Final answer:
Cloud security mechanisms, such as Encryption, Digital Signatures, and Identity and Access Management, are aligned with specific threats such as Malicious Intermediary, Insufficient Authorization, and Identity Theft. Single Sign-On helps mitigate Denial of Service attacks, while Cloud-Based Security Groups and Hardened Images address Virtualization Attacks.
Step-by-step explanation:
To address the student's question on which cloud security mechanisms are used to counter specific cloud security threats, here's a breakdown:
- Encryption is often used to protect data from being accessed by a Malicious Intermediary. This mechanism ensures that data transmitted or stored in the cloud is unreadable to unauthorized parties.
- Digital Signatures can prevent attacks involving Insufficient Authorization and Overlapping Trust issues by verifying the identity of entities involved in communication and ensuring data integrity.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools are essential in combating Identity Theft and Insufficient Authorization by managing user permissions and access rights within the cloud.
- Single Sign-On (SSO) contributes to preventing Denial of Service (DoS) attacks by reducing the number of login attempts that need to be handled and, hence, the potential for overwhelming systems.
- Cloud-Based Security Groups and Boundary Hardened Virtual Server Image are methods to reduce the risk of a Virtualization Attack by controlling network traffic and ensuring server instances are secure.
It is also important to utilize two-factor authentication, implement stronger passwords, and engage in ongoing education about common cyber threats to fortify security further.