Amazon Web Services Security

Amazon Web Services Security
Amazon Web Services (AWS) run a scalable cloud computing platform that enables its users to operate a wide range of applications with high ability of availability and dependability. AWS aims to provide a platform that offers high-security capabilities to its customers enabling their systems and data to remain protected. Amazon ensures its web service security is a top priority by offering several security resources that build their customers’ trust and confidentiality. However, despite the security features provided by AWS, there are still several advantages that customers encounter in terms of security while using AWS. This paper provides an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages that are associated with Amazon Web Services Security.
Advantages of Amazon Web Services Security
The first advantage of AWS security is the AWS Compliance program that helps users to have a better understanding of robust AWS controls to maintain security and protect their data in the cloud. The AWS Compliance program is developed in a way that it enables customers to manage and design their IT infrastructure in alignment with security best practices and required IT standards (AWS, 2017). Additionally, the flexibility and control provided by the AWS compliance program make it easy for users to deploy cloud security solutions that meet several industry-specific standards, such as Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS).
Another advantage provided by AWS security to customers is physical and environment security. The physical and environment security advantage involves protecting systems and data by offering fire detection and suppression equipment that are installed in data center environments to reduce the risks of system destruction and data loss. AWS data center power systems are developed in a way that they are fully redundant and maintainable without having an impact on the systems operations which ensures AWS customers remain online 24 hours a day, and seven days a week. The uninterruptible power supply enables continuous system monitoring hence increasing AWS security (AWS, 2017). AWS physical and environmental security advantage also involves good management including monitoring of electronic, mechanical and life support systems that enhance the identification of any security issues and prevented or maintained to enable continued secure service provision.
Another security advantage provides by AWS is that it enables business continuity management. The AWS security involves resilient IT architecture features that can tolerate system or hardware failure with as much customer impact as possible. The availability of the ASW that is provided by cluster data centers that are both online in a different region in the global support its customers to continue with their business. Additionally, the AWS stores data within multiple geographical regions and its zones which increases availability providing the customer with the flexibility to place (AWS, 2017). Another security advantage of AWS is network security. AWS has secure network architecture that has network devices such as a firewall that has the capability of monitoring and controlling network external and internal communication boundary devices that enables the flow of information to specific system services by employing set of rule, configurations, and access control lists (ACL). AWS also provides secure customer access points that are strategically placed on the cloud enabling inbound and outbound secure communication. The secure customer access points help users in establish a secure communication session with their storage.
AWS network is well monitored and protected through automated monitoring systems that also increase the network level of service performance and availability. The monitoring tools of AWS can detect unauthorized or unusual activities and conditions at inbound or outbound points of communication. The monitoring tools increases security for customers’ servers, network, and applications (AWS, 2017). The last advantage of AWS security provided is the access support it provides to its customers through several types of credentials for authentication. Some of the credential provided by AWS includes passwords, multi-factor authentication, access keys, key pairs, and X.509 certificates for different operational login for ASW root account or IAM user account.
Disadvantages of Amazon Web Services Security
Despite security being one of the major features of AWS, there are still several disadvantages that AWS security has. Some of the disadvantages include the AWS limitation of Amazon EC2 resources that vary from region to region and determine how many resources customers have access to. The limitation might result to customers lacking enough security features to provide effective protection for their system or data within the regions (Dataflair Team, 2018). Another disadvantage is that the security limitations of AWS result in other main features to remain unchanged at all. For instance, EC-2 classic is limited to a maximum of 500 per instance and 100 permissions for each Security Group and also 100 security groups per VPC for EC2-VPC.
Cost concern is another disadvantage associated with AWS security. Adopting high-level security for customers using AWS requires them to subscribe to varies packages that provide security infrastructure and analytics which is costly (Dataflair Team, 2018). Another AWS security disadvantage comes with migration to cloud computing which might involve data leakage risks, backup and protection of data and system, privacy issues, limited control, and downtime issues.
In conclusion, the advantages offered by AWS security provide a unique state of AWS among cloud computing companies. However, AWS security also contains several disadvantages that are provided in the paper, which are common among cloud computing companies generally.
References
Amazon Web Services (AWS). (2017). Amazon Web Services: Overview of Security Processes. Retrieved from https://d1.awsstatic.com/whitepapers/Security/AWS_Security_Whitepaper.pdf
Dataflair Team. (2018). AWS Advantages & Disadvantages: Advantages of Cloud Computing. Retrieved from https://data-flair.training/blogs/aws-advantages/