"Is our data safe in the cloud?"
It's a question that keeps business owners up at night. You've heard the horror stories — breaches, ransomware, millions of records exposed. And now your systems are sitting in some data center you've never seen, managed by technology you don't fully understand.
Here's the thing: AWS is probably more secure than whatever you had before. The question isn't whether cloud is secure. It's whether your cloud setup is secure. Because AWS provides the tools. What you do with them is up to you.
Let's demystify this.
The shared responsibility model
This is the most important concept in cloud security, and it's often misunderstood.
AWS doesn't secure everything for you. Security is divided between AWS and you.
What AWS secures:
- Physical data centers (armed guards, biometric access, the works)
- The underlying hardware
- The network infrastructure
- The hypervisor and virtualization layer
What you secure:
- Your data
- Your applications
- Your user access and permissions
- Your network configuration (firewalls, access rules)
- Your encryption decisions
Think of it like renting an apartment. The landlord secures the building — locks on the front door, security cameras in the lobby. But what happens inside your apartment? That's on you. If you leave your door unlocked, the landlord's security system doesn't help you.
AWS calls this "security OF the cloud" (their job) vs. "security IN the cloud" (your job). The distinction matters because most breaches happen on the customer side — misconfigured permissions, weak credentials, exposed data.
IAM: Who can do what
IAM stands for Identity and Access Management. It's how you control who has access to what in your AWS environment.
Think of IAM as the key system for your digital building:
- Users are like individual employees with key cards
- Groups are like departments (all marketing people can access the marketing floor)
- Roles are like temporary passes (a contractor needs access for one day)
- Policies are the rules written on each key card (this key opens these doors, not those)
The principle of least privilege
This is security 101, but it's violated constantly: only give people access to what they absolutely need.
Common mistake: "Let's just give everyone admin access so they don't get blocked."
What happens: One compromised account, one disgruntled employee, one honest mistake — and your entire system is at risk.
Better approach: Start restrictive. Add permissions as needed. Review periodically.
Root account protection
Your AWS root account is like the master key to everything. If someone gets this, it's game over.
Essential protections:
- Enable MFA (multi-factor authentication) — that code from your phone
- Don't use the root account for daily work — create admin users instead
- Store root credentials securely (not in a shared spreadsheet, please)
- Review root account access quarterly
VPCs: Your private network
A VPC — Virtual Private Cloud — is your own isolated network within AWS. It's how you keep your resources separate from everyone else's.
Without getting too technical:
Public subnets are like the lobby of your building. Things here are accessible from the internet (your website, for example).
Private subnets are like the back offices. No direct internet access — only reachable from inside your network. Your databases should live here.
Security groups are like bouncers at each door. They control what traffic can come in and go out.
Common VPC mistakes
Putting databases in public subnets. Your database doesn't need to be reachable from the internet. Ever. If it is, you're inviting trouble.
Overly permissive security groups. "Allow all traffic from anywhere" is not a security strategy. Specify exactly what needs to talk to what.
Default VPCs. AWS creates a default VPC for convenience. It's not ideal for production workloads. Build your own with intentional design.
Encryption: Scrambling your data
Encryption converts readable data into unreadable gibberish. Without the key, it's useless to attackers.
Two types matter:
Encryption at rest: Your data is encrypted when it's sitting on a disk. If someone physically stole a hard drive from the AWS data center (nearly impossible, but humor me), they couldn't read your data.
Encryption in transit: Your data is encrypted while moving across networks. When your application talks to your database, that conversation is private.
AWS makes this easy
Most AWS services have encryption options built in. S3 buckets can encrypt everything automatically. RDS databases offer encryption with a checkbox. The technology is there — you just need to turn it on.
Common mistake: Assuming encryption is enabled by default. Check your settings.
AWS Key Management Service (KMS) lets you manage your encryption keys. For most businesses, using AWS-managed keys is fine. For regulated industries, you might need customer-managed keys with stricter controls.
Compliance: What the letters mean
If you're in certain industries, you'll hear about compliance frameworks. Here's what the common ones mean:
SOC 2
A report that says "a reputable auditor examined our security practices and they're solid." Most B2B companies that handle customer data should have this.
AWS is SOC 2 certified. But that covers their infrastructure. Your application built on AWS needs its own SOC 2 if your customers require it.
HIPAA
Rules for handling healthcare data (PHI — Protected Health Information). If you're building healthcare applications, you need to know this.
AWS offers HIPAA-eligible services. That means AWS will sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and their services meet HIPAA requirements. But again — you're responsible for how you use those services.
PCI DSS
Standards for handling credit card data. If you process payments, this applies to you.
The good news: if you use Stripe, Square, or similar payment processors, they handle most of this. You probably don't store card numbers directly.
GDPR
European privacy regulation affecting any company handling EU resident data. It's about consent, data rights, and breach notification.
The compliance reality: AWS provides the infrastructure to be compliant. They can't make your application compliant — that depends on how you build it.
Common security mistakes
After working with many businesses moving to AWS, we see the same mistakes repeatedly:
1. Ignoring the basics
The breach won't come from a sophisticated nation-state attack. It'll come from an old employee who still has access, a password that was "password123," or a database that was accidentally public.
Fix the boring stuff first.
2. No logging or monitoring
If something bad happens, will you know? AWS CloudTrail records API activity. CloudWatch monitors resources. GuardDuty detects threats.
These services exist. Use them.
3. Credentials in code
Hardcoding your database password in your application? Pushing API keys to GitHub? We've seen it happen.
Use AWS Secrets Manager or Parameter Store. Never put credentials in code.
4. S3 bucket misconfigurations
This one makes headlines constantly. A company accidentally makes an S3 bucket public, and suddenly their customer data is downloadable by anyone.
Default settings now block public access. But older buckets, or explicit overrides, can still expose data. Audit your buckets.
5. No backup strategy
Security isn't just about keeping attackers out. It's about recovery when things go wrong.
AWS Backup exists. Use it. Test your restores. A backup you've never tested isn't a backup — it's hope.
Where to start
If you're feeling overwhelmed, here's a prioritized list:
Today
- Enable MFA on your root account
- Create admin users (stop using root for daily work)
- Check if any S3 buckets are public
This week
- Review IAM permissions — who has access to what?
- Verify encryption is enabled on databases and storage
- Turn on CloudTrail logging
This month
- Set up budget alerts (unusual spending can indicate compromise)
- Implement a backup strategy with tested restores
- Review security groups for overly permissive rules
Ongoing
- Quarterly access reviews (remove people who don't need access)
- Stay informed about security best practices
- Consider a security assessment if you handle sensitive data
When to get help
Some security work is straightforward. Enabling MFA, turning on encryption — anyone can do this.
Other security work requires expertise:
- Designing network architecture for regulated industries
- Implementing compliance controls for SOC 2 or HIPAA
- Conducting security assessments and penetration testing
- Responding to security incidents
If security is critical to your business — and it probably is — having expert guidance isn't paranoia. It's prudent.
AWS provides a Security Hub that aggregates security findings across your accounts. It's a good starting point for understanding your current security posture. Enable it and see what it finds.
The bottom line
Cloud security isn't mysterious. It's a set of decisions about who can access what, how data is protected, and what you do when things go wrong.
AWS provides excellent security tools. The question is whether you're using them.
Most security failures aren't sophisticated attacks. They're obvious mistakes — public buckets, weak passwords, forgotten access, missing encryption. Fix the basics, and you're ahead of most businesses.
If you're not sure where you stand, we're happy to take a look. A quick security review often reveals surprises — and catching them proactively is much better than the alternative.
Your data is valuable. Treat it that way.
Entvas Editorial Team
Helping businesses make informed decisions
