Cloud SecuritySyllabus

Subject code

IF-2210y-EN

Credits

5

Student workload

90

Semester

Autumn semester

Academic year

3

Subject type

Mandatory

Form of education

Full-time

Language of instruction

English

In-class hours

a) 30 hours – Lectures; b) 15 hours – Seminars; c) 15 hours – Laboratory Work

Out-of-class hours

a) 40 hours – Independent Study; b) 50 hours – Project Work or Consultation Hours

The course “Cloud Security” is designed to develop students’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the fundamentals of cloud technologies and information security in cloud environments. The course covers the characteristics of cloud services, their differences from traditional IT services, security models, and risks and vulnerabilities specific to cloud environments. Students are introduced to key security mechanisms, including data encryption, authentication, access and authorization management, security monitoring, incident detection, and incident response. The course also addresses risk assessment and management in cloud environments, backup and recovery strategies, and the identification and implementation of security requirements. In addition, principles of compliance with ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, and other international standards and requirements are examined. The course aims to develop students’ ability to design cloud security architectures, formulate security strategies, and securely manage cloud environments.

• lecture
• laboratory work
• seminar
• presentations
• case study

1. 1

   CLO 1: Explain the principles of cloud services and provide an overview of the main services offered, including their differences, advantages, and disadvantages compared with traditional services.

2. 2

   CLO 2: Develop simple solutions using cloud services and implement appropriate security measures for such solutions using theoretical and practical approaches.

3. 3

   CLO 3: Explain serverless computing, its characteristics and distinguishing features, as well as responsibility and security considerations associated with such services

4. 4

   CLO 4: Identify and apply methods and criteria for assessing the scope of risks and vulnerabilities in cloud environments.

5. 5

   CLO 5: Use network security tools and mechanisms in cloud environments.

6. 6

   CLO 6: Identify the symptoms of data breaches in cloud environments, monitor security events, determine their causes, and implement measures to prevent data leakage

1. 1.
   Cloud architectureLecture

   This topic introduces the fundamental concepts of cloud computing and the general structure of cloud architectures. cloud service models and their characteristics, as well as the operating principles of different cloud storage models, are examined. key characteristics of cloud environments, including resource sharing, scalability, flexibility, and on-demand service delivery, are explained. the main components of cloud architecture and their interactions are also analyzed.

2. 2.
   Scope of cloud securityLecture

   This topic examines the scope of cloud security and approaches to securing different structural levels of cloud environments. the characteristics and interactions of infrastructure, metastructure, infostructure, and application structure are discussed, together with the security requirements associated with each level. principles for protecting data, services, management mechanisms, and technological resources in cloud environments are explained. the cloud security process model and the systematic organization of security activities are also examined.

3. 3.
   Security issues in cloud computingLecture

   This topic examines the major security issues that arise in cloud environments and the principles for managing them. the key elements of cloud security models and their role in protecting data, services, and resources are discussed. cloud-specific security threats and risks, together with the main security controls used to prevent and mitigate them, are analyzed. the purpose and key components of cloud security policies and their role in systematically implementing security requirements are also considered.

4. 4.
   Risk management in the cloudLecture

   This topic introduces the principles of identifying, assessing, and managing information security risks in cloud environments. major cloud management tools used to securely manage cloud resources and services and their functions are examined. approaches to selecting and implementing security controls for risk mitigation are discussed. particular attention is given to the trade-offs between security, cost, performance, flexibility, and usability in cloud risk management.

5. 5.
   Legal issues, contracts, and electronic discoveryLecture

   This topic examines key legal issues related to the storage and processing of information in cloud environments. contractual relationships associated with cloud services and legal requirements concerning electronic discovery and the disclosure of electronic information are discussed. data protection and privacy standards, including the application of GDPR requirements in cloud environments, are examined. the role of service level agreements (slas) in defining cloud service security, availability, and the responsibilities of involved parties is also considered.

6. 6.
   Compliance, auditing, and data governanceLecture

   This topic examines the principles of compliance, auditing, and secure data governance in cloud environments. approaches to ensuring that cloud services comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and security requirements are discussed. the planning and execution of audits and the management of audit results are also addressed. in addition, the data security lifecycle is examined, covering security measures from data creation and storage to use, sharing, archiving, and secure destruction.

7. 7.
   Management phase and business continuityLecture

   This topic examines security management and business continuity principles in cloud environments. security requirements, control mechanisms, and continuous monitoring during the management phase of cloud services are discussed. risks that may affect business continuity, service disruptions, and approaches to emergency preparedness are examined. the topic also covers business continuity and disaster recovery planning, backup strategies, and methods for ensuring the resilience and availability of cloud services.

8. 8.
   Infrastructure securityLecture

   This topic examines the principles of securing cloud infrastructure and its differences from traditional IT infrastructure. the virtualization of cloud networks, virtual network components, and secure management of connections between resources are discussed. changes in network security approaches and emerging security requirements resulting from the adoption of cloud technologies are analyzed. particular attention is given to vulnerability assessment in virtualized and dynamic cloud environments and to appropriate assessment approaches.

9. 9.
   Virtualization and containersLecture

   This topic introduces the fundamentals of virtualization and container technologies in cloud environments. virtualization techniques, the creation of virtual machines, and the allocation of physical resources among different virtual environments are examined. the main differences between virtual machines and containers in terms of architecture, resource utilization, and isolation are explained. the application of virtualization and container technologies in cloud infrastructures and the key security considerations associated with them are also discussed.

10. 10.
    Kubernetes securityLecture

    This topic examines kubernetes architecture and the principles of securing containerized applications. the main components of a kubernetes cluster, including the control plane, worker nodes, pods, and their interactions, are discussed. key security mechanisms such as cluster access control, authentication and authorization, role-based access control (rbac), network policies, and secrets management are examined. the topic also addresses container image security, misconfigurations, vulnerability management, and continuous monitoring of kubernetes environments.

11. 11.
    Incident responseLecture

    This topic examines the main stages of responding to security events and incidents in cloud environments. approaches for detecting, initially assessing, and analyzing security incidents are discussed. the principles of determining the impact of incidents, containment, eradication, and system recovery are explained. post-incident analysis, root cause identification, and the evaluation of lessons learned to prevent similar incidents in the future are also addressed.

12. 12.
    Application securityLecture

    This topic examines the principles of securely developing and managing applications in cloud environments. the application of the secure software development life cycle (ssdlc) to cloud environments and the integration of security requirements throughout the planning, development, testing, deployment, and operation stages are discussed. the role of infrastructure as code (iac) in the automated creation and management of cloud infrastructure is explained. security risks associated with iac configurations and approaches to maintaining security throughout the application and infrastructure lifecycle are also examined.

13. 13.
    Data security in the cloudLecture

    This topic examines the principles of protecting data in cloud environments. the planning and secure management of data migration to the cloud, including the protection of data confidentiality and integrity during migration, are discussed. security mechanisms for protecting data at rest against unauthorized access and data breaches are examined. the topic also covers data encryption, access control, and secure data storage principles.

14. 14.
    User and identity management for the cloudLecture

    This topic introduces the principles of identity and access management (iam) in cloud environments. user identification, authentication, and authorization, as well as approaches to securely managing privileged accounts, are examined. the assignment of access rights, the principle of least privilege, and role-based access control (rbac) mechanisms in cloud environments are discussed. user account management, access-right monitoring, and secure management of permissions are also addressed.

1. Cloud security alliance. for critical areas of focus in cloud computing. 2017. cloud security alliance – all rights reserved.
2. Buyya, rajkumar; broberg, james; goscinski, andrzej (eds.). cloud computing: principles and paradigms. wiley.
3. Cloud cybersecurity controls (ccc-1:2020).
4. Dotson, chris. practical cloud security: a complete guide to secure cloud computing. packt publishing, 2024, 230 pages.
5. Wiley. cloud security & compliance for dummies, 2nd special edition, 2022, 76 pages.
6. Cloud security alliance. security guidance v5. 2024, 299 pages.