A Short Introduction to Infrastructure Security: What You Need to Know

Infrastructure security is a set of actions and operations to protect the critical infrastructure from different types of cyberattacks or disasters. In the last few years, the number of such attacks overgrew, and the importance of security for infrastructure became critical for preventing damage and saving the data. In this article, we focus on network and cloud infrastructure security as the most discussed topics. We outline the principles and critical steps in building infrastructure protection and define the benefits of improving infrastructure protection software.

WHAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY GOAL?
Security has become one of the most critical issues in any organization, primarily if it works with data. Cyberattacks have proliferated in the last years, and IT security infrastructure has become crucial in many industries. For example, in times of pandemic, cybercrime increased to 600%. Moreover, malicious software, ransomware attacks, and crypto-jacking became the most significant infrastructure vulnerabilities in 2021.

The main goal of infrastructure security is to reduce the level of risks the organization faces. At the same time, many companies have advanced software with on-premises and cloud-based systems. That is why we will speak about network infrastructure security and cloud infrastructure and its vulnerable points.

The security of Infrastructure can include the safety of the following levels:

Physical level means protection of the places where the software is installed. It can be lockers, backup generators, security cameras, and others.
Network-level includes traffic encryption, use of authentication, and authorization systems. On this level, the goal is to protect the data traveling into, out of, or across the network.
Application-level is the protection of data in apps. It can be implemented with SQL injections or creating protection systems against malicious software.
Data level includes data protection that can be stored in different places.
For infrastructure security, it is essential to manage all the levels, as it stands as the core of business operations for each organization.

WHAT IS NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY?
Network infrastructure security is a process of protecting network infrastructure by implementing measures to deny unauthorized access or software modification. It is a complicated process, as network security typically uses most enterprise resources. Network-level used to be the most significant in security operations, so we have many methods to protect networks. Network infrastructure usually consists of a large number of hardware and software components. Moreover, network infrastructure software is most vulnerable, such as server operating systems, firewalls, and network communication systems.

Networking infrastructure security software applies to monitor system to prevent cyber attacks, protect it from unsecured access, and allow only authorized users to use the network. There are a few types of network security infrastructure you can follow to protect your organization:

Access control ensures that unauthorized users or devices cannot approach the network.
Application security to block potential threats.
Virtual private network (VPN) to provide secure channels for network users.
Behavioral analysis to detect unusual activity in the network.
Firewalls to prevent or allow specific traffic from the web.
Wireless security as wireless networks is less protected than hardwired networks and needs additional protection measures.
WHAT IS CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY?
Another vital point in protecting the network is how to protect it if the network exists in the cloud. Cloud infrastructure security is a set of actions to preserve resources deployed in a cloud environment. On some points, cloud infrastructure is more vulnerable than on-premises systems, as it can be easily exposed to the public network.

At the same time, there is much-advanced software, such as AWS infrastructure security, to protect the system from cyber attacks. It also can be challenging to protect the cloud, as in many cases, organizations do not understand where their responsibility is and what security protection providers can ensure. In most cases, providers provide the security of storage and network layers.

There are three primary models you need to follow in implementing infrastructure security in cloud computing:

Public cloud security. Public cloud providers ensure the safety of infrastructure and provide tools for organizations to secure their workloads. The organization is still responsible for securing the data and ensuring that any new account in the cloud is secured.
Private cloud security. In this model, you will have control of all security levels. You can use traditional tools to protect the corporate cloud network. At the same time, there is a list of things you need to focus on for protecting the private cloud. For example, you need to use native monitoring tools to detect any unusual behavior in your workload.
Hybrid cloud security. This model connects on-premise networks, public cloud, and private cloud. The most critical thing, in this case, is to ensure that there are no separate security strategies for each environment. Also, you need to outline all integration points between domains and secure them.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY DANGERS?
Before we discuss the methods and tools for protecting the infrastructure, we need to delineate the most common threats to its security.

Fishing. It is still one of the most circulated types of damage for private and organizational networks. It is not easy to detect fishing nowadays, as attackers work with advanced techniques. Fishing is a type of infrastructure danger that separates users from their login credentials and then uses this data to access the network, stealing the money or intellectual property.
Ransomware. This is the type of attack to install maleficent software into the corporate network. With this software, attackers encrypt data and claim money from the enterprise. If the company does not pay, they will not have access to their files. At the same time, there is no guarantee that the attackers will return the access after you pay the ransom.
Botnets. This type of threat is usually used for DDoS attacks, mining cryptocurrency, or targeting IoT infrastructure. In many cases, the company does not know that botnets use its equipment or infrastructure.
Physical theft. In some cases, it is not enough to have advanced software for infrastructure protection. It can be inefficiency protected by physical barriers, such as lockers or alarm systems. Even a stolen laptop can cause the failure of infrastructure for the whole company.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SECURE IN CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE?
Next, we will outline key elements in cloud infrastructure you need to secure.

Accounts. Service accounts have a critical role in the cloud infrastructure, and when they are compromised, you can lose access to the whole system. Some versions can be created automatically and have default settings. You need to ensure the security of all accounts in the cloud network.

Servers. Cloud infrastructure is virtual, and physical servers can be located in different parts of the world. You can secure the cloud server by encrypting communication, using SSH keys, or giving access to the server only for users who need it.

Storage. In cloud system storage is virtual, but still, there are some ways to improve its security. You can remove unused data, classify data into sensitivity levels, identify which device is connected to the server, and map the data flow.

Databases. In cloud systems, databases can be damaged by exposure to public networks. To protect databases in cloud infrastructure, you can use database security policies, increase the security of configuration and instances, or end-user device security.

Network. To secure a cloud network, you can use Network Access Control Lists (ACL) to control virtual private networks or use firewalls as a service (FWaaS) for additional security.

BEST TECHNIQUES TO SECURE INFRASTRUCTURE
In the previous paragraphs, we discussed what to pay attention to in securing cloud infrastructure and the basic types of IT infrastructure security. Next, we will briefly point out the general rules for all kinds of infrastructure to protect it from attackers.

Ensure that your passwords are safe. If possible, also use two-factor authorization.
Check all the users and their access to the infrastructure frequently.
Use secure protocols for assets, such as SSH or SSL
Regularly backup the system.
Run stress-tests for the system to detect problems in infrastructure security
Remove all software that you are not using.
Check the firewall configuration.
We described the primary thing that can navigate you through infrastructure security services and help to improve them. Moreover, every organization needs to start the security of its strategy with infrastructure security. The benefits of infrastructure protection at some point are apparent. At the same time, there are some hidden aids, such as saving money by improving resource sharing, cheaper shared sites licenses, or protecting internal communication.

CONCLUSION
The number of attacks on software and critical infrastructures is snowballing, and it becomes more complicated to detect the attackers. Most enterprises need to improve infrastructure security and invest in new advanced software solutions. In Cprime Studios, you’ll find specialists to solve the problems with cloud and on-premise infrastructure. And if you need help in protecting the network infrastructure and preserving the whole organizational IT system, contact us.