6-1 Cloud Security Handbook - Find Out How to Effectively Secure Cloud Environments

What is encryption?

The process of converting plain text into cipher text.

What is symmetric encryption?

A way to transfer data using the same encryption key for both encryption and decryption.

What is asymmetric encryption?

A method of encryption that uses two different keys (public and private) for encryption and decryption.

What does KMS stand for in the context of cloud services?

Key Management Service.

What is the purpose of AWS KMS?

To generate and store cryptographic keys in a secure manner.

What is AES?

Advanced Encryption Standard, the de facto standard for encryption at rest.

What is the primary risk of failing to encrypt sensitive data?

Data exposure and potential lawsuits from customers and regulators.

What is plaintext?

The original human-readable form of information.

What is ciphertext?

The result of encryption that is not human-readable.

What is the Encryption key?

A string that, when combined with an encryption algorithm, encrypts or decrypts ciphertext.

What are the pros of symmetric encryption?

Small ciphertext size, suitable for large data transfers, low CPU resources, and fast encryption time.

What are the cons of symmetric encryption?

Considered less secure and confidential as both parties share the same key.

What is RSA?

A widely used protocol for encryption in transit, key establishment, and digital signatures.

What is the recommended key size for RSA?

Begin at 2,048 bits or higher.

What is the importance of encryption in cloud environments?

It helps maintain data confidentiality, especially due to multi-tenancy and public APIs.

What is the role of a Key Encryption Key (KEK) in KMSes?

Used for generating other encryption keys and is stored inside the KMS.

What is the purpose of AWS Secrets Manager?

To manage and secure sensitive information like database credentials and API keys.

What is the significance of AWS CloudTrail in the context of KMS?

To log all API calls made through AWS KMS.

What is Azure Key Vault?

Azure's key management, secrets management, and certificate management service.

What is the purpose of Google Cloud KMS?

To generate and store cryptographic keys in a regulated manner.

What is the recommended practice regarding the rotation of encryption keys?

Rotate all encryption keys every 365 days.

What does 'data at rest' refer to in encryption?

Data that is stored and not actively being transmitted.

What does 'encryption in transit' mean?

Protecting data as it travels across networks.

What is the purpose of using tagging in KMS?

To have a better understanding of which key belongs to which resource.