A SLA-based interface for security management in cloud and GRID integrations

Abstract

Cloud Computing is a new computing paradigm. Among the incredible number of challenges in this field two of them are considered of great relevance: SLA management and Security management. The level of trust in such context is very hard to define and is strictly related to the problem of management of SLA in cloud applications and providers. In this paper we will try to show how it is possible, using a cloud-oriented API derived from the mOSAIC project, to build up an SLA-oriented cloud application which enables the management of security features related to user authentication and authorization to an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Cloud Provider. As Cloud Provider we will adopt the perf-Cloud solution, which uses GRID-based solutions for security management and service delivery. So the proposed solution can be used in order to build up easily a SLA-based interface for any GRID system.

Security transparency: the next frontier for security research in the cloud

“…For Rak et al, the mutual trust between a provider and a customer should be considered only in context of an SLA management [34]. Using a cloud-oriented API derived from the mO-SAIC project (http://www.mosaic-project.eu/), the authors built up an SLA-oriented cloud application that enables the management of security features related to user authentication and authorization of an IaaS Cloud Provider.…”

“…Meanwhile, from the provider point of view, SLAs are a way to have a clear and formal definition of the requirements that the application must respect. However, the initiative by Rak et al [34], does not go far enough to incorporate means for monitoring and reporting on the fulfilment of such SLA to the consumer. An extension of the work of Rak et al [35] in the context of the EU FP7 project Specs (http://specs-project.eu/) considered the provision of a platform for providing a security services based on SLA management.…”

Assessing Data Breach Risk in Cloud Systems

“…A client can obtain gradings for all three attributes using Table II and calculate the attack risk probability for each leaf node using (14). Risk probability for a data breach is then calculated using (4).…”

Experiences in building a mOSAIC of clouds

“…The SLA framework was applied further for the management of security-based SLA (in [50][51][52][53]) and has been integrated in simulation engines able to predict the evolution of the developed application [54,55].…”

“…The main security problem that was treated is related to the access control solutions, as presented in [100]. The mOSAIC's SLA framework was integrated into an automated access control mechanism for the Cloud and Grid, as proved in [53]. The FP7 project SPECS (Secure Provisioning of Cloud Services based on SLA management [101]), starting in Autumn of 2013, will continue to enhance the mOSAIC's SLA framework.…”