The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) today unveiled the third version of its Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing. This effort provides a practical, actionable road map to managers wanting to adopt the cloud paradigm safely and securely.

Key updates in version three include:

• The domains have been rewritten to emphasize security, stability and privacy, ensuring corporate privacy in a multi-tenant environment.
• The guidance assumes a structural maturity in parallel with multinational cloud standards development in both structure and content.
• The extension of content included in previous versions, with practical recommendations and requirements that can be measured and audited.
• The addition of Domain 14 – Security as a Service.

“Cloud technologies and the adoption of cloud-based computing and standards have grown tremendously in the two years since the publication of our previous version of the Guidance,” said Archie Reed, one of the three editors of the Guidance. “The thinking on cloud, the tools, and the techniques has evolved significantly, and Version 3 provides the latest best practices to meet today’s challenges while demystifying the concept of cloud services.”

“Version 3 of the Guidance aims to provide a single, comprehensive, C-level, set of best practices that deliver a stable, secure baseline for cloud operations,” said Paul Simmonds, another of the editors. “It serves as a practical, actionable road map for managers, and aims to be the most technologically comprehensive document for those in the trenches of cloud adoption.”

“This version of the Guidance builds upon the great work of contributors to our numerous other projects,” said Chris Rezek, the third editor. “It incorporates lessons learned from the CSA GRC Stack and Trusted Cloud Initiative, and the various CSA activities, to emphasize the needs for security, stability and privacy in the cloud.”

“I want to thank each and every one of our contributors, as well as our amazing editors, for their transformational work on this version of the Guidance,” said Jim Reavis, co-founder and executive director of the CSA. “This is a significant overhaul of a huge body of work, needed to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of cloud technologies and challenges. We are proud to continue to provide the industry’s definitive body of work for practitioners looking to leverage cloud computing as part of a secure, stable environment.”