Addressing Concerns and Building a Robust Cloud Security Posture.
Enterprise leaders and security professionals grapple with the challenges of securing cloud environments as cloud adoption becomes integral to digital transformations. Fortinet’s Cloud Security Report underscores the growing concern about cloud security, with 43% of respondents believing that risks in the public cloud surpass those in traditional on-premises environments. The focus on cloud-specific compliance requirements adds complexity to securing cloud data. This article explores evolving cloud security needs, challenges faced, and practical steps to enhance cloud security compliance.
Evolving Cloud Security Needs
A third of surveyed companies reveal that 41% to 60% of their corporate data resides in external clouds, emphasising the shift towards cloud-centric data storage. With vast amounts of global data in the cloud, enterprises must adhere to industry-specific guidelines and local, state, federal, and international laws. Cloud security is paramount in an era of hybrid work, ransomware threats, and accelerated cloud adoption.
Challenges in Securing Modern Clouds
Cloud computing's evolution into a comprehensive solution poses challenges for security leaders. Key dimensions include data security, automated monitoring, network visibility, fleet visibility, and managing multi-cloud workflows. These dimensions highlight the complexity of securing diverse cloud infrastructures, emphasising the need for robust security strategies.
Building a Stronger Cloud Security Compliance Posture
To address the challenges, security leaders must focus on cloud compliance management from the planning stage. Prioritising cloud compliance helps mitigate cyber threats arising from poor implementation, insider threats, and misconfigurations. Key steps include:
1. Get to Know Compliance Security Frameworks: Familiarise yourself with widely-used regulations like HIPAA, SOX, PCI DSS, NIST, and ISO 27001, each tailored to specific industry needs. Understand cloud-specific controls and requirements within these frameworks.
2. Understand CSPs' Roles & Responsibilities: Acknowledge the shared responsibility model, where cloud service providers (CSPs) and enterprises share responsibilities. Clearly define areas of control and protection for both parties to ensure a secure cloud environment.
3. Lay Down Corporate Cloud Policies & Governance: Develop cloud security policies based on risk assessments and establish cloud governance to manage and disseminate these policies. Regularly evaluate and adjust policies to align with evolving business needs.
4. Establish Cloud-Related Change Management: Implement rigorous change management processes for cloud environments. Monitor administrator accounts, implement role-based access, offboard dormant accounts, and enable logging on critical resources to prevent misconfigurations and unauthorised access.
Conclusion
As cloud adoption continues to rise, cloud compliance remains a critical component of cybersecurity strategies. Organisations must understand and adhere to legal and regulatory requirements specific to their industries and locations. A thorough risk assessment helps design streamlined policies and governance models that support ongoing innovation in cloud technologies, ensuring a robust and compliant cloud security posture.
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