A Report on the Case Study on Cloud Technology

Security in constrained devices

Submitted to the Department of Computer Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

Submitted by
THOMAS ROBINSON A
Reg. No.:21UCS166
Under the guidance of
Dr. A. Vimal Jerald, M.C.A., M.B.A., M.Phil., PGDBI., (Ph.D.,)

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)

Accredited at A++ (Cycle IV) by NAAC
Special Heritage Status Awarded by UGC

TIRUCHIRAPPALLI – 620 002

OCTOBER 2023
Case Study on Cloud Technology Security in constrained
devices
_______________________________________________________________
 DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)
Accredited at A++ (Cycle IV) by NAAC
Special Heritage Status Awarded by UGC
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI – 620 002

DATE:

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Report on the Case Study on Cloud Technology Security for
Constrained Devices Report submitted to the Department Computer Science, St. Joseph’s
College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli, in partial fulfillment for the award of the Degree of
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE in Computer Science, is a bonafide record of the work done by
A.THOMAS ROBINSON (D.No. 21UCS166) under my guidance during the academic year
2023-2024.

Head of the Department Staff -In-charge

The viva-voce examination of this internship report is held on ---------------------- at

St. Joseph’s college (autonomous), Tiruchirappalli – 620 002

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

 CONTENTS

Ch.No. TITLE PAGE NO.

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. REVIEW OF CASE STUDY 2

3. MERITS AND DEMERITS 4

4. CONCLUSION 6

5. REFERENCE 7
 INTRODUCTION
A case study is a research method to gain a better understanding of a subject or process. Case
studies involve in-depth research into a given subject, in order to understand its functionality
and successes. A case study is an in-depth, detailed examination of a particular cases within a
real-world context. My Case Study on Cloud Technology Security in constrained devices
has revolutionized the way businesses and individuals manage and access data and
applications. At its core, cloud technology is a method of delivering computing services such
as servers, storage, databases, networking, and software over the internet. The data and
applications are hosted on servers in remote data centers, commonly referred to as "the
cloud." Users can access and utilize these resources on a pay-as-you-go basis, allowing for
optimal flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Securing constrained devices in cloud technology, both at the hardware and software levels,
is a critical endeavor in the realm of modern computing. Constrained devices, often found in
Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems, have limited computational resources, memory, and
energy capacity. Despite these limitations, they play a pivotal role in collecting, processing,
and transmitting valuable data. Ensuring the security of these devices is paramount to
maintain data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Hardware Security: In the context of constrained devices, hardware security involves

implementing measures directly at the physical level of the device. This includes
incorporating secure elements, specialized cryptographic processors, and Trusted Platform
Modules (TPMs). These components establish a secure foundation by providing a trusted
environment for cryptographic operations, secure boot processes, and key management.
Hardware security measures protect against physical tampering and unauthorized access,
forming the bedrock of a secure infrastructure.

Software Security: Software security encompasses a range of practices and protocols

designed to safeguard constrained devices against cyber threats. Lightweight cryptographic
algorithms and optimized security protocols are employed to secure data transmission and
storage. Additionally, secure coding practices, regular security updates, and vulnerability
assessments are crucial aspects of software security. Balancing robust security measures with
the limited processing capabilities of constrained devices is a key challenge in this domain.

1
 REVIEW OF CASE STUDY
This case study examines the implementation of robust security measures for constrained
devices within an Internet of Things (IoT) context, integrating them with cloud technology to
ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and system reliability.

Some Cloud Security Challenges:

Lack of visibility

It's easy to lose track of how your data is being accessed and by whom, since many cloud
services are accessed outside of corporate networks and through third parties.

Multitenancy

Public cloud environments house multiple client infrastructures under the same umbrella, so
it's possible your hosted services can get compromised by malicious attackers as collateral
damage when targeting other businesses.

Access management and shadow IT

While enterprises may be able to successfully manage and restrict access points across on-
premises systems, administering these same levels of restrictions can be challenging in cloud
environments. This can be dangerous for organizations that don't deploy bring-your-own
device (BYOD) policies and allow unfiltered access to cloud services from any device or
geolocation.

Compliance

Regulatory compliance management is oftentimes a source of confusion for enterprises using

public or hybrid cloud deployments. Overall accountability for data privacy and security still
rests with the enterprise, and heavy reliance on third-party solutions to manage this
component can lead to costly compliance issues.

Misconfigurations

Misconfigured assets accounted for 86% of breached records in 2019, making the inadvertent
insider a key issue for cloud computing environments. Misconfigurations can include leaving
default administrative passwords in place, or not creating appropriate privacy settings.

2
Types of Cloud Security solutions are available:

Identity and access management (IAM)

Identity and access management (IAM) tools and services allow enterprises to deploy policy-
driven enforcement protocols for all users attempting to access both on-premises and cloud-
based services. The core functionality of IAM is to create digital identities for all users so
they can be actively monitored and restricted when necessary during all data interactions.

Data loss prevention (DLP)

Data loss prevention (DLP) services offer a set of tools and services designed to ensure the
security of regulated cloud data. DLP solutions use a combination of remediation alerts, data
encryption, and other preventative measures to protect all stored data, whether at rest or in
motion.

Security information and event management (SIEM)

Security information and event management (SIEM) provides a comprehensive security

orchestration solution that automates threat monitoring, detection, and response in cloud-
based environments. Using artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies to correlate log
data across multiple platforms and digital assets, SIEM technology gives IT teams the ability
to successfully apply their network security protocols while being able to quickly react to any
potential threats.

Security Measures:

Secure Communication: Nest Secure employs encrypted communication protocols (e.g.,

HTTPS) to transmit data between devices and the cloud, ensuring privacy and integrity of the
data.

Regular Security Updates: The system receives regular over-the-air (OTA) security updates
to patch vulnerabilities, enhancing device security and keeping them up-to-date.

Device Authentication: Each device undergoes stringent authentication before being allowed
to connect to the cloud, preventing unauthorized access and malicious activities.

Data Encryption: Sensitive data, such as user credentials and security event logs, are
encrypted both at rest and in transit to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Targeted Social Media Marketing Ads:

You may have noticed that lately you are seeing ads for trendy shirts from your favorite store.
It catches your eye, so you scroll through the products that are advertised. The next day you
see the same or a similar ad. An algorithm is monitoring what you found interesting by how
long you hovered over something and what you clicked on. This is useful because it allows
you to create your own style, while finding products easier that you are actually interested in.

3
 MERITS AND DEMERITS

Merits:

1. Data Protection and Privacy:

Merit: Implementing robust security measures in both hardware and software helps protect
sensitive data transmitted and stored on constrained devices, ensuring privacy and
compliance with data protection regulations.

Merit: Encryption, access controls, and secure authentication mechanisms contribute to

keeping data confidential, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

2. Resilience against Attacks:

Merit: Integrating security measures in constrained devices at both hardware and software
levels helps thwart various cyber-attacks such as malware injections, phishing attempts, and
denial-of-service attacks, enhancing overall system resilience.

3. Integrity Assurance:

Merit:Security measures in hardware and software can detect and prevent unauthorized
modifications or tampering with the device, ensuring the integrity of data and critical
functionalities.

4. Compliance with Standards:

Merit: Implementing security standards in both hardware and software aligns the constrained
devices with industry best practices, enhancing trust and facilitating interoperability in
diverse cloud environments.

5. Trustworthiness of Communication:

Merit: Secure communication protocols and cryptographic mechanisms in both hardware and
software provide a basis for establishing trust among devices, ensuring the authenticity and
reliability of data exchanges.

4
Demerits:

1. Resource Constraints:

Demerit: Constrained devices have limited processing power and memory, making it
challenging to implement comprehensive security measures, potentially leading to trade-offs
in performance or functionality to achieve security objectives.

2. Increased Cost and Complexity:

Demerit: Enhancing security in constrained devices often requires additional hardware

components or more sophisticated software, leading to increased development and
implementation costs, as well as added complexity in system design.

3. Compatibility Challenges:

Demerit: The diverse nature of constrained devices can result in compatibility issues when
implementing security measures across various hardware and software platforms, making it
harder to maintain a standardized approach to security.

4. User Experience Impact:

Demerit: Intensive security measures can potentially impact the user experience by
introducing delays or additional authentication steps, which may be inconvenient for end-
users interacting with constrained devices.

5. Potential Vulnerabilities:

Demerit: Despite security efforts, constrained devices may remain vulnerable to emerging
threats, especially if security updates are infrequent or not promptly applied, leaving devices
exposed to evolving attack vectors.

5
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, cloud technology has become an indispensable tool in the digital age. Its
ability to provide flexible and scalable computing resources, coupled with robust security
measures and seamless integration capabilities, positions it as a foundation for modern
businesses and individuals seeking efficient and effective ways to manage data
and applications.

6
 REFERENCE

 https://www.ibm.com/topics/cloud-security

 https://www.nutanix.com/oneplace?utm_source=google_adwords&utm_medium=pai
d_search&utm_campaign=Nutanix_Search_APJ_India_BCA_MI_Google_Brand_X_
NB_X_Phrase_Visitors_cpc_English_English_BA_&utm_term=cloud%20based%20t
echnology&utm_experience=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1
OmoBhDXARIsAAAYGSE3WOPmjfl0cU2c97sBIkGnCqF5L-
Wwbm_0j1iT3nRXmSxVoVwq_68aAqM0EALw_wcB

 https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/11/1/16

 https://chat.openai.com/c/778d561c-789c-404d-9dc1-79c13d8a4289