Bridging the Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap Between Customers and the Cloud

The rapid adoption of cloud computing has revolutionized the way organizations manage and store their data. However, securing cloud environments goes beyond simply protecting the infrastructure. The intersection of networked devices, endpoints, apps, services, and various types of clouds creates vulnerability points that need to be addressed.

To make cloud environments as secure as the cloud itself, organizations must adopt a cloud-centric approach to security that considers current and emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and legacy platforms like operational technology (OT).

### DevSecOps and Continuous Monitoring

A fundamental aspect of a strong cloud security strategy is embedding security from the code to the cloud. Implementing a DevSecOps environment is essential, as it enables security measures to be incorporated throughout the development process. By doing so, organizations can mitigate the risks posed by misconfigurations, which are a common source of cloud vulnerabilities.

Continuous monitoring plays a crucial role in ensuring the security of cloud environments. By proactively monitoring for exposures and misconfigurations, security teams can identify and address potential trouble areas before they are exploited. As the volume of cyberattacks continues to rise, automating detection, analysis, and response is paramount in preventing breaches or mitigating ongoing attacks.

### Access Controls and Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management

Implementing robust access policies and controls is another vital aspect of securing cloud environments. Techniques like multifactor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), and other access control measures help limit the risks posed by unauthorized access.

Furthermore, employing cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM) provides organizations with deep visibility into permissions. This visibility enables organizations to adjust permissions according to their priorities, reducing the potential attack surface.

A cloud-native application protection platform can play a critical role in securing cloud environments by providing visibility across multicloud resources and protection at all layers of the environment. Additionally, it facilitates threat monitoring and integrates alerts into a security information and event management (SIEM) platform, enabling streamlined investigations and proactive security measures.

## Identity Becomes the Perimeter

The increasing interconnectivity between clouds, on-premises environments, and a wide array of assets and applications has blurred traditional security perimeters. In this porous environment, managing the identities of individuals and automated systems connected to resources becomes crucial.

To address this challenge, organizations need to adopt an end-to-end, holistic view of enterprise security. This entails comprehensive posture management, beginning with enterprisewide visibility and asset inventory. Automation tools can assist in this process, streamlining risk analysis, vulnerability assessments, and risk scoring.

It is essential for security measures to align with business priorities. Automated business risk modeling can provide scoring that helps organizations gauge the potential impact on the business if certain systems were unavailable. These steps collectively contribute to a posture management strategy that optimizes resource allocation and enhances security processes and tools.

## The Impact of IoT and OT

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the continued use of operational technology (OT) systems pose unique challenges to cloud security. The vast number of IoT devices, which are often not properly managed, updated, or patched, become weak links that threat actors can exploit. Similarly, legacy OT systems that drive critical processes often have unpatched vulnerabilities.

To address these challenges, a comprehensive cloud security strategy should include foundational systems like OT and peripheral devices like IoT. Visibility into every asset is critical, coupled with regular cyber hygiene practices such as patching, closing unnecessary ports, and isolating legacy industrial control systems from direct connections to the internet and cloud systems.

Zero-trust principles should be adopted wherever possible. Segmenting the network and enforcing strong identity and access management protocols are essential to deter threat actors from infiltrating and moving throughout the enterprise. Given that the traditional perimeter no longer exists, a cloud-centric security strategy based on comprehensive posture management is indispensable for protecting modern enterprises.

In conclusion, securing cloud environments requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses continuous monitoring, access controls, cloud infrastructure entitlement management, and a comprehensive posture management strategy. Organizations must recognize the importance of embedding security from code to the cloud, all while adapting to emerging technologies like IoT and addressing the vulnerabilities of legacy systems. By adopting a cloud-centric security strategy, organizations can ensure the protection of their cloud environments and safeguard their valuable data.