Cloud Infrastructure Security Audit

 

A Cloud Infrastructure Security Audit evaluates the security of cloud environments, including cloud services (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), configurations, access controls, and data management policies. The audit ensures that the cloud infrastructure complies with industry security standards, best practices, and regulatory requirements.

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📋 Cloud Infrastructure Security Audit – Table Format

#	Audit Item	Control Description	Audit Method / Tool	Status / Risk	Recommendation
1	Cloud Service Provider (CSP) Security	Ensure that the cloud service provider meets security and compliance requirements	Review CSP security certifications (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2)	High	Use providers with strong security certifications
2	Cloud Account Management	Ensure proper account management practices (e.g., least privilege, MFA)	Review IAM policies, user roles, access keys	High	Implement MFA, role-based access control (RBAC)
3	Identity and Access Management (IAM)	Ensure that IAM roles are properly configured, enforcing least privilege	Review IAM role configurations, permissions	High	Restrict permissions to only what's needed
4	API Security	Ensure that cloud APIs are secure and access is properly controlled	Review API keys, OAuth tokens, API Gateway settings	High	Use API Gateway with authentication and rate limiting
5	Network Security	Ensure cloud network configurations follow best practices (e.g., VPC, subnets, firewalls)	Review network security group settings, NACLs	High	Segregate network layers and enforce firewall rules
6	Data Encryption	Ensure encryption for data at rest and in transit	Check encryption settings for storage, databases, and communication	High	Use encryption for sensitive data and enable TLS for communication
7	Cloud Configuration Management	Ensure cloud resources are securely configured (e.g., EC2 instances, storage buckets)	Use AWS Config, Azure Security Center, GCP Security Command Center	High	Use automated tools to monitor and enforce secure configurations
8	Logging and Monitoring	Ensure that all critical cloud resources are logged and monitored	Review CloudWatch, CloudTrail (AWS), Azure Monitor, GCP Stackdriver	High	Enable centralized logging and integrate with SIEM systems
9	Incident Response and Disaster Recovery	Ensure cloud environment has an incident response and disaster recovery plan	Review incident response policies, backup strategies	Medium	Implement backup automation and define response plans
10	Cloud Resource Tagging	Ensure all cloud resources are properly tagged for asset management	Review resource tagging policies	Medium	Implement mandatory resource tagging for cost tracking and security
11	Cloud Storage Security	Ensure cloud storage (e.g., S3, Blob Storage) is securely configured	Review permissions, access control lists (ACLs)	High	Set strict access policies for cloud storage buckets
12	Virtual Machine Security	Ensure virtual machines (VMs) and containers are securely configured	Review VM configurations, container registry policies	Medium	Harden VM images and enforce container security best practices
13	Vulnerability Management	Ensure vulnerability scanning and patching are implemented for cloud resources	Use tools like AWS Inspector, Azure Security Center, GCP Vulnerability Scanning	Medium	Regularly scan for vulnerabilities and apply patches
14	Cloud Billing and Cost Management	Ensure cloud resource usage is properly monitored to avoid overprovisioning and security risks	Review cost reports, usage patterns	Low	Implement budget alerts and use cost optimization tools
15	Multi-Region / Multi-Cloud Security	Ensure proper configuration for multi-region or multi-cloud environments	Review cross-region replication settings, IAM roles	Medium	Enforce secure practices across regions and clouds
16	Container and Orchestration Security	Ensure containers and orchestration platforms (e.g., Kubernetes) are secure	Review Kubernetes RBAC, container security policies	High	Use secure container images and enforce least privilege in Kubernetes
17	Access Logging	Ensure that access logs are enabled for all cloud resources	Review CloudTrail logs, storage access logs	High	Enable logging for all access and integrate with SIEM
18	Compliance Standards	Ensure that cloud infrastructure meets compliance standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI)	Review configuration against compliance checklists	High	Align cloud infrastructure with relevant compliance frameworks
19	Third-Party Services	Ensure third-party integrations are secure (e.g., SaaS, PaaS)	Review third-party access policies	Medium	Review third-party contracts and implement secure access controls
20	Cloud Backup Security	Ensure that backup solutions for cloud services are secure	Review backup encryption, access control	Medium	Encrypt backups and ensure they are stored securely

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🛠 Tools for Cloud Infrastructure Security Audits

Tool	Purpose
AWS Config	Tracks configuration changes and helps monitor compliance
Azure Security Center	Provides security management and threat protection for Azure
Google Cloud Security Command Center	Provides centralized security and compliance monitoring for Google Cloud
CloudTrail (AWS)	Monitors API activity and logs events in AWS
CloudWatch (AWS)	Monitors cloud resources and applications in AWS
Terraform	Infrastructure as code (IaC) for automated cloud configuration management
Kubernetes (K8s) Security	Ensures secure container orchestration and management
OpenSCAP	Security auditing tool for cloud services based on security standards
Tenable.io	Vulnerability scanning for cloud infrastructure
Prisma Cloud	Cloud security and compliance platform by Palo Alto Networks

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📄 Deliverables from a Cloud Infrastructure Security Audit

Deliverable	Description
Cloud Security Audit Report	Findings from the audit, including misconfigurations, risks, and security gaps
Remediation Action Plan	Specific actions and steps to address identified issues
Compliance Mapping Report	Mapping of cloud configurations to relevant compliance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA)
Vulnerability Management Report	A list of vulnerabilities discovered, including risk levels and suggested remediation
Security Configuration Checklist	A checklist of secure configurations based on best practices (CIS, NIST, etc.)
Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan	Document detailing the cloud environment's backup and recovery process

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🔐 Compliance Mapping

Standard	Relevant Controls
ISO 27001	A.9 (Access Control), A.12 (Operations Security), A.18 (Compliance)
NIST 800-53	AC-3 (Access Control), SC-12 (System and Communications Protection), AU-6 (Audit Monitoring)
PCI DSS	Req. 2 (Firewall Configuration), Req. 10 (Log Monitoring)
HIPAA	164.312 (Access Control and Transmission Security), 164.308 (Security Management Process)
GDPR	Article 32 (Security of processing), Article 25 (Data Protection by Design)

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Would you like a customized cloud infrastructure audit checklist for a specific cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), or need assistance implementing cloud security best practices?