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Is Cloud Security the Next Frontier? Kivera Raises $3.5 Million in Seed Funding

Is Cloud Security the Next Frontier? Kivera Raises $3.5 Million in Seed Fundingcloudsecurity,frontier,Kivera,seedfunding
# Cloud Security Firm Kivera Raises $3.5 Million in Seed Funding

## Introduction

Kivera, an Australian cybersecurity startup, has recently secured $3.5 million in seed funding from General Advance, Round 13 Capital, and several angel investors, including notable figures from the industry such as Srinath Kuruvadi, the managing director and head of cloud security at JPMorgan Chase, and Ely Kahn, the vice president of product management for cloud security at SentinelOne. The funding will primarily be used to expand the technical staff of Kivera as the company relocates its headquarters from Sydney, Australia to New York.

## The Problem of Cloud Breaches

Kivera‘s main focus is on preventing cloud breaches by addressing their primary cause: misconfiguration in the public cloud. According to Gartner, “Nearly all successful attacks on cloud services are the result of customer misconfiguration, mismanagement, and mistakes.” Unfortunately, little has changed since this observation was made in 2019. Most cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools identify misconfigurations tens of minutes to hours later, while organized criminals armed with automated internet searching tools can find and exploit these errors as quickly as they are recognized. It is clear that preventing misconfigurations is more effective than identifying them after the fact.

## Prevention First, Detection Second

Kivera‘s approach to preventing cloud misconfigurations is summarized by Neil Brown, the co-founder and VP of operations at Kivera. He states, “We offer something that is prevention first and detection second. We catch the risk before it is created rather than find it later.” The company achieves this by establishing configuration policies that can be enforced during the development process. Developers can continue to work at a rapid pace, as any configuration policies that violate company policies are caught and flagged by Kivera. This ensures that risks are stopped before they enter the cloud environment, preventing them from reaching major cloud service providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

## Policy Packs and Native Identity and Access Management

Kivera provides its customers with a multitude of pre-made policy packs aligned with common frameworks such as NIST 853 or the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix and other compliance standards. These policy packs allow organizations to easily adopt best practices and ensure compliance with various regulations. Additionally, Kivera leverages the identity and access management authorization solutions provided by cloud service providers. If an attempted engineer access does not come through Kivera, it is simply blocked at the CSP end, preventing potential bypass of Kivera‘s controls.

## Company Background and Future Plans

Kivera was originally founded in Sydney, Australia in 2019 by Neil Brown and Vernon Jefferson. However, in June 2023, Joe Lea, a board member at Viakoo and a strategic advisor to AI EdgeLabs and SecureX.AI, joined as the CEO, and the company relocated its headquarters to New York to better serve the North American market. Kivera aims to continue building out its product and working with early customers, particularly in the financial sector.

## Editorial: The Importance of Proactive Cloud Security

Kivera‘s approach to cloud security is commendable as it prioritizes prevention over detection. With cloud services becoming increasingly essential in our digital landscape, the need for robust security measures cannot be overstated. The frequency and severity of cloud breaches caused by misconfigurations highlight the urgency of adopting preventive measures. Kivera‘s focus on providing developers with guardrails and policy packs helps facilitate secure development practices and reduces the risk of misconfigurations slipping through the cracks.

## Advice: Investing in Cloud Security Posture Management

For organizations looking to bolster their cloud security, investing in cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools, such as Kivera‘s platform, is crucial. CSPM tools offer proactive security measures, allowing organizations to identify and remediate misconfigurations before they result in breaches. By enforcing configuration policies during the development process, organizations can mitigate the risk of misconfigurations and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.

In conclusion, Kivera‘s recent seed funding not only acknowledges the importance of cloud security but also highlights the growing recognition of proactive prevention in the fight against cloud breaches. By focusing on addressing the root cause of vulnerabilities, Kivera‘s approach serves as a model for the industry to prioritize prevention and stay ahead of malicious actors in the ever-evolving threat landscape.

CloudSecuritycloudsecurity,frontier,Kivera,seedfunding


Is Cloud Security the Next Frontier? Kivera Raises $3.5 Million in Seed Funding
<< photo by Cristi Ursea >>
The image is for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual situation.

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