Cloud Infrastructure Entitlements Management (CIEM) is a term used to describe the process of managing which users or groups are given access to which cloud resources. In other words, it is the process of governing who can do what in the cloud.
You can get a playbook on how to respond to security incidents in Cloud and Container environments here.
CIEM is critical for any organization that wants to securely and efficiently use the cloud. Without proper management, users could easily access more resources than they need or worse, access resources they are not authorized to access. This could lead to security breaches, data loss, and other serious problems.
CIEM is accomplished through the use of security policies and access controls. Security policies define who is authorized to access which resources and under what conditions. Access controls then enforce these policies by restricting access to authorized users and devices.
There are many different ways to implement CIEM. One common approach is to use role-based access control (RBAC). With RBAC, users are assigned to specific roles, and each role is given specific permissions. For example, a role might be given permission to create new VMs, but not permission to delete them. This approach allows for a great deal of flexibility, as roles can be easily modified to reflect changing needs. Another common approach is to use least privilege. With least privilege, users are only given the privileges they need to do their job. This minimizes the risk of users accidentally accessing resources they are not authorized to access.
There are many different factors to consider when implementing CIEM. Some of the key considerations include: -The type of cloud infrastructure (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) -The type of resources being accessed (VMs, containers, databases, etc.) -The organization’s security policies -The users and groups that need access to the resources -The devices that will be accessing the resources (PCs, laptops, mobile devices, etc.)
Once the factors have been considered, the organization can begin to implement the necessary security policies and access controls. This can be a complex process, and it is important to work with a trusted partner who can help you get it right.