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With organisations optimising operations for the cloud, there’s been a growing call for cloud security specialists. These professional serves an important function in safeguarding such information, compliance and risk issues as it pertains to cloud computing. However, becoming a cloud security expert requires a specific set of skills and knowledge.
This write-up focuses on the basic skills in order to succeed in the booming and competitive field.
A fundamental requirement for any cloud security expert is a comprehensive understanding of cloud computing itself. This includes familiarity with different cloud service models, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), as well as the various deployment models, including public, private, and hybrid clouds.
Industry professionals must also have some understanding of how cloud infrastructures are built based on virtualization, containers and cloud-native. It is crucial to determine how cloud providers such as AWS, Azure and GCP work to implement an effective security system.
Anyone interested in cloud security needs to have a basic knowledge of general security approaches. This comprises learning about areas and concepts like risk control, security and compliance. Understanding the CIA triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability is important when evaluating and planning the security of a system.
Also, knowledge of diverse security measures and technologies, such as encryption, firewalls and intrusion detection mechanisms is essential. Knowledge of network security, end-point security, and application security will go a long way in enhancing an expert’s chances of securing cloud environments.
Identity and access management is an equally important component of cloud security. IAM is established as a factually significant and pivotal competence of cloud security personnel. This comprises having a highly secure avenue of identification.
Cloud security professionals should also be experts in determining permissions and should also ensure that the users of the cloud possess the correct access rights as per their designation. They have to know how to schedule access reviews and audits to avoid unauthorized access.
With the increasing focus on data privacy and protection, cloud security experts must be knowledgeable about compliance requirements and regulations. Professionals should be in a position to design and enforce security controls in consonance with these regulatory measures. They also need to be knowledgeable in the current compliance measures and possess the capacity to perform compliance audits.
The two final competencies that are vital for cloud security specialists are the competence to identify possible security threats and to react in case of security incidents. This entails the use of tools that are used in the identification of threats, the evaluation of activities that look abnormal, and the observation of security logs to conduct breach identification.
Cloud security professionals should also have competencies in matters concerning Incident response. This includes the possession of knowledge that enables a person to create, and implement an incident response plan, conduct a forensic investigation and communicate throughout the occurrence of a security incident.
A strong networking background is critical when becoming a cloud security specialist. It is also important for organizations to have adequate knowledge in aspects like TCP/IP, subnetting, VPNs and segmentation to secure cloud architectures.
Cloud security is an emerging field of study and practice, and it faces new threats and technologies for implementation frequently. Hence, the maintenance of a learning attitude is mandatory in the case of specialists in cloud security. Some of these are Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), AWS Certified Security – Specialty or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
It is also possible to maintain a set of popular conferences, workshops and forums one can attend to refresh knowledge as well as read articles, blogs and journals. Some recommendations that cloud security experts should also consider are always embracing change as it progresses and being willing to adopt new methods and tools.
To be a Cloud Security expert, one needs a complex combination of Technology, Security principles, Compliance and Learning. Therefore, with the trend of organizations relying heavily on cloud service provision, the need for human resources for this service provision will equally rise. In this way, important skills needed for careers in cloud security can be honed which will lead aspiring security professionals to a fulfilling and flourishing career in the field.
If trained well and dedicated they can assist organizations cut through the web of issues associated with cloud security and ensure secure storage of data in cloudy environments in the wake of increasingly sophisticated methods of embezzlement.
