November 2012 The NIST Cloud Computing Security Working group was created to achieve broad collaboration between federal and private stakeholders in efforts to review the security-related issues expressed by federal managers. Through its research, the working group identified a list of challenging security requirements that are perceived by federal managers as impediments to the adoption of cloud computing. This document focuses on the description of these challenging security requirements and identifies mitigations for each challenging issue when they exist. Where no mitigations are identified, the document provides either a description of activities that will serve to mitigate the risk created by the identified issue to an acceptable level, or makes recommendations for mitigations. This document is not intended to be a comprehensive or exhaustive list of the highest risks to federal data in a cloud environment. It is instead a practical look at the concerns expressed by federal managers and documented by a number of sources within government and private industry. Some of the challenging security requirements listed may have technical mitigations, but may require guidance or standards to ensure effective application. Others may have policies or mandates requiring implementation but lack the technical application in the cloud computing environment. The challenging security requirements discussed in this document are not listed by priority or importance. The priority and/or risks can vary widely based on the nature of the service moved to the cloud, the data associated with the service, and the cloud computing ecosystem (service model, deployment model, accountability, outsourcing, etc.). Why buy a book you can download for free? First you gotta find it and make sure it's the latest version, not always easy. Then you gotta print it using a network printer you share with 100 other people - and its outta paper - and the toner is low (take out the toner cartridge, shake it, then put it back). If it's just 10 pages, no problem, but if it's a 250-page book, you will need to punch 3 holes in all those pages and put it in a 3-ring binder. Takes at least an hour. An engineer that's paid $75 an hour has to do this himself (who has assistant's anymore?). If you are paid more than $10 an hour and use an ink jet printer, buying this book will save you money. It's much more cost-effective to just order the latest version from Amazon.com This public domain material is published by 4th Watch Books. We publish tightly-bound, full-size books at 8 � by 11 inches, with glossy covers. 4th Watch Books is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is not affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For more titles published by 4th Watch, please visit: cybah.webplus.net GSA P-100 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service GSA P-120 Cost and Schedule Management Policy Requirements GSA P-140 Child Care Center Design Guide GSA Standard Level Features and Finishes for U.S. Courts Facilities GSA Courtroom Technology Manual NIST SP 500-299 NIST Cloud Computing Security Reference Architecture NIST SP 500-291 NIST Cloud Computing Standards Roadmap Version 2 NIST SP 500-293 US Government Cloud Computing Technology Roadmap Volume 1 & 2 NIST SP 500-293 US Government Cloud Computing Technology Roadmap Volume 3 DRAFT NIST SP 1800-8 Securing Wireless Infusion Pumps NISTIR 7497 Security Architecture Design Process for Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) NIST SP 1800-1 Securing Electronic Health Records on Mobile Devices NIST SP 800-177 Trustworthy Email

Cloud computing is a new name for an old concept: the delivery of computing services from a remote location, analogous to the way electricity, water, and other utilities are provided to most customers. Cloud computing services are delivered through a network, usually the Internet. Some cloud services are adaptations of familiar applications, such as e-mail and word processing. Others are new applications that never existed as a local application, such as online maps and social networks. Since 2009, the federal government has been shifting its data storage needs to cloud-based services and away from agency-owned data centers. This shift is intended to reduce the total investment by the federal government in information technology (IT) (data centers), as well as realize other stated advantages of cloud adoption: efficiency, accessibility, collaboration, rapidity of innovation, reliability, and security. In December 2010, the U.S. Chief Information Officer (CIO) released "A 25-Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal IT Management" as part of a comprehensive effort to increase the operational efficiency of federal technology assets. One element of the 25-Point Plan is for agencies to shift to a "Cloud First" policy, which is being implemented through the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy. The Cloud First policy means that federal agencies must (1) implement cloud-based solutions whenever a secure, reliable, and cost-effective cloud option exists; and (2) begin reevaluating and modifying their individual IT budget strategies to include cloud computing. However, there are challenges facing agencies as they make this shift. For example, some agency CIOs have stated that in spite of the stated security advantages of cloud computing, they are, in fact, concerned about moving their data from their data centers, which they manage and control, to outsourced cloud services. This and other concerns must be addressed to build an agency culture that trusts the cloud. Congress has a number of means to monitor the status of the Federal Cloud Computing Initiative (FCCI). Individual committees may wish to monitor agencies under their jurisdiction by holding hearings; requesting review of an agency's status through the agency itself or a GAO study; and/or assessing an agency's progress and projected goals against the stated goals of the FCCI.

Decision makers contemplating cloud computing adoption face a number of challenges relating to policy, technology, guidance, security, and standards. Strategically, there is a need to augment standards and to establish additional security, interoperability, and portability standards to support the long-term advancement of the cloud computing technology and its implementation. Cloud computing is still in an early deployment stage, and standards are crucial to increased adoption. The urgency is driven by rapid deployment of cloud computing in response to financial incentives. Standards are critical to ensure cost-effective and easy migration, to ensure that mission-critical requirements can be met, and to reduce the risk that sizable investments may become prematurely technologically obsolete. Standards are key to ensuring a level playing field in the global marketplace. Recognizing the significance and breadth of the emerging cloud computing trend, NIST designed its program to support accelerated US government adoption, as well as leverage the strengths and resources of government, industry, academia, and standards organization stakeholders to support cloud computing technology innovation.

Cloud computing, an emerging form of computing where users have access to scalable, on-demand capabilities that are provided through Internet-based technologies, has the potential to provide info. technology (IT) services more quickly and at a lower cost, but also to introduce IT risks. This report: (1) identified the models of cloud computing; (2) identified the info. security implications of using cloud computing services in the fed. gov¿t.; and (3) assessed fed. guidance and efforts to address info. security when using cloud computing. The auditor reviewed relevant pub., white papers, and other documentation from fed. agencies and industry groups; conducted interviews with rep. from these org.; and surveyed 24 major fed. agencies. Illus.

• Provides a cross-industry view of contemporary cloud computing security challenges, solutions, and lessons learned • Offers clear guidance for the development and execution of industry-specific cloud computing business and cybersecurity strategies • Provides insight into the interaction and cross-dependencies between industry business models and industry-specific cloud computing security requirements

Federal Cloud Computing: The Definitive Guide for Cloud Service Providers, Second Edition offers an in-depth look at topics surrounding federal cloud computing within the federal government, including the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy, Cloud Computing Standards, Security and Privacy, and Security Automation. You will learn the basics of the NIST risk management framework (RMF) with a specific focus on cloud computing environments, all aspects of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) process, and steps for cost-effectively implementing the Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process, as well as strategies for implementing Continuous Monitoring, enabling the Cloud Service Provider to address the FedRAMP requirement on an ongoing basis. This updated edition will cover the latest changes to FedRAMP program, including clarifying guidance on the paths for Cloud Service Providers to achieve FedRAMP compliance, an expanded discussion of the new FedRAMP Security Control, which is based on the NIST SP 800-53 Revision 4, and maintaining FedRAMP compliance through Continuous Monitoring. Further, a new chapter has been added on the FedRAMP requirements for Vulnerability Scanning and Penetration Testing. - Provides a common understanding of the federal requirements as they apply to cloud computing - Offers a targeted and cost-effective approach for applying the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Risk Management Framework (RMF) - Features both technical and non-technical perspectives of the Federal Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process that speaks across the organization

NIST SP 500-293 Vol 1 & 2 October 2014 Printed in COLOR Decision makers contemplating cloud computing adoption face a number of challenges relating to policy, technology, guidance, security, and standards. Strategically, there is a need to augment standards and to establish additional security, interoperability, and portability standards to support the long-term advancement of the cloud computing technology and its implementation. Standards are critical to ensure cost-effective and easy migration, to ensure that mission-critical requirements can be met, and to reduce the risk that sizable investments may become prematurely technologically obsolete. Why buy a book you can download for free? First you gotta find it and make sure it's the latest version, not always easy. Then you gotta print it using a network printer you share with 100 other people - and its outta paper - and the toner is low (take out the toner cartridge, shake it, then put it back). If it's just 10 pages, no problem, but if it's a 250-page book, you will need to punch 3 holes in all those pages and put it in a 3-ring binder. Takes at least an hour. An engineer that's paid $75 an hour has to do this himself (who has assistant's anymore?). If you are paid more than $10 an hour and use an ink jet printer, buying this book will save you money. It's much more cost-effective to just order the latest version from Amazon.com This material is published by 4th Watch Books. We publish tightly-bound, full-size books at 8 � by 11 inches, with glossy covers. 4th Watch Books is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is not affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For more titles published by 4th Watch, please visit: cybah.webplus.net A full copy of all the pertinent cybersecurity standards is available on DVD-ROM in the CyberSecurity Standards Library disc which is available at Amazon.com.