Do you know cloud misconfigurations are the number one cause of cloud security issues? According to a leading cloud security report, around 33.4 billion records were exposed in cloud data breaches in 2018-2019. The data breach events cost $5 trillion to enterprises globally.
Despite an improvement in cloud security technology, the number of misconfigurations rose by 80%. The rush in businesses to adopt cloud services has provided new opportunities to cyber attackers. The solution to this problem is implementing intelligent CSPM. Here we have discussed a few reasons to implement cloud security posture management in your cloud enterprise account.
Reasons to Use Cloud Security Posture Management
Cloud Misconfiguration
As mentioned earlier, cloud misconfiguration increases risks to applications and cloud services. The main reason for cloud misconfigurations is misunderstandings related to the security of the cloud platform. Most clients believe the security of the cloud environment is ultimately the responsibility of the service provider. The truth is the service provider is only responsible for the security of the cloud infrastructure technology stack. The responsibility of securing applications and services lies with the client.
Irrespective of the size, any cloud environment involves applying thousands of settings. Managing such a vast configuration is not possible with traditional ways. Besides, the lack of visibility in the permissions for applications and services makes matters worse. Cloud Misconfiguration can take any form like multi-factor authentication not enabled for users. It can lead to easy access to cloud services and data stored in the cloud.
A reliable CSPM solution can detect misconfigurations. The solution has the integrated capability of Cloud access security broker(CASB) systems that can automatically detect unsanctioned cloud applications in the environment. The security tools can also see sensitive data in transit or “Shadow IT” elements. The cloud security posture management’s tools continuously monitor your cloud for any misconfiguration and give steps to remedy them.
Compliant Enforcement
Compliance refers to enforcing rules that govern the policies of the organization. Businesses are required to comply with various regulations laid down by the government depending on their service types. For example, the US government requires the healthcare industry to comply with HIPAA. Public retail companies are required to comply with PCI and SOX.
Cloud security posture management has inbuilt frameworks that include industry-recognized controls. Also, it covers the regulations specified by the government. These security solutions can also define frameworks to meet the unique compliance needs of your business.
With the frameworks in place, the security solution continuously monitors the applications and processes within and across cloud environments. The solution ensures every security element is in place and working as expected.
The threat to compliance does not always come from processes and systems. A human element can also be a significant threat to compliance. The CASB API is part of the security solution that offers visibility into user activity. It gives you the better capability to enforce compliance, improve threat protection, and make data security efficient and easy.
IT teams can customize users’ rules and policies based on cloud security posture management findings based on their job roles. The user access policies can be based on user roles, departments, or individuals.
Drift Detection
An organization using a cloud environment to deploy applications and services have templated deployments and configurations known as a stack. The cloud service providers offer tools to detect drifts in the stack. For example, Amazon provides a CloudFormationChange function to apply changes to the stack.
The CloudDriftDetection feature offered by the service providers is also designed to detect when cloud configuration drift occurs. As more employees use the cloud and more data goes into the infrastructure, it can cause deviations that can pose a security risk.
Cloud security posture management continuously monitors the cloud infrastructure for any deviations. It sends alerts to the cloud administrators to take corrective action. The quick detection and remedial action reduce cybercriminals’ possibility of taking advantage of the change in the configuration.
These are the three main reasons to use cloud security posture management solutions in your enterprise cloud security. Now let’s look at some of the benefits of implementing an automated cloud security posture management.
Handles Incident Response
The popularity of cloud platforms makes them a lucrative target for cyber attackers. The security tool can centrally review the way the threats are detected, quarantined, and repaired.
Carries Out Threat Classification
The security tool carries out threat classification and identifies risks that are critical to managing cloud security.
Classifies Cloud Assets
The security solution offers optimal visibility for all cloud assets. It identifies each crucial cloud asset; checks its configuration to ensure optimal cloud security is achieved.
To sum up, cloud security posture management is a critical asset for your organizations that protects your systems and data in the cloud.
