# Security pillar
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 The security pillar encompasses the ability to protect data, services, and systems by taking advantage of cloud technologies to improve your security, including practices for understanding the threat and risks, empowering end users to control how their data is used, and shifting to real time monitoring and escalation models for security. 

 The following questions and best practices are designed to complement the best practices in the [Security Pillar whitepaper](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/security-pillar/welcome.html). 

**Note**  
Governments have different security, risk, and compliance requirements, which might be enforced through rules, regulations, and laws. It’s important for you to understand your obligations as a person involved with a government service. This topic is also covered in the services outcomes pillar.