4 Ways Why is AWS Secure? A detailed analysis of cloud security.

Why is AWS secure? Today, Amazon Web Services is practically a household name whenever cloud computing services are mentioned, and for a good reason, with its ease of use and scalability for both small companies and global corporations. Nevertheless, are too many data breaches making headlines for us to trust AWS? Is it safe? These are pertinent questions that companies thinking about remotely storing data, or even relying on AWS, tend to ask. Understanding why AWS is secure can help businesses make informed decisions about their cloud storage and data security.

This post aims to explain what the security structure, major attributes, and certifications of AWS are, and how to practically protect your data in the cloud. You will understand why AWS is one of the most secure cloud service providers, and also what role you play in the shared responsibility model AWS employs. 

AWS Security Prerequisites 

AWS’s security foundation starts from a global infrastructure and broadens to an impressive variety of features that companies can benefit from. This is a few of the major security architectural pillars AWS employs:

1. Physical Security  

AWS has data centers in undisclosed regions around the world. These centers have numerous levels of physical security to protect against breach of sensitive data.  Some on-site security measures include 24/7 surveillance, biometric access controls, and trained guards.  In addition, AWS data centers are also built to survive environmental catastrophes with strict geographic redundancy limits.  

2. Network Security  

AWS uses a wide range of tools and methods to protect its international network infrastructure, such as: 

Firewalls and DDoS Protection: Powerful firewall control systems, as well as tools like AWS Shield, have been integrated into the AWS systems to protect against DDoS attacks.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): Public exposure can be restrained using AWS VPC, which provides organizations with separate network resources that they can control with customizable routing rules. 

End-To-End Encryption (E2EE): Strong AES encryption (SSL/TLS) protocols are used on data transferred through AWS for protection while in transit and when at rest.  

3. Identity and Access Management  

AWS ensures sensitive information does not end up in the wrong hands by implementing strict identity and access measures. These include:  

AWS Identity, a feature that provides AWS Identity and Access Management Users and its users with the ability to restrict certain data or actions to specific people.  

Multi-Factor Authentication is an added layer of protection, with authentication combining two or more factors.  

Temporary security credentials are available for developers and applications working within the AWS environment.

4. Automatic Backup  

AWS services are available everywhere. With its servers positioned throughout the world, and with a design philosophy centered on redundancy, data and applications hosted on AWS are highly fault tolerant.  

Accreditations and Adherence to Legislation  

AWS ranks the best in compliance and certifications. For businesses in highly regulated industries like finance and healthcare, AWS offers the best services without worrying about meeting standards.

Compliance Certifications

AWS has obtained more than 90 compliance certifications globally. Some of these are:    

ISO 27001 (Information Security Management)   

PCI DSS Level 1 (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)   

SOC 1, 2, 3 Controls at a Service Organization Audit.

Healthcare and Industry Compliance  

AWS also adheres to compliance requirements that are important for industries that involve sensitive data.    

HIPAA Compliance for secure healthcare data.    

CJIS for use cases involving government.   

EU Data Regulation Compliance  

For multinational businesses, AWS’s compliance with GDPR ensures that firms in Europe can operate confidently knowing they are within the legal framework.   

Shared responsibility model   

Although AWS provides some of the best security features, it is essential to know that security is everyone’s duty.   

What is AWS accountable for?   

WS has the responsibility of protecting the infrastructure that hosts all AWS services, including hardware, data center, and network infrastructure.

What is Your Responsibility? 

Customers are responsible for maintaining the balance above the foundation. This covers:  

Updating the settings of any AWS service (ex: s3 bucket policy).

Managing identities and access within the company.

Encrypting sensitive information and securing the application.

AWS serves as a tool for us, which makes strong internal policies and best practices necessary.

More Security Tools Offered by AWS  

Why is AWS secure? AWS innovates and adds more to its security arsenal, which offers more solutions for insecure clouds. Understanding why AWS is secure involves exploring some standout features and tools that reinforce its robust cloud protection capabilities.   

1. AWS Security Hub There is one security alert for each compliance check against all your AWS accounts under AWS Security Hub. It works to streamline all maintenance through integration with third-party systems.  

2. GuardDuty AWS GuardDuty uses Big Data Analytics for working cloud misconduct detection and monitoring. It employs threat-scanning algorithms and processes information from VPC flow logs and DNS queries to find threats.   

3. AWS KMS (Key Management Service) Users can encrypt anything, but using cryptographic keys they create and manage over their environment with AWS KMS. This will ensure security and easy management of data.   

4. AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall) This is an adjustable firewall that protects applications from exploitation like SQL injections and cross-site scripting.

Are There Risks In Using AWS With No Security Protection?  

Even though the reputation of Amazon Web Services is good, it does not mean there are no risks. Most security issues with AWS stem from human error or improper configurations instead of the AWS interface.  

Most Used Configurations for Misconfiguration: 

Under-rotation of insecure access keys.  

Misconfigurations created by keeping S3 buckets opened.

Over code IAM users or roles.  

Simply adhering to AWS's documentation and applying basic security principles can greatly lower such risks for companies.  

AWS Security Best Practices 

Here are some suggestions on how to enhance your AWS security every day.  

Secure Your Root Account.

Set up multi factor authentication for your AWS root account. This account is the most powerful and therefore must be managed with utmost care.

Use IAM Policies Wisely.

Assign users as minimal privilege as possible to successfully perform their roles.  

Monitor Your Environment  

CloudTrail or AWS Config are powerful tools that allow you to track activity and disable anything you deem a non-standard access or configuration change.  

Encrypt Everything 

Make it a habit to set encryption for data at rest and encryption for data in transit. Services such as AWS S3, RDS and others allow encryption settings to be picked.  

Regularly Audit and Optimize Permisison   

Permissions policies and access roles should constantly be monitored and audited. Check if they meet the organization's security benchmarks.  

Final Thoughts: Is AWS Secure Enough?  

The question “Why is AWS Secure?” is answering the question in simple terms… yes! AWS is one of the most secure cloud services. It has many features, including compliance certificates, among other things, to protect your business operations.

The company spends a lot of resources in investigations, structures and equipment to help manage the complexity of cybersecurity threats. 

It needs to be emphasized that there is no cloud solution that can be ‘set-and-forget’. Your organization can leverage AWS more effectively with complete peace of mind by understanding AWS's shared responsibility model and applying best security practices.

Interested in finding out how your business can securely utilize AWS for more productivity? Give us a call now, and start your cloud transformation journey today.