Very
limited
0 1 2 3 4
Limited 1 2 3 4 5
Moderate 2 3 4 5 6
High risk 3 4 5 6 7
Too high
risk
4 5 6 7 8
Risks
Risks should be understood in every business reason being risk can be a chance to
the business to maximize profit. Because of risks, a business can shoot high in terms of
productivity. So taking a high risk in business is a chance to grow your business to a higher level.
This is because of the reason that we know of business to be a risk taking.
Cloud computing is not only about storage but also has more important benefits
like reliable communication and quick mutual assistance. Therefore the analyses requires to
differentiate not only the threats but also data kept in cloud. Cloud storage enable users to store
large volume of data at a lower price level. They don’t have to acquire equipment like ordinary
servers for storage. Also by use of cloud the security benefits in terms of data storage overweigh
the threats.
The risk level will have a noteworthy piece of time period to move fundamentally
with the kind of cloud planning being taken into account.

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The risk research applies to cloud improvement in this report. It doesn't have any
huge consideration to a specific distribution, registering, giving or association. This report isn't
organized to supplement an endeavor specific types of leveled risks researches.
Consequently, risks of using disseminated registration should have appeared
differently in relation to the threats of staying with traditional plans, for instance, work area
based models.
Dangers in this investigation were gathered into different classifications which
incorporate the following:
 Organizational
 Technical
 Legal
Organizational risks
Risks on the concern of the organization are redirected to application exposure to the
attackers. The applications are not save this is because they are uploaded to the cloud leading to
its exposure giving an opportunity to the hackers and may get interested in damaging these
organizational application (Jansen, 2011). Many hackers do normally hack applications over the
cloud, this is because of the IoT technology where the high speed internet connection is the
crucial and resourceful tool for hacking.
Also, organizational network connectivity will get exposed. And it will be so easier for
the intruders to get into the organizational system whenever they are exposed to a network. This
will become a sure way for them to attack the company resources and steal from it.

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In cloud computing, there are no boundaries for the accessibility of the information stored
in it. IT people believe in the existence of boundaries which will be able to hinder the intruders
from entering into the companies system. (Xiao & Xiao, 2013). This is a serious threat in cloud
security.
Technical risks
One of the most important technical risk in cloud computing is the service being not
available at some points. This causes the system become unreliable to the users and may affect
the demand of the users. It will underrate the performance of the cloud service thus because
whenever the system failure occurs, it will cause the company’s profit margin to reduce
drastically.
Another challenge is that the accessed control may be hindered causing the data integrity
and its confidentiality to be at high risk. Data integrity and confidentiality is the most important
feature that must be accounted for. Organizational data should not be exposed to anyone just for
security reasons (Jansen, 2011). Therefore for the data to be stored in the cloud, customers must
be educated so that they will know how to handle the data over the cloud to ensure integrity of
company’s data.
Also, the organization may face another risk through which the company loss its
reputation on the economy because of the cloud failing to work as expected by the customers.
Cloud expose our data to everyone who can access the cloud hence a high risk of the data being
stolen by hackers. In case of any cloud failure, it is so much costly to the organization because it
means that they are going to lose the data. When these data get lost the management of the
company will become a bit more difficult. Therefore the organization may be hindered by
experiencing a big loss.

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Legal risks
Legal risks on cloud security is that the data should be well protected and should have
standards and principles to be adhered to. Data protection in cloud security is not protected as it
is supposed to be. This is due to exposure such that anybody may penetrate through and misuse
them. Despite the fact that data may be encrypted in the cloud, it is not a sure way in which we
can be assured that the data or information are well protected.(Pearson, 2013)
Violation of the copyright act where in the cloud security policies it does not explain
vividly that by storing our data in the cloud, there is nowhere to indicate the original owners of
the product. This in the real sense is a bridge to the copyright act of the company. According to
the IT law, it is a crime to violate the copyright act of someone else idea. Therefore in the cloud,
this seems to lack. Anybody can just tamper with someone’s information without any action to
be followed concerning the issue.
Data privacy and violation from protection. As we store our data in the cloud we are not
sure that our privacy is fully secured. (Wang, et al., 2010)Some people may be accessing our
privacy details without our notice. This is due to the fact that we don’t even know who manages
the cloud.
Major cloud security threats and vulnerabilities
The main threats in cloud security issue include the following;
1. The breach of data-data breaching is the main threat in the cloud. Most security hackers
are prone to this problem (Subashini & Kavitha 2011). his pave way for potential hackers
to login to organizational platform and steal without being notice. The fact that the
security issue in the case of cloud storage has been tightened, there is still fear that the
data stored in it are not 100% secure.

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2. Loss of data -Every so often data lost from cloud servers isn't relied upon
to computerized attack. Non-harmful explanations behind data hardship join disastrous
occasions like floods and seismic tremors and essential human mix-up, for instance when
a cloud chief incidentally eradicates reports. Threats to your cloud data don't, for the most
part, look like sharp youngsters showing up their reputation.(Pearson, 2013) It's definitely
not hard to have a poor opinion of the risk of something unpleasant happening to your
data as a result of an unadulterated mistake.
3. Reduced visibility and control by the users. Users cannot be able to
control everything through the cloud, this makes it vulnerable to the security threats since
the users are not able to view what is going on on the backend site of the cloud. This
issue makes users worry much on practicing cloud computing.
4. Insider dangers-Insider threats are an enduring and extending issue.
Conveyed figuring organizations give a resource for relationship to improve business
adequacy, yet moreover, reveal new potential results for insider attacks. Fortunately, it
makes the feeling that scarcely any, dissident chief ambushes have been powerful inside
cloud pro centers, anyway insiders continue manhandling definitive trust in various
courses, for instance, using cloud organizations to finish attacks. Affiliations should think
about vulnerabilities revealed by the use of cloud organizations and mindful of the
availability of cloud organizations to specialists inside the affiliation.
5. Denial of service attack-Requesting a DDoS assault is typically done
utilizing an undeniable web benefit, dispensing with the requirement for coordinate
contact between the coordinator and the client(Wang, et al., 2010). The greater part of
offers that we went over left connects to these assets as opposed to contact points of

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interest. Clients can utilize them to influence installments, to complete reports on work or
use extra administrations. Truth be told, the usefulness of these web administrations
seems to be like that offered by lawful administrations.
6. Insecure API-Application Programming Interfaces are the most crucial
programming segments for cloud management. In many cloud frameworks, APIs are the
main aspects outside of the confided in authoritative limit with an open IP address.
Misusing a cloud API gives digital hackers impressive access to your cloud applications.
APIs managers authentication of the data to users and as well they are used to generate
customer licenses to provide an assurance that the users have accepted the terms and
conditions of the cloud providers. This is a big issue.
7. Increase rate of cyber sercurity attacks. This is a great vulnerability threat
which makes many of the cloud users to worry about the cloud storage. Cyber security
attackers target the cloud and in any case they may penetrate and steal from it.
Effects of cloud security on the organizations
There is a lack of clarity as for where the client data is secured and at which level is dealt
with and tied down. Different issues are the data setback and data mystery. Affiliations that
consider their data private don't have the unstable data in cloud. Such affiliations are regularly
immense scale associations and non-business affiliations( Sicari et al, 2015). It is troublesome for
a minor organizations to get it furthermore, take care of security, while bigger organizations can
ascertain the risk for putting away their information.
Security risks happen when the organization migrates to the cloud. This is because of the
exposure of data on the cloud. It may cause data privacy and security violation by the intruders.

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Some legal measures have been provided by the cloud to gap the bridges done by hackers.
(Hamouda, 2012)
The key security focal points of dispersed registering are the upgraded security software
systems and security controls. The people who provide cloud services can established more
refined security control measures to help in assurance of the cloud security issue blockage. In
addition, customers who uses the cloud, especially the SaaS team, don't have to take into account
the security support as the entire upkeep is executed by provider. Also, they get the latest
security software upgrades thusly.
Control measures
The countermeasures to the dangers and issues that are talked about in the segments
above will be required to be executed. These countermeasures will incorporate a mix of coherent
controls and regulatory redesigns for the administration of dangers and upkeep of security.
Regulatory changes, for example, reviews and audits by the security group will be a
customary exercise. Also, most recent security instruments for assault recognition, anticipation,
and control will be utilized. There will likewise be a coordination of the administrative practices
with the security hones (Wang et al., 2010). The utilization of system security devices and
mindfulness among the clients with respect to the security rehearses, moral principles, and rules
must be advanced also.
Organizational cloud security standards and principles must be set strictly so that
whoever breaches the cloud must face the law accordingly. Anyone who will be fond of an
attempt of any security issue has to be punished accordingly(Carlos et al, 2009).

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Another way in which we can prevent the threats in the cloud is through the use of data
loging where we will be able to see and block failed logins made to the cloud service.
APIs keys can be used as another control measure for cloud security. They should be
included in the system to ensure full authentication of users. This will help allow specific users
to have full access to the cloud.
Traffic in the internet is a serious threat to the cloud users and providers. Private traffic
and public traffic can be separated. This will enable prevent cloud from being too vulnerable to
the threats which may hinder the cloud providers customer service.
Threats also can be prevented by choosing the right cloud for storing the organizational
data. For example hybrid cloud provides both public and private services. Therefore hybrid is a
cloud service which needs to integrate both the private and public cloud therefore it is not that
secured.
Conclusion
This report researches and analyses all the security issues with regards to the cloud. For
instance, the cloud in the modest part scenario has a lot of security benefits. This is shown
through the licensing that is provisioned during the registration of the users. Before customers
are allowed to use the cloud they are task to acquire the licensed to permit him or her to
accessing the cloud. Licensing is done in order to provide assurance when it comes to issues
concerning security threats. Storing data in the cloud exposes our privacy leading to people
accessing information to whom they don’t belong to them. Cloud implies that whenever a
serious disaster like hurricane, fire invasion or flooding arises and destroy the organizational
servers, data backup is made reliable and hence the data can be recovered easily.

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Cloud has caused a lot of burglaries across the world due to the fact that our applications
that we use in our offices are placed on the cloud as a storage platform. However, despite all
these security benefits cloud is still never trusted to be perfectly secured. When our data are kept
on the cloud, we should be worried that at any point of time those data might be interfered with.
It is so much costly for the organization whenever the cloud is hacked by black hat hackers.

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References
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perspective on risks and compliance. “O’Reilly Media, Inc.".
Subashini, S., & Kavitha, V. (2011). A survey on security issues in service delivery models of
cloud computing. Journal of network and computer applications, 34(1), 1-11.
Takabi, H., Joshi, J. B., & Ahn, G. J. (2010). Security and privacy challenges in cloud computing
environments. IEEE Security & Privacy, (6), 24-31.
Krutz, R. L., & Vines, R. D. (2010). Cloud security: A comprehensive guide to secure cloud
computing. Wiley Publishing.
Xiao, Z., & Xiao, Y. (2013). Security and privacy in cloud computing. IEEE Communications
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Jansen, W. A. (2011, January). Cloud hooks: Security and privacy issues in cloud computing.
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Sicari, S., Rizzardi, A., Grieco, L. A., & Coen-Porisini, A. (2015). Security, privacy and trust in
Internet of Things: The road ahead. Computer networks, 76, 146-164.

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