Securing the Cloud

Vic (J.R.) Winkler is a Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, providing technical consultation to U.S. Government clients. He is a published InfoSec and cyber security researcher as well as an expert in intrusion/anomaly detection.

• Introduction1. Introduction to Cloud Computing and Security2. Cloud Computing Architecture3. Security Concerns, Risk Issues, and Legal Aspects4. Securing the Cloud: Architecture5. Securing the Cloud: Data Security6. Securing the Cloud: Key Strategies and Best Practices7. Security Criteria: Building an Internal Cloud8. Security Criteria: Selecting an External Cloud Provider9. Evaluating Cloud Security: An Information Security Framework10. Operating a Cloud

"With so much buzz around Cloud Computing, books like this one written by Winkler are much in demand. Winkler’s experience in the computing business shines through and as readers we are spoiled with a great deal of useful strategic information jam packed almost 300 page volume on securing the cloud. As a former pre-sales engineer, what I loved most about this book was the obvious hands-on strategic and technical experience that Winkler bought to every aspect of it. It is really a practitioner’s guide to cloud computing security. I appreciated the descriptive figures, the tips, the warnings, the notes, the tools, the stories of failures and successes but most of all the comprehensive nature of the real world descriptions." --Computers & Security"Securing the Cloud is the most useful and informative of all the books published to date on cloud security. If you are going to procure a cloud solution, or are already operating a cloud system, I would strongly recommend that you buy a copy." --Best Identity Management Book by InfoSecReviews Book Awards"The author states this book will be a practical resource for anyone who is considering using, building or securing a cloud implementation, including infrastructure engineers, integrators, security architects, right up to execute-level management. The challenge with such a broad audience is pitching the text at the right level; I suspect some security professionals and executives may find the book far too detailed …. In the final chapter the author covers the operational aspects of managing a secure cloud. Overall a fairly technical but effective book, although perhaps a little too in-depth for execute-level management" --BCS.org"Overall, this book is effective in delivering its message. However, it is very technical in nature; readers should be aware that it is more than a basic level text for understanding the requirements to be considered in securing cloud computing networks." --SecurityManagement.com"[Winkler] – who has an impressive background in security, including at government level – makes a valiant attempt to cover the challenges that face them…The book doesn’t so much as tell you how to do it as provide a generic blueprint detailing all the factors you’ll need to consider to make safe use of cloud services…What [Winkler] does successfully is create a document against which you can judge your own policies and strategies. There are so many facets to cloud computing – and particularly to securing it – that it’s easy to overlook something important. With this book, you can evaluate your plans and see where the gaps are." --networksecurity.com"provides the reader with a good overview of what you need to do to ensure that your cloud-based infrastructure provides you with an adequate level of security…The booked is written for those who need a good high-level framework in which to design security around their cloud initiatives. The author provides many real-world examples of how you can implement the various scenarios he details. This makes some of the more abstract concepts a bit easier to understand."--Ben Rothke: Security Reading Room"Overall, Winkler’s book certainly achieves its goal, that is to ‘help one facilitate the design, deployment and secure using of a cloud.’ The work confirms that even advanced issues may be presented and explained in a transparent and comprehensible way. The author manages to guide a reader through all steps in cloud computing, from implementation or choice of a service provider to efficient protection of a user’s data. This book is highly recommended to network engineers but may also be worth reading for anyone interested in cloud computing." --IEEE Communications September 2011, p. 20