{"id":27995,"date":"2023-09-15T18:36:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T13:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getastra.com\/blog\/?p=27995"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:59:37","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T10:29:37","slug":"nist-cloud-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getastra.com\/blog\/compliance\/nist\/nist-cloud-security\/","title":{"rendered":"NIST Cloud Security: Standards, Best Practices, & Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the rapid adoption of cloud computing, a monumental shift towards a complete cloud infrastructure was observed amongst the organizations. According to a study, 81% of these organizations face cloud-related issues<\/a> like misconfigurations and unauthorized access in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trends like these have made standardized guidelines for operations and security a necessity. Enter the NIST cloud security standards designed to identify threats, mitigate them, stay compliant, and guarantee overall security for cloud environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What is The NIST Cyber Security Framework?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Cyber Security Framework was introduced to help organizations manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. It does not provide specific security controls; however, they are done through special publications. It enables easy customization of cybersecurity practices based on individual company requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is designed to provide a high-level, strategic view of an organization\u2019s cyber security posture. The NIST 800-53 is one of the most crucial and widely adapted standards of security that provides security controls with three main components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Core:<\/strong> High-level cybersecurity functions, i.e., identify, protect, detect, respond, recover.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Implementation Tiers:<\/strong> Various degrees to which NIST CSF has been implemented, partial, risk-informed, repeatable, and adaptive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Profiles:<\/strong> Refers to each organization\u2019s unique security requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>What Is NIST Cloud Security? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NIST establishes cloud security standards, guidelines, and best practices to secure cloud environments and manage cybersecurity risks. NIST defines cloud security as practices to protect data and the applications and infrastructure hosted in the cloud environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NIST standards concerning cloud security include:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. NIST SP 800 – 144<\/strong>: Key guidelines for maintaining security & privacy in public clouds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. NIST SP 800 – 145:<\/strong> Defines cloud computing, its characteristics, and its service & deployment models. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. NIST SP 800 – 146:<\/strong>\u00a0Cloud systems, along with when & how to use them, are explained.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. NIST SP 800 – 210:<\/strong> Provides access control guidance for different cloud delivery models.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Who Does NIST Cloud Security Apply To?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      NIST’s frameworks, guidelines, and security controls are ideal for all companies with cloud assets. Most companies today have multiple cloud assets, such as data, applications, or both; therefore, implementing the best cloud security measures is integral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Following NIST security controls such as NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800 -145, and others ensures that security measures appropriate for your cloud assets are applied for optimal protection. This usually includes risk assessments, data encryption, firewall installation, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n