What are the best practices of cloud computing privileged user access? Check out this topic for more information.
What Is Cloud Computing Privileged User Access?
Before we delve into the best practices, let us define what privileged user access is and what it is not.
Currently, privileged user access to cloud computing services is an account that has a full set of administrative rights. This type of access allows users to perform all tasks associated with a system.
Because cloud computing services are often accessed remotely, it is important that customers have a secure way of granting their privileged users access to the service.
Best Practices of Cloud Computing Privileged User Access
Now that we have defined privileged user access, let us explore some best practices for achieving it.
Enable SSH-Key authentication
SSH keys are the most common way to provide a secure way for users to access privileged access. In essence, an SSH key is a pair of cryptographic keys that are used to authenticate a user.
This method of authentication uses strong public-key cryptography. This enables it to encrypt data sent between systems and in doing so, ensures that only authorized users can access the system.
Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all privileged accounts
You wouldn’t want to go on a vacation and leave all your doors unlocked. The same logic applies to cloud computing services. Some services allow you to have multiple privileged users.
To ensure that no one has unauthorized access, you should audit the accounts periodically. So, you can ensure that only authorized users can access them. You can do this by using the service’s own reporting tools or by using third-party auditing tools.
Use multifactor authentication to reduce the risk of compromise
Multifactor authentication is a way of reducing the risk of compromise. This works by requiring users to provide multiple pieces of information when logging into a system.
This means that even if someone has your username and password, they would not be able to gain access to your account without the token.
Do not allow admins to share accounts
It may seem obvious, but it is important that privileged accounts are not shared between users. This could leave your systems vulnerable.
The reason for this is that it means that any user who has access to the account can change the account details. So, they can potentially compromise the security of the system.
Restrict access to privileged accounts
Restricting access to privileged accounts is one of the best practices you can follow. This means that if a user leaves or is fired, you can simply remove their access to privileged accounts.
This will also help ensure that only authorized users have access.
Change default usernames and passwords
Because users have to use the default credentials, this means that hackers can easily guess their passwords.
So, you should change the default usernames and passwords for all your privileged accounts. You can do this by using the service’s configuration settings or by contacting the support team.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article was helpful. To get more information about cloud computing privileged user access and related topics, check out more from our blog.