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How to Ensure your AWS Cloud Environment Remains Compliant

Posted by QuoteColo on March 05, 2018 - Updated on December 12, 2017

Security is nearly always a concern, including when moving from a server to the cloud. You want to be sure your migration goes off without a hitch, but you also want to ensure that security is tight after everything is running on the cloud. One of the most significant security measures to be aware of is regulatory compliance. There are many regulations and rules that businesses are required to follow, and it can be challenging to know all of them and keep them appropriately implemented.

How Amazon Web Services Helps

A good partner is hard to find, but a good partner is also who is going to help you with those security concerns. Amazon Web Services is a partner that offers not only security but answers to questions regarding the compliance of your business. Amazon Web Services (AWS) gets thousands of questions regarding compliance in an average month. They have even added an FAQ to answer many of the questions that are common. We’ll go over a few of those below to give you some clarification.

Compliance Requirements

Enterprises that operate in the cloud must ensure they are compliant with all regulations and law. It’s also up to the company to determine whether its AWS services meet the requirements. Attestations and certifications of compliance are assessed by a third-party, independent auditor. The result is an audit report, attestation of compliance, or certification. There are many assurance programs that a business can certify in, including SOC 1, 2, and 3, PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 9001, and FedRAMP.

AWS also offers security features, legal agreements, and compliance enables to support compliance of customers. Some of the many assurance programs provided include VPAT / Section 508, ITAR, HIPAA, and EU Model Clauses.

On top of that, AWS provides functionality and enablers for compliance frameworks and alignments. Others are covered by other compliance programs under AWS. Some of the assurance programs available include NERC, FISMA, FISC, and CJIS.

Shared Responsibility Model

Of course, not every compliance model is covered by AWS as AWS has a Shared Responsibility Model. That means that AWS manages the actual cloud’s security, but businesses are responsible for security and compliance within the cloud. As such, a company must determine what needs to be implemented to protect networks, files, and infrastructure.

AWS Configuration Rules

The good news is, AWS doesn’t leave you alone with these decisions. AWS offers a resource called AWS Config, which all AWS community members have access to. People can provide their expertise about topics, making it a place with a lot of knowledge. This can be a simple way to automate compliance and assessment against the best practices of security in AWS resources.

Security Incident Response Plan

The formal incident response plan is also a source to find help with detailing a plan. You need to realize a stable plan will address numerous things, including management commitment, responsibilities, roles, scope, and purpose. AWS uses three phases for incident management: detecting a specific incident, addressing that event with a team that is specialized in it, and conducting an extensive analysis of the cause of the incident. In addition, mechanisms are available that alert the customer support team of operational problems that could limit how customers might use AWS.

When it comes to compliance, it’s important to be on top of things. The first and best step before developing an incident response plan is to be educated. If you have a specific compliance you’re after, you might seek information from someone who has already reached compliance. This will give you nuanced information and prevent you from making mistakes that could be avoided.

Categories: Cloud

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