Overview – Security and “the Cloud” is a three part series from Dennis Smith, Echopath’s Chief Technical Architect. Check back each week for another part in this series.
What is this mysterious “Cloud”, who runs it, what does “The Cloud” mean, when should I use and where the heck is it actually located?
Let’s take a look at some of the ways the term “Cloud” is used and what is actually happening in the described scenarios.
First and foremost we can define the meaning of using “The Cloud”
Using “The Cloud” put simply means, “Storing and accessing your data on someone else’s computer.”
Second, and more complex is “where” the cloud is actually located. The many types of cloud services can use many different locations. It also depends on whether it is a “public” cloud or a “private” cloud. Essentially the cloud exists as a computer or group of computers in a building or multiple buildings that is accessible via the internet.
Public cloud services advertise where they are located on the internet so people are able to find them and sign up. This is generally where you find things like “Cloud Storage” and “Cloud Backup” and sometimes even “Cloud Hosting”. What “Public Cloud” really means is that the services are public facing, this also means the bad guys know where to attack and can very easily find the front door.
Private cloud means fewer people know where it is. It does not publicly advertise its location and is usually hardened against and, monitored for, security breaches and hacking attempts.
There are myriad ways you can use the cloud, we have briefly discussed what it means and where it physically exists, so let’s get a little deeper into how it works and when you may or may not want to use it.