While the cloud threat landscape is ever-evolving, organizations can gain the upper hand by consistently implementing best practices. A secure cloud is possible but only if security is implemented across the entire development lifecycle. Here’s how:
Get and maintain multi-cloud visibility
It is very difficult to secure what is not visible or known. Security teams need to take the lead in advocating for cloud native security platforms (CNSP), which give them visibility across public, private, and hybrid clouds. Only organizations able to contextualize cloud logging capabilities, coupled with cloud asset inventory, will have
the capability to monitor who is accessing data and identify if that data was altered or, worse
yet, exfiltrated.
Enforce standards
Cloud security requires strict enforcement of standards across public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. If your organization does not yet have a cloud security standard, check out the benchmarks created by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). Paper standards are a great start, but they also need to be consistently enforced without having to create and maintain the tools that do it. Pairing CIS benchmark guidelines and IaC templates is
a great way to consistently enforce standards and avoid being in the headlines.
Scan IaC templates on commit
IaC templates should always be scanned for security issues prior to their usage in cloud environments. Using tools like the Prisma Cloud IaC Scanner will allow organizations to better vet the quality of templates they use in their cloud environments
Shift left
Shift left security is about moving security to the earliest possible point in the development process. Organizations that consistently implement shift left practices and procedures within cloud deployments can quickly outpace competitors. Work with DevOps teams to get your security standards embedded in IaC templates. This is a win-win for DevOps and security.
Source: Unit 42 Cloud Threat Report (Palo Alto Networks)
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