Organizations increasingly rely on cloud services to store, manage, and process their data in the rapidly evolving cloud computing landscape. This shift brings unprecedented flexibility and efficiency but also introduces significant security challenges. At the heart of these challenges lies a critical question: What exactly are we securing in the cloud?
As businesses migrate their operations to the cloud, there’s often a significant disparity between what customers believe they are protecting and what requires protection. This gap in understanding can lead to severe security vulnerabilities — and potential data breaches.
On-prem IT vs. Cloud Environments
There are fundamental differences between traditional on-premises IT infrastructure and cloud environments.
In on-premises setups, IT teams have full control and visibility over their hardware, software, and network components. In the cloud, the boundaries become blurred and assets become more abstract and dynamic. Cloud environments are characterized by virtualization, elasticity, multitenancy, and a distributed nature. This means IT teams face challenges in maintaining a clear picture of their assets and the necessary security measures.
Several misconceptions contribute to this security gap. Many organizations assume that they transfer all security responsibilities to the provider by moving to the cloud. Others believe their existing security tools will work seamlessly in cloud environments. Some think they always know where their data is located or that they don’t need to worry about hardware in the cloud.
These misconceptions can lead to significant security gaps if not addressed properly.
Why a Shared Responsibility Model Is Critical
To bridge these gaps, it’s crucial to understand the shared responsibility model that governs cloud security. This model delineates the security responsibilities between the cloud service provider and the customer.
Providers are generally responsible for the security of the cloud infrastructure, including physical data centers and network components. Meanwhile, customers handle securing their data, managing access, and ensuring the security of their applications and operating systems.
The exact division of responsibilities can vary depending on the specific provider and the cloud service model — infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), or software as a service (SaaS). It’s essential for organizations to thoroughly understand their responsibilities within this model to ensure comprehensive security coverage.
Secure Your Cloud Environment
Dan Phoenix
One of the first steps in bridging the security gap is understanding what assets exist in your cloud environment — and which are critical. This process involves asset discovery, data classification, dependency mapping, and continuous monitoring.
By thoroughly identifying and categorizing cloud assets, organizations can focus their security efforts where they matter most and ensure that no critical components are overlooked.
To effectively secure cloud environments, organizations need to adopt a multifaceted approach. This includes:
- Implementing strong identity and access management (IAM)
- Encrypting data both in transit and at rest
- Ensuring robust network security
- Managing vulnerabilities
- Developing incident response and disaster recovery plans tailored for cloud environments.
The Regulatory Side
Organizations also must ensure that their cloud security practices align with relevant regulatory requirements. They can leverage automation to enforce security standards consistently.
Comprehensive visibility into the cloud environment is key to addressing the gap between perceived and actual security. You can achieve this through several systems, including:
- Cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools
- Cloud workload protection platforms (CWPP)
- Cloud access security brokers (CASB)
- Security information and event management (SIEM) systems
These tools help organizations continuously assess their cloud infrastructure, protect cloud-native applications, monitor access to cloud services, and correlate security events across hybrid and multicloud environments.
Realize Cloud Computing’s Benefits
As organizations embrace cloud computing, it’s crucial to recognize that effective security requires a shift in mindset and approach. This can be done through a combination of education, proper tooling, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Enhance your cloud security posture by understanding the shared responsibility model, accurately identifying critical assets, implementing comprehensive security strategies, and maintaining visibility across cloud environments. This proactive approach helps protect valuable data and resources. It also enables businesses to fully leverage the benefits of cloud computing without compromising on security.
Cloud security is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. As cloud technologies evolve and new threats appear, staying informed and adaptable is key to maintaining a robust security posture in the ever-changing landscape of cloud computing.
Dan Phoenix is director of EchoStor’s networking and security business. He has over 20 years of experience in the networking and security industries working for global technology leaders such as Cisco and VMware.
Featured image: iStock
