Around 98% of organizations use some type of cloud-based infrastructure, and over three-quarters have multicloud deployments using services from two or more cloud providers. What does this mean for IT security providers?
It’s safe to say the complexity of these multicloud environments has contributed to security challenges. Plus, a rise in cyberthreats along with 60% of engineers shifting workloads between on- and off-premises has led to a growing need for centralized security management. Unsurprisingly, the global cloud security market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2023 to 2031.
However, organizations are overwhelmed and (almost) desensitized by the number of cloud security offerings available. Here are three key challenges IT service providers need help with, along with some tips for enhancing cloud security in the ever-evolving digital environment.
The Obvious but Important Topic of Data Breaches and Security Threats
According to a recent Enterprise Strategy Group survey of over 338 IT professionals, over 50% of respondents believed their IT network to be more complicated than two years ago due to the widely dispersed nature of modern IT environments, adding pressure on secure connectivity.
Cybercriminals constantly target cloud environments with poorly configured cloud services, access controls, or network settings. And organizations with these issues can inadvertently expose sensitive data to unauthorized parties.
Therefore, businesses must invest in single-interface robust security platforms that include encryption, access controls, and multifactor authentication to safeguard cloud workloads from potential breaches. Another must for IT providers is to carefully analyze cloud providers’ data encryption protocols, incident response planning, and disaster recovery processes. They can do this by reviewing documentation like AWS’ encryption policy for data at rest, for example.
Also, many of these security platforms can help managed service providers (MSPs) train all employees on secure cloud practices while providing access to cloud enterprise architects and security and compliance experts.
Incorporation of Intelligent Security Solutions
Businesses want to maximize their protection and minimize vulnerabilities through strategic technology integration—and many already employ automated security tools. But more and more companies are beginning to use intelligent security solutions, leveraging AI algorithms to detect anomalies, identify potential threats, and respond to security incidents in real time. The difficulty is knowing where to start.
There are several personalities to follow: Michael Dell, Dell Technologies founder and CEO, has recently spoken about the transformative power of artificial intelligence, for example. The company introduced a major expansion of its Dell APEX cloud services and ground-to-cloud capabilities to “give customers the freedom to choose where, how, and when they run their workloads, whether it be public cloud, on-prem, edge, and beyond…”
Google’s Identity and Access Management (IAM) recommender also uses AI technologies to analyze usage patterns to recommend more secure, custom-tailored IAM policies, making cloud deployments more secure and cost-effective. Another Google offering using machine learning, Cloud Armor Adaptive Protection, contributed to blocking one of the largest DDoS attacks ever reported.
Ultimately, AI to improve cloud operations should address threat overload, replace burdensome tools, and overcome the talent gap.
Use of a Mix of Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud Services
MSPs whose clients use more complicated, hybrid IT environments regularly report limited visibility into their customers’ networks, apps, and infrastructure, making identifying vulnerabilities and troubleshooting difficult.
There is a growing need for cloud security solutions that can provide centralized visibility and control across multiple cloud environments. Organizations need real-time insights into their cloud infrastructure, network traffic, and user activities to detect and respond to security incidents promptly.
Cloud-native security tools and security information and event management (SIEM) systems can help. These tools assist organizations with the integration of cloud security solutions with other IT security tools and platforms to streamline security operations.
The widespread adoption of cloud infrastructure, rising cyberthreats, and multicloud deployments have meant more complex security challenges. But an approach including centralized cloud security management, advanced AI technologies, and robust all-in-one security platforms are helping to join the dots.
SASHANK PURIGHALLA is founder and CEO of BOS Framework, a single platform approach to cloud enablement, cloud management, and cloud governance. Sashank is a serial entrepreneur with a strong software product development background. Over the past 22 years, Sashank built over 200 products in various industries including healthcare, clinical research, finance, education, B2B, B2C SaaS startups, and government, and has led large globally distributed teams both for enterprises and startups in North America, Australia, Europe, Middle East, and India.
