Cloud and Core Infrastructure Security Policy (ENG-POL-003)

1. Objective

The objective of this policy is to establish comprehensive security requirements for the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of [Company Name]’s cloud-based computing infrastructure and core IT systems. This policy ensures that all infrastructure components including cloud services, servers, containers, databases, storage systems, and supporting computing platforms are configured and managed with appropriate security controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information systems and electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). This policy addresses cloud-native security, infrastructure-as-code, container security, system hardening, and hybrid cloud environments while maintaining compliance with HIPAA, HITECH, and SOC 2 requirements.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all [Company Name] workforce members, contractors, and third parties involved in the design, deployment, configuration, or management of computing infrastructure and cloud services. It encompasses all infrastructure components including cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), virtual machines, containers, serverless functions, databases, storage systems, backup infrastructure, monitoring systems, and security tools. This policy covers all environments (production, staging, development, testing) and deployment models (public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, multi-cloud). It applies to both infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) implementations, as well as infrastructure-as-code (IaC) and configuration management practices.

3. Policy

• [Company Name] shall implement defense-in-depth security controls across all cloud infrastructure and computing platform layers to ensure comprehensive protection against threats and compliance with regulatory requirements.

3.1 Cloud Infrastructure Security Framework

A comprehensive security framework shall be implemented across all cloud infrastructure components to ensure consistent security posture and compliance.

3.1.1 Cloud Security Architecture

• Multi-Layered Security Design:
  • Identity and access management (IAM) shall be implemented with role-based access control and principle of least privilege across all cloud infrastructure components.
  • Data protection shall be implemented through encryption at rest and in transit across all cloud services and infrastructure components.
  • Logging and monitoring integration shall be implemented across all infrastructure components to provide comprehensive security visibility and event correlation.
  • Incident response capabilities shall be implemented with automated response and recovery procedures for infrastructure security events.
  • Security baselines and configuration management shall be implemented for all cloud resources to ensure consistent security posture and compliance.
• Cloud Service Security Requirements:
  • Cloud services shall be used only when they have appropriate compliance certifications including SOC 2, HIPAA, or ISO 27001 validation.
  • Shared responsibility model understanding and implementation shall be documented and implemented for each cloud service utilized by the organization.
  • Data residency controls shall be implemented to ensure data remains within approved geographic regions as defined by organizational and regulatory requirements.
  • Service level agreements (SLAs) shall include security and availability requirements that meet or exceed organizational standards for business continuity and data protection.
  • Vendor risk assessments and ongoing security monitoring shall be conducted for all cloud providers to validate security controls and compliance posture.

3.1.2 Infrastructure Hardening Standards

• System Hardening Requirements:
  • Security baselines for all operating systems and platforms (CIS Benchmarks, NIST guidelines) shall be documented and implemented.
  • Unnecessary services, protocols, and software components shall be removed or disabled to reduce the system attack surface.
  • Security configuration management and drift detection shall be implemented to maintain consistent security posture across all infrastructure components.
  • Vulnerability scanning shall be conducted at least quarterly for all production systems, and patch management shall be performed in accordance with defined SLAs.
  • Endpoint detection and response (EDR) shall be deployed on all applicable systems to provide advanced threat detection and response capabilities.
• System Hardening and Baselining Implementation:
  • Infrastructure systems shall be deployed using approved hardened images that comply with industry standard security baselines.
  • Configuration management tools shall maintain system configurations in a consistent state and prevent unauthorized modifications.
  • Regular validation of security configurations shall be performed through automated scanning and manual review processes.
  • Non-compliance with hardening standards shall trigger automatic remediation or security incident escalation procedures.
  • Hardening standards shall be reviewed and updated annually or when significant security threats are identified.

3.2 Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Comprehensive IAM controls shall be implemented to ensure appropriate access to infrastructure resources while maintaining security and compliance.

3.2.1 Cloud IAM Implementation

• Access Control Framework:
  • Centralized identity management with single sign-on (SSO) integration shall be implemented to provide unified authentication across all infrastructure systems.
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) shall be required for all administrative access to production and critical infrastructure components.
  • Role-based access control (RBAC) shall be implemented with predefined roles and permissions that follow the principle of least privilege.
  • Privileged access management (PAM) shall be deployed for high-risk administrative functions requiring elevated access controls.
  • Just-in-time (JIT) access shall be implemented for temporary elevated privileges with automated time-based access expiration.
• Service Account Management:
  • Unique service accounts shall be created for each application and service with minimal required permissions following the principle of least privilege.
  • Regular rotation of service account credentials and API keys shall be performed according to established security schedules.
  • Monitoring and alerting for service account usage and anomalies shall be implemented to detect unauthorized or suspicious activities.
  • Automated provisioning and deprovisioning of service accounts shall be integrated with change management processes.
  • Documentation and approval process for service account creation and modification shall be maintained for audit and compliance purposes.

3.2.2 Access Reviews and Monitoring

• Regular Access Certification:
  • Quarterly access reviews shall be conducted for all administrative and privileged accounts to validate continued business need and appropriateness.
  • Annual comprehensive review of all infrastructure access permissions shall be performed with documented approval from appropriate business owners.
  • Automated access recertification workflows with manager approval shall be implemented to streamline the review process.
  • Immediate access revocation shall be performed upon role changes or employment termination to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Exception handling process for emergency access requirements shall be documented and include appropriate approval and monitoring controls.
• Access Monitoring and Auditing:
  • Real-time monitoring of all administrative and privileged access activities shall be implemented to detect unauthorized or suspicious behavior.
  • Automated alerting for suspicious access patterns or policy violations shall be configured to enable rapid response to security incidents.
  • Comprehensive audit logging for all infrastructure access and changes shall be maintained with adequate retention periods for compliance and forensic analysis.
  • Regular analysis of access logs for security anomalies and compliance validation shall be performed by designated security personnel.
  • Integration with security information and event management (SIEM) systems shall be maintained to correlate access events with other security indicators.

3.3 Data Protection and Encryption

Comprehensive data protection controls shall ensure the confidentiality and integrity of all data within the cloud infrastructure.

3.3.1 Encryption Implementation

• Data at Rest Encryption:
  • Full disk encryption shall be implemented for all virtual machines and storage systems using industry-standard encryption algorithms.
  • Database encryption using transparent data encryption (TDE) or column-level encryption shall be applied to protect sensitive data at rest.
  • File system encryption shall be implemented for network-attached storage (NAS) and object storage containing sensitive or regulated data.
  • Encryption of backup data and archive storage shall be mandatory to protect data during long-term retention periods.
  • Hardware security module (HSM) or cloud HSM integration for key management shall be implemented for cryptographic operations requiring high assurance.
• Data in Transit Encryption:
  • TLS 1.3 or equivalent encryption shall be implemented for all network communications and data transmissions.
  • VPN encryption shall be required for all remote access and site-to-site connections to protect data traversing untrusted networks.
  • End-to-end encryption shall be implemented for sensitive data transmissions requiring additional protection beyond transport-layer security.
  • Certificate management and validation for all encrypted communications shall be maintained with proper certificate lifecycle management.
  • Perfect forward secrecy (PFS) shall be implemented where technically feasible to prevent retrospective decryption of captured traffic.

3.3.2 Key Management and Protection

• Centralized Key Management:
  • Cloud-native key management services (AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, Google Cloud KMS) shall be utilized for centralized cryptographic key management.
  • Customer-managed encryption keys (CMEK) shall be implemented for sensitive data and ePHI to maintain organizational control over encryption operations.
  • Key rotation policies and automated rotation procedures shall be established and enforced according to industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
  • Key escrow and recovery procedures shall be documented and tested for business continuity and disaster recovery scenarios.
  • Hardware security module (HSM) usage shall be implemented for high-value keys requiring additional protection and tamper resistance.
• Key Security Controls:
  • Separation of key management from data management functions shall be maintained to prevent unauthorized access and reduce security risks.
  • Multi-person authorization shall be required for key generation and recovery operations involving critical or high-value encryption keys.
  • Audit logging for all key management activities shall be implemented with comprehensive tracking of key lifecycle events.
  • Geographic distribution of keys shall be implemented for disaster recovery and high availability requirements.
  • Secure key deletion and destruction procedures shall be followed to ensure complete removal of cryptographic materials when no longer needed.

3.4 Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Configuration Management

Infrastructure deployments shall use code-based approaches with appropriate security controls and change management processes.

3.4.1 Secure IaC Practices

• IaC Security Requirements:
  • All infrastructure code shall be stored in a version control system. All changes shall be reviewed and formally approved via the version control system (e.g., pull request approval) before being merged.
  • Security scanning of infrastructure templates and configurations shall be performed to identify misconfigurations and security vulnerabilities before deployment.
  • Automated compliance checking against security policies and standards shall be integrated into the infrastructure deployment pipeline.
  • Immutable infrastructure principles shall be implemented to prevent configuration drift and unauthorized modifications to deployed systems.
  • Secrets management for infrastructure credentials and sensitive configuration shall be implemented using secure vaults and encryption mechanisms.
• Configuration Management:
  • Centralized configuration management with automated deployment pipelines shall be implemented to ensure consistent and secure system configurations.
  • Configuration drift detection and automated remediation shall be deployed to identify and correct unauthorized changes to system configurations.
  • Security baseline enforcement shall be maintained across all infrastructure components to ensure compliance with organizational security standards.
  • Change tracking and rollback capabilities for configuration modifications shall be implemented to enable rapid recovery from configuration errors.
  • Documentation and approval process for infrastructure changes shall be maintained to ensure proper change management and audit trails.

3.4.2 CI/CD Pipeline Security

• Secure Deployment Pipelines:
  • Security scanning integration into CI/CD pipelines for infrastructure code shall be implemented to identify vulnerabilities before deployment.
  • Automated security testing and validation shall be performed before deployment to ensure compliance with security policies and standards.
  • Staged deployment process with security validation at each stage shall be implemented to reduce deployment risks and enable thorough testing.
  • Rollback procedures for failed or insecure deployments shall be documented and tested to enable rapid recovery from deployment issues.
  • Deployment approval gates for production environment changes shall be implemented to ensure proper authorization and review of critical changes.
• Pipeline Protection:
  • Access controls and authentication for CI/CD systems and pipelines shall be implemented to prevent unauthorized access to deployment infrastructure.
  • Secure storage and management of deployment credentials and secrets shall be maintained using dedicated secret management systems.
  • Audit logging for all pipeline activities and deployments shall be implemented to provide comprehensive tracking of deployment events.
  • Code signing and integrity verification for deployment artifacts shall be performed to ensure authenticity and prevent tampering.
  • Isolation of deployment environments and access controls shall be maintained to prevent cross-environment contamination and unauthorized access.

3.5 Container and Serverless Security

Specialized security controls shall be implemented for containerized applications and serverless computing environments.

3.5.1 Container Security

• Container Image Security:
  • Base image security scanning and vulnerability assessment shall be performed before deployment to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities.
  • Minimal base images with only necessary components and dependencies shall be used to reduce the attack surface and potential security risks.
  • Regular image updates and patch management processes shall be implemented to maintain current security posture and address emerging threats.
  • Image signing and verification for deployment integrity shall be implemented to ensure authenticity and prevent unauthorized modifications.
  • Private container registries with access controls and scanning capabilities shall be utilized to maintain control over container image distribution and security.
• Container Runtime Security:
  • Container orchestration platform security (Kubernetes, ECS, AKS) shall be implemented with appropriate security configurations and access controls.
  • Runtime security monitoring and anomaly detection shall be deployed to identify suspicious container behavior and potential security threats.
  • Resource limits and isolation between containers shall be enforced to prevent resource exhaustion and lateral movement attacks.
  • Network policies and micro-segmentation for container communications shall be implemented to restrict inter-container communication based on business requirements.
  • Secrets management for container applications and services shall be implemented using secure secret stores and injection mechanisms.

3.5.2 Serverless Security

• Function Security Controls:
  • Code security scanning for serverless function code shall be performed to identify vulnerabilities and security issues before deployment.
  • Principle of least privilege for function execution roles and permissions shall be implemented to minimize potential security impact.
  • Environment variable security and secrets management shall be implemented to protect sensitive configuration data and credentials.
  • Function timeout and resource limits configuration shall be implemented to prevent denial of service and resource exhaustion attacks.
  • Monitoring and logging for function execution and security events shall be implemented to provide visibility into serverless operations and security incidents.
• Serverless Architecture Security:
  • API Gateway security controls and rate limiting shall be implemented to protect serverless functions from abuse and denial of service attacks.
  • Event source security and validation for function triggers shall be implemented to ensure only authorized events can invoke serverless functions.
  • Data encryption for serverless function storage and communications shall be implemented to protect data confidentiality and integrity.
  • Dependency management and vulnerability scanning for function dependencies shall be performed to identify and remediate security vulnerabilities.
  • Cold start security considerations and optimization shall be addressed to minimize security risks during function initialization.

3.6 Backup and Disaster Recovery

Comprehensive backup and disaster recovery capabilities shall ensure business continuity and data protection.

3.6.1 Backup Security

• Backup Strategy Implementation:
  • Regular automated backups shall be performed for all critical systems and data according to established schedules and retention requirements.
  • Geographic distribution of backups shall be implemented for disaster recovery to ensure availability in case of localized disasters.
  • Encryption of all backup data at rest and in transit shall be mandatory to protect data confidentiality during backup operations.
  • Access controls and monitoring for backup systems and data shall be implemented to prevent unauthorized access to backup infrastructure.
  • Backup integrity and restoration validation shall be performed at least quarterly for critical systems.
• Backup Retention and Management:
  • Retention policies aligned with business and regulatory requirements shall be implemented and enforced for all backup systems.
  • Secure disposal of expired backup media and data shall be performed according to data destruction standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Version management and point-in-time recovery capabilities shall be maintained to enable recovery to specific points in time as needed.
  • Backup monitoring and alerting for failed or incomplete backups shall be implemented to ensure backup reliability and effectiveness.
  • Documentation of backup and recovery procedures shall be maintained and regularly updated to ensure accuracy and completeness.

3.6.2 Disaster Recovery Planning

• Recovery Infrastructure:
  • Geographically separated disaster recovery infrastructure shall be maintained to ensure availability in case of regional disasters or outages.
  • Automated failover capabilities for critical systems and services shall be implemented to minimize downtime and service disruption.
  • Recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) shall be defined and validated through regular testing to ensure business requirements are met.
  • Disaster recovery testing and validation exercises shall be conducted at least annually.
  • Documentation and maintenance of disaster recovery procedures shall be performed to ensure procedures remain current and effective.
• Business Continuity Integration:
  • Coordination with business continuity planning and requirements shall be maintained to ensure alignment between technical recovery capabilities and business needs.
  • Communication procedures for disaster recovery activation shall be documented and tested to ensure effective coordination during emergencies.
  • Stakeholder notification and coordination during recovery operations shall be managed through established communication channels and escalation procedures.
  • Post-incident review and improvement of recovery procedures shall be conducted after each activation to identify lessons learned and improvement opportunities.
  • Training and awareness for disaster recovery procedures shall be provided to relevant personnel to ensure readiness and capability.

3.7 Monitoring and Incident Response

Comprehensive monitoring and incident response capabilities shall provide early threat detection and rapid response to security incidents.

3.7.1 Security Monitoring

• Infrastructure Monitoring:
  • 24/7 monitoring of all infrastructure components and services shall be implemented to provide continuous visibility into system health and security status.
  • Security information and event management (SIEM) integration shall be maintained to correlate security events across multiple systems and platforms.
  • Automated threat detection and alerting capabilities shall be deployed to enable rapid identification and response to security threats.
  • Performance monitoring and capacity management shall be implemented to ensure optimal system performance and availability.
  • Compliance monitoring and reporting for regulatory requirements shall be automated where possible to ensure continuous compliance verification.
• Log Management and Analysis:
  • Centralized log collection and analysis shall be implemented for all infrastructure components to provide comprehensive visibility into system activities.
  • Log retention policies aligned with regulatory and business requirements shall be established and enforced to ensure adequate log availability.
  • Real-time log analysis and correlation for security event detection shall be performed to identify potential security incidents and policy violations.
  • Secure log storage and access controls for log data shall be implemented to protect log integrity and ensure only authorized personnel can access log information.
  • Log integrity protection and tampering detection shall be implemented to identify unauthorized modifications to log data.

3.7.2 Infrastructure Incident Response

• Infrastructure Incident Response:
  • Automated incident response capabilities for infrastructure security events shall be implemented to enable rapid response to identified threats.
  • Integration with organizational incident response procedures shall be maintained to ensure coordinated response across all organizational functions.
  • Evidence preservation and forensics capabilities for infrastructure incidents shall be implemented to support investigation and legal requirements.
  • Communication procedures for infrastructure-related security incidents shall be documented and followed to ensure appropriate notification and coordination.
  • Recovery and restoration procedures for compromised infrastructure shall be documented and tested to enable rapid restoration of normal operations.

4. Standards Compliance

See Annex: Control Mapping

5. Definitions

See Annex: Glossary

6. Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Infrastructure Security Team	Develop cloud infrastructure security policies, implement security controls, monitor infrastructure security, and respond to infrastructure security incidents.
Cloud Engineers	Design and implement secure cloud infrastructure, manage cloud security configurations, and ensure compliance with security policies.
DevOps Engineers	Implement secure CI/CD pipelines, manage infrastructure as code, integrate security tools, and automate security controls.
System Administrators	Configure and maintain secure systems, implement security baselines, manage system access, and monitor system security.
Security Operations Center (SOC)	Monitor infrastructure security events, analyze security alerts, coordinate incident response, and provide 24/7 security monitoring.
Compliance Team	Ensure infrastructure compliance with regulations, conduct compliance assessments, and coordinate audit activities.
Database Administrators	Implement database security controls, manage database encryption, monitor database access, and ensure database compliance.
Container Platform Team	Manage container orchestration platform security, implement container security controls, and monitor container environments.
Cloud Security Architects	Design secure cloud architecture, establish security standards, and provide security guidance for cloud implementations.
All Engineering Staff	Follow infrastructure security policies, implement security controls in their areas, report security issues, and participate in security training.