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Cloud & Virtualized Environments (Part 2 of 2)
This episode of the ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep series moves from the virtualization foundations covered in Part 1 into the cloud itself. The episode examines cloud migration risks, the shared responsibility model that governs who secures what, cloud service and deployment options, the most significant cloud security threats, and the DevSecOps discipline that embeds security from the start of development.
What this episode covers
- Cloud migration — the three migration directions (on-premises to cloud, cloud to cloud, and reverse) and the security risks each transition carries.
- Shared responsibility model — how security duties are divided between cloud provider and customer, and why data accountability always stays with the organization.
- Cloud service models — Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), and how the control split changes across each.
- Cloud deployment models — public, private, hybrid, community, and multi-cloud, including how each affects the attack surface and data protection.
- Top cloud threats — identity and access management weaknesses, insecure interfaces, misconfiguration, poor change control, and data exfiltration patterns.
- DevSecOps — integrating development, security, and operations to shift security left and automate it throughout rapid cloud delivery cycles.
Watch the full episode above for the worked examples and detailed explanations of each concept.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main risks when migrating to the cloud?
Cloud migration risks include multi-tenancy where resources are shared with unknown parties, insecure interfaces and weak access controls, increased compliance complexity, data loss or corruption in transit, and loss of visibility once the provider takes over operations. Mitigation requires a migration plan, encryption of data at rest and in transit, strict access control, and automated processes to reduce misconfiguration.
What is the shared responsibility model in cloud security?
The shared responsibility model defines which security duties belong to the cloud provider and which remain with the customer. The provider secures the underlying infrastructure including hardware, virtualization, and physical data centers, while the customer is responsible for data, access management, encryption, and security policies. A key rule is that you can outsource the work but you cannot transfer the risk — the data remains your responsibility.
What are the three main cloud service models and how do they differ?
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides raw computing and storage, leaving the customer to control the operating system and applications. Platform as a Service (PaaS) gives developers a managed sandbox to build in. Software as a Service (SaaS) delivers a finished application ready to use. The more the provider manages, the less control the customer retains.
What is DevSecOps and why does it matter for cloud environments?
DevSecOps integrates development, security, and operations teams so that security is built into the software delivery process from the very start rather than added at the end. In cloud environments where releases are rapid, bolting security on afterward is impractical, so DevSecOps automates security checks and shares responsibility across all teams. The core principle is to shift security left, moving it to the earliest stages of the development cycle.
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Reference: This article is based on concepts discussed in Cloud & Virtualized Environments (Part 2 of 2).