Blog Series -- Windows Azure Security Best Practices

In a series of blog posts, I’ll provide a look into how you can secure your application in Windows Azure. This seven-part series describes the threats, how you can respond, what processes you can put into place for the lifecycle of your application, and prescribes a way for you to implement best practices around the requirements of your application. I’ll also show ways for you to incorporate user identity and some of services Azure provides that will enable your users to access your cloud applications in new says.

At first, the steps may seem lengthy. But as you will find, Windows Azure shares the responsibility to help secure your application. By using Windows Azure platform, you are able to take a deeper look into your application and take steps to make your application more secure.

Beginning tomorrow I’ll post a new section each day.

Here are the links to each part in this series:

Windows Azure Security Best Practices -- Part 1: The Challenges, Defense in Depth.  This post describes the threat landscape and introduces the plan for your application to employ defense in depth in partnership with Windows Azure.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices -- Part 2: What Azure Provides Out-of-the-Box. This is an overview that security with Windows Azure is a shared responsibility, and Windows Azure provides your application with important security features. But then again, it also exposes other vulnerabilities that you should consider. In addition, I’ll explore how Microsoft approaches compliance.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices – Part 3: Identifying Your Security Frame.  This post explores how you can examine your application and identify attack surfaces. The idea of a Security Frame is a way for you to look at your application to determine treats and your responses, before you even begin coding. I point you to checklists that you can use when you are architecting your application.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices – Part 4: What Else You Need to Do. In addition to protecting your application from threats, there are additional steps you should take when you deploy your application. We provide a list of mitigations that you should employ in your application development and deployment.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices – Part 5: Claims-Based Identity, Single Sign On. User identification represents the keys to accessing data and business processes in your application.  In this section, I describe how you can separate user identity and the roles of your user out of your application and make it easier to create single sign on applications.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices – Part 6: How Azure Services Extends Your App Security. I show how other services in Windows Azure provide secure identity mapping, messaging, and connection to on premises application. This section suggests how you can use  Windows Azure Active Directory, Windows Azure Connect, and Service Bus for your cloud applications, on premises applications, and hybrid applications.

Windows Azure Security Best Practices – Part 7: Tips, Tools, Coding Best Practices. here are a few more items you should consider in securing your Windows Azure application. Here are some tools, coding tips, and best practices: running on the operating system, error handling, and how to access to Azure Storage

The intent of this series is to provide a context for you to learn more and empower you to write great applications for the public cloud.

Learn more at Global Foundation Services Online Security. The Global Foundation Services team delivers trustworthy, available online services that create a competitive advantage for you and for Microsoft’s Windows Azure.

Enjoy.

Bruce D. KyleISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation