IT security is headed to strange new worlds—and the cloud is a popular destination. In fact, with the market for worldwide public cloud services growing 40.7% in 2020, Gartner and BAI Security believe the future is in the cloud. Organizations left and right are initiating cloud migration, moving all of their data center capabilities onto the cloud by way of cloud-based service providers.
But in the rush to uncharted territory, plenty of opportunities can be shirked, leaving essential assets and security practices behind. Consider how mapping your existing system onto cloud infrastructure can reveal where important assets lie, or which vulnerabilities have gone unchecked. Although moving to the cloud can feel like a chance to go “out with the old, in with the new,” you may inadvertently enable pre-existing security gaps, ultimately widening your organization’s attack surface.
What should you be looking for in a cloud migration? What security tools should you take the time to incorporate? For this week’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month feature, BAI Security is here to help you navigate the cloud with plenty of sage advice for organizations who want to migrate off-premises.
Strategic Migration
The most effective digital security involves knowing your system inside and out, and data migration provides plenty of new angles from which to consider your risk posture. Take the cloud transition process as an opportunity to reexamine your highest-priority and highest-vulnerability assets, i.e. the data that would be most immediately at risk during a breach. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) advises to consider how you can adapt your existing security strategies for your new cloud environment.
Currently, one of the most popular options for organizations migrating to the cloud is a cloud access security broker (CASB) stationed between the cloud and your on-premises security to monitor data flow. Another option comes in the form of Cloud Posture Security Management (CSPM) tools, which are designed to catch fatal misconfigurations in your database.
Charlie Winckless for Gartner’s Infrastructure Security initiative recommends reviewing risks in the supply chain and examining how cloud service providers secure their functionality. While cloud infrastructure and platform-as-a-service applications (IaaS and PaaS, e.g. the ones you, as an organization, are more likely to use) come with their own concerns, it’s important to do your research on your provider’s infrastructure to ensure you’re not putting yourself at further risk.
Another important consideration in matters of cloud security is identity failure, or a breach that results from hackers taking advantage of identity-based verification. Choosing a least privileged identity model, based in the Zero Trust security approach, diffuses the risk of a malicious actor gaining access to admin credentials and wreaking havoc on your systems.
Gartner’s Executive Leadership: Cloud for Business Enablement initiative notes that the simpler your cloud configuration is, the better. Eliminating unnecessary account privileges and combing your systems for misconfigurations can be an efficient means of identifying risky structures, adhering better to compliance standards, and reducing your organization’s attack surface.
In short, prioritizing visibility and automation in your transition process will cut down on your organization’s overall risk and give your new presence in the cloud a strong level of baseline protection.
Trust Comes First
You’ll want trustworthy companions at your side to navigate the cloud. BAI Security is proud to offer you a team of highly experienced and qualified in-house IT security and compliance experts, devoted to helping you stay secure—on the ground, in the cloud, and wherever else valued assets go.
For a proposal and pricing, or just to chat about options, contact us today.
