Which technology typically provides security isolation in infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud computing?

In Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud computing, virtual machines (VMs) are the technology that provides security isolation. Each VM operates as an independent instance, running its own operating system and applications, which allows it to be segregated from other VMs within the same physical server or host. This isolation is crucial for maintaining security, as it prevents unauthorized access and potential exploitation across different VMs.

When using VMs, resources like CPU, memory, and storage can be allocated individually, ensuring that workloads and their corresponding data are kept separate. Even if multiple VMs share the same physical infrastructure, they are securely isolated through hypervisor technologies, which manage the virtual environments and enforce separation.

In contrast, while application instances, system image repositories, and operating systems play important roles in the overall IaaS architecture, they do not inherently provide the same level of security isolation as virtual machines. Application instances may operate within a VM but do not segregate resources by function. A system image repository is simply a storage solution for VM images and does not provide isolation. Similarly, while operating systems operate within VMs, they cannot create isolation between different systems on their own; that capability relies on the virtualization technology.