In recent years, AWS has introduced three new services related to data security: AWS Security Data Lake, AWS Clean Rooms, and the functionality of Amazon GuardDuty. However, to this day, most industries, such as finance and healthcare, have yet to fully embrace the cloud due to concerns about the security of data in the cloud and the threat of sensitive information being leaked. In this series, Nextlink will explore the topic of data security in the cloud from three perspectives: ‘Securing Data at Rest,’ ‘Cryptography – A New Path in Cybersecurity,’ and ‘Building a Secure Environment,’ discussing the data security for businesses using cloud services.
| 💡 Security Basics that Companies Must Know: – What is Encrypted Transmission? How Does AWS Utilize it to Safeguard Cloud Security? – How is Data Sensitivity Protected? Security Measures After the Implementation of AWS Data Centers – New AWS Security Data Lake Service: Identifying Security Vulnerabilities through Data Analysis |
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What is Encrypted Transmission? How Does AWS Utilize it?
Cryptography and encrypted transmission involve three main concepts: Coded Algorithms, Hash Functions, and Signatures. These concepts are utilized to safeguard data during static or dynamic transmission. Despite the evolution of encryption security and the emergence of various applications such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (commonly known as HTTPS) and cryptocurrencies, cryptography remains the fundamental tool for ensuring data security. AWS utilizes cryptographic functionalities to provide diverse services for data encryption and storage encryption. For instance, AWS Key Management Service is used to manage keys for all encryption services, while AWS Secrets Manager assists businesses in managing or replacing database credentials and API keys, among other functions.
However, some companies still worry about questions like “Is there a risk in storing data in the cloud?” and “Could sharing hard drives with others through virtual machines lead to confidential leaks?” According to recent reports, storing data in on-premises environments is actually more susceptible to hacking because security tools for hardware devices are not regularly updated, and there is a lack of real-time alerts and disaster recovery capabilities. In addition to providing reports that comply with cybersecurity regulations of various governments, what practices does AWS have in place to help businesses migrate to the cloud while ensuring data security?
Sensitive Data Storage: On-Premises vs Cloud?
Many businesses face considerations about data security sensitivity during their digital transformation. Consequently, they choose to keep their data in on-premises data centers. However, without the assistance of IT maintenance personnel, the security of on-premises data centers can be insufficient, making sensitive data susceptible to leaks. Furthermore, lacking the concept of disaster recovery exposes all data to risks. According to a cybersecurity survey in 2022, issues such as “insufficient employee awareness of data security,” “lack of professional cybersecurity personnel,” and “outdated information systems” ranked among the top risks for business data security. This indicates that even with on-premises services, the risk of data leaks still exists if cybersecurity awareness is not established and security equipment is not upgraded.
In addressing the cybersecurity risks caused by outdated systems, businesses need to prioritize “cloud migration” and “disaster recovery.” For companies unable to upgrade their systems in the short term but concerned about data leaks in the cloud, they can opt for “AWS Outposts” to enjoy the advantages of hybrid cloud. This allows them to store data in on-premises environments while benefiting from the convenience of cloud computing.
AWS Security Data Lake: Detecting Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities through Data Analysis
In 2022 AWS re:Invent, one of the new services introduced was “Amazon Security Data Lake,” which adopts the Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF). It consolidates log records collected from Amazon VPC virtual cloud environments, AWS CloudTrail security trail records, Amazon Route 53 DNS services, and AWS Lambda serverless computing. By leveraging the concepts of OCSF, it optimizes data storage and query capabilities, unifying them within Amazon Security Data Lake. It is seamlessly integrated with Amazon S3 object storage and utilizes data analysis tools, enabling businesses to rapidly analyze and search through historical security data.
By combining the tools of data security and data analysis, businesses can conduct essential analyses on their security data. This enables teams to identify past vulnerabilities in the company’s cybersecurity, allowing for the strengthening of security measures in those areas. From configuring the foundational infrastructure of data lakes to managing the data lifecycle, Amazon Security Data Lake empowers enterprises to enhance workloads and applications. This results in a crucial impact on protecting data security.
