It is true that the Cloud is one of the most flexible platforms for database and storage, but it also has the most stringent security protocols - and this blog will show you why and how cloud security is put at the top of the list.
In the context of cloud technology, there is always the question of security - whether there are sufficient security measures in place to prevent disaster from occurring. In the ever-evolving world of technology solutions, this is more true than ever. There have been numerous advancements in the field of technology, as a result of cloud-based solutions. However, disasters like the Apple iCloud leak in 2014 have demonstrated that data within a cloud can be leaked, as well. With numerous improvements in cloud security over the years, the system has improved significantly over the years.
A cloud computing solution is now more than a buzzword of the past; it is being applied across a variety of industries in the 21st century and is being implemented across a variety of industries. In the current day and age, there are many industries that are taking advantage of cloud computing, whether they are consumer applications, business data storage, or software development. Cloud computing is often used for the purpose of storing data, but it is much more than that. Cloud computing enhances users’ computing capabilities, meaning users don’t have to rely on the limited resources of their physical computer. Cloud computing has brought scalability and flexibility to computing. Cloud solutions have removed the need to implement complex systems from the equation, instead making it easier for users to perform operations and develop software. One of the industries in particular that has greatly benefited from this way of operating has been the pharmaceutical industry.
Is there a reason why the pharmaceutical industry is so significant?
In light of the fact that cloud technology is being implemented throughout a wide range of industries, the pharmaceutical industry can be seen to be a major beneficiary of cloud-based solutions. In the pharmaceutical industry, complex data is handled on a massive scale. Software as a Service (SaaS) is the industry's bread and butter. In this case, the cloud will be used to store pharmaceutical-specific software and data for companies that operate in the pharmaceutical industry. As part of the software being used by biopharmaceutical enterprises, these enterprises collect data that is very crucial to their business. In addition, they also need to process and transfer that data in bulk. Cloud computing can streamline the whole process for them. Therefore, cloud security is an extremely crucial issue for the pharmaceutical industry.
There are several reasons why cloud security is so critical to the pharmaceutical industry, including the fact that EU and US regulations play a significant role in this field. In December 2018, the FDA issued a Q&A Guidance Document addressing the issue of Data Integrity and Compliance with Drug CGMP. This document was in response to the numerous data integrity violations that were identified during CGMP inspections. In addition, there is another very obvious reason why the pharmaceutical industry relies on cloud security, and that is due to the nature of the data itself. Pharma companies frequently process complex and numerous data that is extremely relevant to their operations, such as research and development. As a result, if the company's data were to be leaked as a result of a malfunction or corporate espionage, the company would suffer massive losses and setbacks. Consequently, cloud-based technologies in the pharmaceutical industry require a high level of security when they are implemented.
A little bit about our work with Amazon Web Services for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Europe. In our case, we migrated Salesforce data from Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) to Salesforce, which was one of our major projects. One of the first steps in enhancing cloud security was to move the entire process to Amazon Web Services instead of a local computer. This was one of the first steps taken. As a result, there is no chance that any of the data could be intercepted or any breach caused by an inexperienced developer. It was necessary to move data from Vault and Veeva, the end-user solutions for Adobe Experience Manager, into AEM.
CIAM/CDP is a database where all the data from the AEM end user solutions is stored. Therefore, it is crucial to keep in mind that this is a database where all professionals can gain access to their data. Moreover, it is a database to which all professionals have access. To ensure the security of this valuable data, all development was conducted on AWS; utilizing a VPN to secure the connection and data transfer, which means the admin end user is only able to access CIAM/CDP through the VPN.
Security in the Cloud: What the Future Holds
As a result, we're all aware that this technology will continue to develop and evolve moving forward - even if it becomes obsolete with the next technological disruption. Most enterprises are focusing on mitigating digital risks in order to make sure their valuable data does not fall into the hands of unauthorized individuals in the coming years. This is, according to Gartner. As virtual computing evolves, so does cloud security — because security protocols need to keep up and counter any vulnerabilities that can be exploited in the future. I believe we will see a number of key trends in cloud security in the future. This is as a result of some extensive research into how we maintain our cloud security and many other professional sources. These are the main trends I believe we will be seeing in the future for cloud security.
Inclusion of AI/ML As artificial intelligence is being integrated in all technological innovations, it will become a key factor in Industry 4.0. It has been predicted by The New Stack that machine learning will become an integral part of maintaining cloud security over the next decade. By detecting and learning user behaviors and input, machine learning can be used to create and adjust security protocols based on these findings. This will enable you to keep intruders at bay by creating and changing security protocols.
Manage Vulnerability With cloud computing advancing at a rapid pace, it has become essential that users are trained on the importance and approaches to maintaining cloud security. This is because the industry continues to evolve. Cloud computing has evolved to the point that it is almost impossible to blame any mishap on cloud service providers. ZYMR pointed out that cloud service providers constantly update their security infrastructures. This can lead to security blunders such as remote work logging, insider threats, misconfigured systems, distributed denials of service, convergence of the IT and OT sectors, compromise of credentials, inadequate due diligence, insecure APIs, crypto-jacking, weak security measures, IoT devices or containers, or any other unprecedented factor that may result in security blunders. In the future, this will lead to the rise of a number of security microservices and containers. The use of containerized apps has made it very easy for users to manage and work in the cloud. As a result, anything that might represent a weak link needs to be audited and fixed as soon as possible.
Cloud Related Regulations and Compliance I previously pointed out that software companies are required to comply with FDA Q&A guidelines as well as following clinical practice guidelines. This is in order to work in the pharmaceutical industry. There are many practices of cloud security that exist in the present, such as data encryption and compliance regulations. It is expected that there will be more stringent and industry-focused laws in the future. For example, there are many practices of cloud security through data encryption; and compliance regulations in the banking and healthcare industries.
We can tell you from first hand experience how critical it is to ensure cloud security when using cloud computing services. This rings true for industries such as pharmaceuticals, where millions of valuable data is collected, stored, and worked on. With our extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, we are familiar with the security needs of this sector.
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