CYB206 – Cloud Systems Security

Cloud platforms are increasingly common in modern organisations. They provide valuable data storage, collaboration ability and flexibility, but they also introduce a new cybersecurity landscape that needs to be protected and managed. In this unit students are introduced to a holistic cloud systems security approach to secure systems design. Topics covered include: principles of cloud computing security, cloud delivery models, data asset management and protection in the cloud, cloud identity and access management. Vulnerability assessment and management for cloud-integrated platforms is the second core topic covered, wherein tools for securing cloud applications, including cloud native applications, will be defined. The topic will be complemented with hands-on experiments that are run in the labs. Other topics covered include virtual private clouds, security incident detection and response for the cloud, and tools usage for cloud incident response.

Learning Outcomes:

• Define and discuss the fundamentals of cloud computing
• Analyse cloud-based services including Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
• Explain cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities for cloud computing
• Assess cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities for cloud computing platforms
• Apply tools to examine cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities for cloud computing platforms and to design mitigation techniques that safeguard cloud platforms against identified threats