The popularity of cloud computing has continued to rise with the emergence of digital transformation initiatives. Whether it public, private or hybrid, cloud architecture offers cost-effective and scalable computing power. While cloud computing is more secure than most traditional servers, it has its flaws.
One of the many reasons organizations are eager to embrace cloud architecture is because it gives them more control over their applications. Cloud providers make it easy for people with low technical skills to install data and upload applications, but the ease and simplicity of the cloud can create a false sense of security. With more control at the organizational level, cloud users are responsible for securing their own space within the cloud. This shared control means that everyone is responsible for understanding how to interact with the cloud and its associated complexities:
Use trusted software: It’s what’s inside that counts. Keep track of what you download, where it comes from, who built it and what it entails. Obtain software from trusted sources and continuously monitor the system to avoid breaches and keep it up-to-date.
Understand compliance: Be aware of any sensitive data that may be subject to compliance regulations. This may include, but is not limited to, personal, financial or healthcare data. Before choosing a cloud deployment, check compliance requirements and understand how and where to store data in the cloud.
Consider portability: Portability is the ability to move applications and data from one cloud environment to another. There may come a time where you need to transfer applications across the cloud. Service-level agreements (SLA) will define the services and obligations of the service provider. Consider proactively ensuring your system has portability to prevent vendor lock-in.
Choose the right people: Do your research beforehand. Ensure the security team you’ve partnered with has adequate training and qualifications to navigate the complexities of cloud infrastructure. Keep in mind that you should feel comfortable trusting this security team to handle your data.
Cloud security is everyone’s responsibility. This can be nerve-wracking considering the biggest risk in cloud computing is human error. No surprise there, right? Carelessness and inexperience can lead to major security failures. For many security teams, the effects of the cybersecurity skills gap can be felt around securing the public cloud. According to InfoSec analyst Aaron Sherrill, the lack of public cloud security expertise increases the probability that workloads will be improperly deployed and secured. Additionally, securing emerging technologies in the hybrid cloud has become more challenging as organizations adopt new cloud platforms, capabilities and features.
DevSecOps may be a solution well-suited to help organizations navigate our cloud-enabled future. This approach implements security decisions and actions throughout the entire development process to make everyone responsible for security, heightening security proficiency across technology disciplines. A shift towards a DevSecOps culture can help effectively detect threats in real time. Involving security in the software development process from start to finish enables IT and security cross collaboration to deliver fast and safe code. Teams constantly monitor and update data centers to catch mistakes faster, allowing them to detect poorly designed applications that cannot scale in the cloud.
Since cloud technologies are constantly changing, DevSecOps must adapt to align with the existing cloud landscape. While it’s not perfect, this approach offers tactics that can help us improve cloud security over time and close the industrywide skills gap.
To learn more about Carolina Advanced Digital’s cloud security solutions including CASB contact us.