A cloud computing service (PaaS) platform enables customers to create, protect, operate and manage online applications. This way, companies can develop and deploy applications without purchasing or ordering the IT infrastructure that supports them.
Overall, the platform supports the entire lifecycle of software development and use while giving developers and users access to the Internet.
Protecting a Platform as a Service (PaaS) environment
PaaS is often not as secure as an on-premises data center.
In an ideal world, the safety of the premises would translate into the security of the identity perimeter.
Therefore, the PaaS customer must prioritize identity as the primary security frontier. It is essential to protect code, data, and configurations through authentication, operations, monitoring, and logging.
Protecting applications from unknown and frequent threats
So far, the most effective approach is to use real-time automated security, which can detect and stop an attack automatically. PaaS users can use the platform's security features or third-party solutions.
Unauthorized access, attacks, or breaches must be detected and prevented immediately.
Protect user and application resources
Every contact is a possible attack surface. The best way to prevent attacks is to limit or restrict access to vulnerabilities and resources by untrusted people.
Even if the service provider secures the platform, the customer is ultimately responsible for security. The combination of the platform's built-in security features, add-ons, third-party solutions, and security methods significantly improves the protection of accounts, applications, and data.
Another approach is to restrict administrative access when setting up an auditing system to detect potentially dangerous activities by the internal team and external users.
Administrators should also limit user rights as much as possible. Users should have as few access rights as possible to ensure that programs or other actions are performed correctly. The attack surface is reduced, and privileged resources become vulnerable.
Security vulnerability scanning application
Use the findings to improve overall component security. For example, daily scans would be scheduled automatically based on application sensitivity and possible security risks in an ideal scenario. It is necessary to include a solution integrated into other tools, such as communications software, or used to notify the appropriate people when a security threat or attack is detected.
Analyze and resolve dependency-related security issues
Applications typically rely on direct and indirect open source requirements. If these weaknesses are not addressed, the application can become insecure.
API testing and third-party verification require analysis of internal and external components of the program. Patches, updates, or replacing a secure version of dependencies are all effective methods of combating threats.
Penetration testing and threat modeling
Penetration testing helps find out and fix security problems before attackers find and exploit them. However, penetration testing is aggressive and can seem like a DDoS attack. To prevent false alarms, security staff must work together.
Threat modeling involves simulating attacks from credible boundaries. This helps identify design weaknesses that can be exploited by attackers. As a result, IT teams can improve security and create a means to address any identified weaknesses or risks.
Tracking the user and file access
Privileged account management allows security teams to see how users interact with the platform. It also allows security teams to assess whether individual user actions pose a security or compliance risk.
Monitoring and recording user permissions and file actions will be very helpful. This way, you will detect unauthorized access, changes, downloads, and uploads. File activity monitoring systems should additionally log all users who have viewed a file.
The right solution should detect competing logins, suspicious activity, and repeated failed login attempts.
Restricted data access
One of the best practices can be data encryption during transport and storage. In addition, human attacks are prevented by securing the communication channels on the Internet.
If this is not possible, configure HTTPS to use a TLS certificate to encrypt and protect the channel and, therefore, the data.
Verify your data at all times
This ensures input data is secure and in the correct format.
Regardless of whether it comes from internal users or external security teams, all data should be considered high risk. If done correctly, client-side verification and security mechanisms should prevent the uploading of compromised or virus-infected files.
Vulnerability code
Analyze vulnerable code during development. Until the secure code has been checked, developers must not release the software into production.
Ensuring MFA
Multi-factor authentication ensures that only authorized users can access applications, data, and systems. For example, a password, OTP, SMS or mobile application can be used.
Ensuring password security
Most users choose weak passwords that are easy to remember and never update. Administrators can therefore minimize this security risk by using a firm password policy.
This requires the use of strong passwords that expire. Ideally, encrypted authentication tokens, credentials, and passwords should be stored and transmitted instead of plain text.
Authentication and authorization
Methods and protocols such as OAuth2 and Kerberos are suitable for authentication and authorization. However, while unique authentication codes are unlikely to expose systems to attackers, they are not error-free.
Basic management principles
Avoid using predictable cryptographic keys. Instead, use secure key distribution methods, change keys frequently, update keys promptly, and avoid hard key coding in applications.
Automatic key rotation increases security and compliance and reduces data vulnerability.
Control application and data access
Create auditable security policies with strict access restrictions. For example, limiting access to authorized employees and users is preferable.
Log collection and analysis
Application, API, and system logs contain valuable data. In addition, automatic log collection and analysis provide essential information. As built-in features or third-party add-ons, logging services are often excellent for ensuring compliance with security and other laws and regulations.
Use the log analyzer to interface with your alarm system, and support your application's technology stacks and your dashboard.
Keep a record of everything
This includes successful and unsuccessful login attempts, password changes, and other account-related events. You can also use an automated approach to prevent suspicious and insecure encounter activity.
Conclusion
It is now the responsibility of the customer or subscriber to secure the account, application, or data. Applications must be developed with suitable internal and exterior protection.
Log analysis identifies security weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. In an ideal world, security teams should identify risks and vulnerabilities before attackers become aware of them.
