Ensuring Security When Managing Desktops in Cloud Computing

By Judith Hurwitz, Robin Bloor, Marcia Kaufman, and Fern Halper from Cloud Computing For Dummies

3 of 4 in Series: The Essentials of Desktops in Cloud Computing

Ensuring the security of every user access device in a company can be tough. Here are some security approaches to safeguard your access devices while using cloud computing services:

Secure access control: This approach may involve simple password protection, or it may involve more sophisticated (token-based or biometric) authentication. Secure access control reduces security breaches.
Identity management: Identity management defines the user in a global context for the whole corporate network. It makes it possible to link users directly to applications or even application functions. This approach delivers network-wide security, associating permissions with roles or with individual users.
Integrated threat management: Normally, you have to counter a variety of security threats through several security products, both on the client and in the data center:
- Virtual private networks secure remote communications lines for using virtualized desktops from home or from remote offices.
- Intruder-detection systems monitor network traffic to identify intruders.
- White-listing products limit which programs are allowed to run.
Automated security policy: Ultimately, with the right processes and technology, you can manage some aspects of IT security to some degree via policy. Some products manage logging activity so that all network users’ activities are logged, for example. Also, you can define policies within identity management software to designate who has the right to authorize access to particular services or applications.