Virtual Machine Compliance Checking in Cloud Transfers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing and storage systems face risks due to the transfer of virtual machines (VMs) containing sensitive data, as both customers and service providers are concerned about compliance with laws, regulations, and security standards, particularly regarding unsecure software and sensitive data types like credit card information and health data.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for virtual machine compliance checking by determining the files to be transferred between a virtualized computing system and a cloud computing system, executing compliance checks on these files using compliance checkers, and blocking non-compliant file portions from being maintained in the cloud system, thereby ensuring secure and regulatory-compliant transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual machines are transferred to cloud computing systems, then service provider access to physical and virtual resources is improved, but security risks and compliance violations worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance checker performs security and compliance verification on virtual machine files before they are transferred to the cloud computing system. This preliminary action identifies and blocks non-compliant files containing sensitive data or security vulnerabilities, preventing them from being uploaded. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring security checks are done in advance, allowing resource access while maintaining security standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliance checker acts as an intermediary component between the virtualized computing system and the cloud computing system. It intercepts file transfers, performs compliance verification, and blocks non-compliant files. This intermediary mechanism enables resource transfer while enforcing security and compliance policies, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and security.
2Reliability
If compliance checks are performed on virtual machine files, then security and compliance are improved, but transfer time and processing complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance checking process is segmented to operate on individual files or file portions during the transfer process. Rather than checking entire virtual machine images as monolithic units, the system divides them into manageable segments, allowing parallel processing and more efficient verification. This segmentation reduces overall compliance checking time while maintaining thorough security verification.
3Productivity
If sensitive data is transferred to cloud environments, then resource utilization is improved, but risk of data breaches and regulatory violations worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance checker performs preliminary scanning of virtual machine files to identify sensitive data types such as credit card information, health data, and other regulated information before cloud transfer. By detecting these sensitive elements in advance, the system can block transfer of non-compliant files or alert users to compliance issues, preventing data breaches and regulatory violations while still allowing legitimate resource utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of transferring a virtual machine between a virtualized computing system and a cloud computing system includes determining that a virtual machine is to be transferred from a virtualized computing system to a cloud computing system and determining a connection between a first resource in the virtualized computing system and a second resource in the cloud computing system. Files that enable implementation of the virtual machine at the virtualized computing system and identified, as are file portions of the files for transfer from the virtualized computing system to the cloud computing system. At least one compliance check is executed on each of the file portions using at least one compliance checker. Each of the file portions that fails a compliance check is blocked from being maintained in the cloud computing system.