# IaaS Security Best Practices To Follow | Capterra > IaaS security is complex. Staying on top of IaaS security best practices is essential for data protection. Use our comprehensive guide to ensure you're following secure practices. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/iaas-security-best-practices --- Digital SecurityIT & Software Development # IaaS Security Best Practices To Follow By Adam Carpenter Adam Carpenter Adam Carpenter is a writer specializing in tech, fintech, and marketing topics for small businesses. He is a frequent contributor to Capterra. [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/acarpenter/) Published December 13, 2022 8 min read Table of Contents - [Security risks with IaaS](#security-risks-with-iaas) - [IaaS security best practices](#iaas-security-best-practices) ## Keep up with IaaS security best practices to protect your data. Decisions around Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) security are challenging because of the inherent complexity of IaaS systems and, in some cases, a lack of visibility into how an IaaS platform protects your resources.  If you’re a business owner, manager, or IT professional, this guide to IaaS security best practices can help you ensure your assets are protected. Let's take a look at the security risks that come with IaaS, before diving into the best approach to minimize them. Want more information on Infrastructure-as-a-Service overall? Learn what it is, its benefits, typical features and cost, as well as specific considerations when purchasing IaaS software in our buyers guide. [](https://www.capterra.com/infrastructure-as-a-service-solutions-software/#buyers-guide-content) ## Security risks with IaaS Despite the convenience, scalability, and low maintenance of IaaS systems, they come with unique security risks, particularly because you have to entrust your data, computing, and networking to an external services provider.  But at the end of the day, many of the security risks you face with an IaaS solution are similar to those facing any internet-connected computing environment. Here are some of the primary risks to be aware of: - **Data exfiltration**. When you use an IaaS solution, your business data storage system may be connected to the internet, which gives hackers a chance to try to steal sensitive information. While data-related incidents are often referred to as “leaks,” in reality, they often come as a result of complex or advanced attacks. - **Data loss**: Unlike data theft, data loss can come from a malicious act or an accident. For example, an employee who doesn’t understand the value of the data in a system could delete valuable files. At the same time, attackers may also penetrate your system and purposely erase information or hold it hostage as part of a ransomware attack - **Unauthorized access**: Unlike a traditional environment where users have on-premise computers and devices, an IaaS setup can be accessed via the internet by anyone with the correct credentials. This means that unless all users practice proper cyber hygiene, their credentials could end up in the hands of a malicious actor looking to break into the system. - **Inside attacks**: Inside attacks typically come from disgruntled employees or those who have been paid off as part of a cyber espionage scheme. Sometimes, however, a former employee who still has access credentials can get into an IaaS system and cause trouble. By deleting former employees’ access privileges, you can prevent many insider attacks. - **Malware and denial-of-service attacks**: As with all server-based environments, IaaS solutions could be vulnerable to both malware and denial-of-service attacks. But if your provider has next-generation firewalls and intrusion detection systems in place, they can prevent many such assaults. The good news is none of these threats have to stop you from embracing an IaaS model, especially if you enact the following best practices. ## IaaS security best practices Despite an overall increase in hacker activity and the types of threats organizations have been exposed to of late, there’s a lot you can do to keep your systems secure. When it comes to an IaaS solution, ensuring adequate security comes down to a few key considerations. ### Knowing the IaaS security model of your provider The security model of your IaaS provider is your primary line of defense. In some ways, an IaaS environment is a lot like any other situation where you entrust a remote entity with the safety of something you hold dear—whether it’s a storage facility, a bank, or a babysitter. You need to understand how they protect things that are essential elements of your life. Here are some security tools and methodologies to ask your IaaS provider about: - **What systems are used to keep** [**application protocol interfaces (APIs)**](https://www.capterra.com/api-management-software/) **secure from attackers?** APIs are accessible via the internet, so your provider should be able to outline exactly how they keep the ones that control your IaaS environment secure. - **Intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) and intrusion detection systems (IDSs)should lie at the heart of an IaaS security solution.** Your provider should not only have systems in place that block threats, but should also be using [network monitoring solutions](https://www.capterra.com/network-monitoring-software/) that can detect suspicious activity. - **Some IaaS providers use network segmentation to apply individual security solutions to specific parts of your cloud environment.** For example, they may keep one area of your network separate using a [firewall](https://www.capterra.com/network-monitoring-software/) while another firewall protects your overall infrastructure. This can be valuable in preventing threats from moving laterally through your system. - **Are virtual firewalls used to safeguard specific workloads?** Your IaaS provider may offer virtual firewalls that can be positioned in front of business-critical applications. For some organizations, this provides an extra level of confidence in securing their most important workloads. #### Understand your provider’s approach to shared responsibility Regardless of the tools your IaaS provider has at their disposal, it’s important to understand which elements of security they are responsible for and which ones fall on your shoulders.  For example, some providers may guarantee the safety of your stored data, but many won’t promise that the applications you use will be safe from breaches, especially because you (the client) provide the applications that are run in the IaaS ecosystem.  **But it’s important to understand who is supposed to secure what—and get it in writing—so you can work with your IaaS provider to keep all assets safe.** ### Set up strict access protocols By using strict access protocols, you greatly increase the degree of difficulty for hackers and, as a result, drastically shrink your attack surface.  You can use some of the following approaches to reduce the risk of an unauthorized individual getting into your IaaS environment: - **Role-based access controls (RBAC)** focuses on only providing access to people who need that segment of your network to do their jobs. For example, someone in accounting probably wouldn’t need to access a web development platform, and a programmer wouldn’t need to access a client information database—unless they were building an app that used it. The fewer people with access, the less likely your system will suffer a breach. - **Zero trust security principles** presume that every person, application, and network that tries to access your system is a threat. Only after they have confirmed their identity are they allowed into your network. This means that even employees won’t have the right to re-enter sessions they exited minutes before unless they can re-verify who they are. - [**Multi-factor authentication**](https://www.capterra.com/multi-factor-authentication-software/) forces users to provide at least one extra method of verifying their identities, such as a fingerprint scan or a physical device, in addition to a username and password. ### Encryption for data at rest By encrypting data at rest, you maintain its integrity while also protecting the systems that may use it in the future. With most IaaS providers, data encryption is par for the course. **Here’s how it works:** 1. Your IaaS provider uses an algorithm to encrypt your data, turning it into a set number of characters. 2. Only systems with which your IaaS storage components share a key can decipher the characters and make them readable. 3. The encryption algorithms are designed to make it impossible for someone to figure out the encryption system even if they have the original file and its encrypted form. As a result, if someone were to penetrate your system and access your provider’s cloud storage, they wouldn’t be able to read the data they were trying to corrupt or steal. ### Regular monitoring protocols and inventory By regularly monitoring your cloud assets, both you and your IaaS provider can detect network anomalies that signify malicious activity. Catching issues early in their lifecycle prevents them from ballooning into challenging business interruptions. For example, a [network monitoring system](https://www.capterra.com/network-monitoring-software/#buyers-guide) can detect when a large amount of data suddenly starts leaving your network. In some situations, this could be a sign of an external attacker stealing information or someone on the inside sending data to a malicious actor they’re collaborating with. With a monitoring system in place, you can catch this activity and put a stop to it immediately. Inventory, from the perspective of an IaaS provider, refers to virtual machines and the workloads they’re responsible for. By keeping track of your IaaS inventory, you can: - Understand how your most demanding workloads are handled by your cloud resources - Make adjustments and request more resources if necessary - Prevent a network asset from being overworked, which could result in vulnerabilities ### Consistent patching When you consistently patch the operating systems (OSs) and software you use in conjunction with your IaaS environment, you make it much more difficult for hackers seeking low-hanging fruit.  For instance, some attackers will try to take advantage of vulnerabilities that software providers have already addressed in a recent release. By simply applying a free patch, you cut these attackers off at the pass. This is one of the responsibilities you may have to shoulder on your own, especially because you’re the one who decides which software is run in your cloud environment. Fortunately, patching is often quick and easy, and if you’re ever worried about compatibility issues a quick chat with your software or OS provider can set your mind at ease. * * * Looking for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) software](https://www.capterra.com/infrastructure-as-a-service-solutions-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Author [### Adam Carpenter](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/acarpenter/) Adam Carpenter is a writer specializing in tech, fintech, and marketing topics for small businesses. He is a frequent contributor to Capterra. ### RELATED READING - [XLAs: How Experience‑Level Agreements Improve Help Desk Performance](https://www.capterra.com/resources/xlas/) - [Marketing ROI: Prioritizing Your Next Sales and Marketing CRM Investment](https://www.capterra.com/resources/marketing-roi-strategies/) - [How Integrating Email Automation With CRM Systems Boosts Customer Engagement](https://www.capterra.com/resources/integrating-email-automation-with-crm-systems/) - [ERP for Small Businesses: Do You Need It and What to Look For](https://www.capterra.com/resources/does-your-small-business-need-erp/) - [Project Management Software for Creative and Marketing Workflows](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-software-creative-marketing-workflows/) - [5 Key Learning Management Software (LMS) Features With Top Products That Offer Them](https://www.capterra.com/resources/key-features-of-learning-management-system/) - [How to Choose Project Management Software With Confidence: Insights From Real Buyers](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-software-buyer-insight/) - [LMS Pricing Models Explained: Hidden Costs, Plans, And Comparisons](https://www.capterra.com/resources/lms-pricing-models-guide/) - [Payroll Pricing Explained: Flat-Rate vs Per-Employee Models](https://www.capterra.com/resources/payroll-pricing-models-guide/)