Serverless Security

Serverless security addresses the unique challenges of protecting applications and data within a serverless computing architecture, operating under a shared responsibility model where the cloud provider secures the underlying infrastructure. The developer's focus shifts from securing servers to securing the application code itself, its configurations, and its permissions at a granular, function-by-function level. This involves practices such as writing secure, vulnerability-free functions to prevent injection attacks, enforcing the principle of least privilege through tightly scoped identity and access management (IAM) roles, vetting third-party dependencies, and properly configuring event triggers like API gateways to protect against unauthorized access and invocation.

1. Introduction to Serverless Security
   1. Defining Serverless Computing
      1. Core Characteristics of Serverless Architectures
         1. Event-Driven Execution Model
         2. Automatic Scaling and Resource Management
         3. Pay-per-Use Billing Model
         4. Stateless Function Design
      2. Serverless vs Traditional Computing Models
         1. Infrastructure Management Differences
         2. Operational Responsibility Shifts
         3. Cost Structure Comparisons
         4. Performance and Scalability Considerations
      3. Major Serverless Platforms
         1. AWS Lambda
         2. Azure Functions
         3. Google Cloud Functions
         4. Platform-Specific Security Features
   2. Shared Responsibility Model in Serverless
      1. Cloud Provider Security Responsibilities
         1. Physical Infrastructure Security
         2. Hypervisor and Runtime Environment Security
         3. Platform Patching and Updates
         4. Network Infrastructure Protection
         5. Service Availability and Resilience
      2. Customer Security Responsibilities
         1. Application Code Security
         2. Function Configuration Security
         3. Identity and Access Management
         4. Data Protection and Encryption
         5. Dependency Management
         6. Monitoring and Incident Response
      3. Shared Responsibilities
         1. Network Controls and Segmentation
         2. Operating System Configuration
         3. Client-Side Data Protection
   3. Serverless Security Threat Landscape
      1. Event-Based Attack Vectors
         1. Event Injection Attacks
         2. Malicious Event Source Exploitation
         3. Event Data Manipulation
      2. Function-Level Vulnerabilities
         1. Code Injection Attacks
         2. Business Logic Flaws
         3. Authentication and Authorization Bypasses
      3. Infrastructure-Level Threats
         1. Over-Privileged Function Execution
         2. Lateral Movement Between Functions
         3. Resource Exhaustion Attacks
      4. Supply Chain Security Risks
         1. Third-Party Dependency Vulnerabilities
         2. Malicious Package Injection
         3. Compromised Development Tools
      5. Operational Security Gaps
         1. Insufficient Logging and Monitoring
         2. Configuration Management Failures
         3. Incident Response Challenges
   4. Security Paradigm Shifts in Serverless
      1. From Perimeter to Function-Level Security
      2. Ephemeral Execution Security Implications
      3. Distributed Security Control Points
      4. Automation-First Security Approach