Increasing Business Migration to the Cloud: 4 Keys to Protecting Cloud Environments
World Cloud Security Day (3rd April)
- Reports reveals that nearly 90% of organizations report hosting sensitive data or workloads in the public cloud.
- 39% of companies place more than 50% of their workloads in the cloud, according to the Cloud Security Report 2023.
- 24% of companies have experienced security incidents related to the cloud environment.
New Delhi, 3rd April 2024 – In recent years,
there has been a rapid evolution in business migration processes to Cloud
environments. When Check Point® Software Technologies
Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber
security platform provider, released the Cloud Security Report 2023
last year, a report based on surveys of over a thousand cybersecurity
professionals worldwide, it revealed that 39% of respondents already placed
more than 50% of their workloads in the cloud. Furthermore, other sources
highlighted that nearly 90% of organizations report
hosting sensitive data or workloads in the public cloud. The
progressive increase in companies adopting this type of technology is due to
features such as cost reduction, increased accessibility and mobility,
scalability of plans, and safer data storage.
However, as companies place their workloads in the cloud,
the risk increases: From Check Point’s Cloud Sevurity Report 2023, 76% of
surveyed professionals are concerned about cloud security, and 24% have
experienced security incidents related to public cloud. In the year 2021,
several reputable organizations experienced notable cloud security breaches.
For instance, Accenture fell victim to a LockBit ransomware attack due to the
exposition of nearly 40,000 customers passwords. Consequently, it iss imperative
for IT departments to ensure the correct configurations of AWS cloud servers.
Another security breach occurred with Facebook, wherein hundreds of millions of
user records were compromised and publicly exposed on Amazon’s cloud computing
service. To address this issue, Facebook had to reach out to Amazon, which took
down the exposed servers.
These cases reveal the importance of protecting the
cloud, because even the most advanced and secure enterprises can expose crucial
data and risk serious consequences. However, the adoption of cloud technology
has opened a new paradigm in the cybersecurity industry: it is no longer about
protecting the network perimeter to prevent external intrusions, but rather
about configuring a new approach where appropriate access controls, data
encryption, continuous monitoring, and additional security measures focused on
data protection, availability, and recovery are implemented.
Cyber threats evolve quickly, and there are constantly
emerging new ones targeting cloud environments, such as AI-powered attacks,
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), cloud cryptojacking attacks, and cloud data
exfiltration attacks.
Collaboration between technology companies and
governmental entities is essential to develop a secure and resilient digital
ecosystem. On this upcoming World Cloud Security Day, we suggest four key means
to ensure robust protection of cloud services:
1)
Adopt a common security framework. It has been revealed that 26% of companies have 20 or more
security policies in place, and 71% have more than six security
policies, making it difficult to respond to high-risk incidents. It is
mandatory to implement a comprehensive and collaborative security solution and
a standardized set of security policies, procedures, and best practices within
the company. These procedures will enable organizations to establish a solid
foundation for more efficiently managing data in the cloud, facilitating
collaboration and communication on cybersecurity matters both within the
company and with external partners.
When implementing a single cloud
cybersecurity solution, Check Point CloudGuard emerges as a comprehensive
option providing advanced threat prevention for all assets and workloads. This
solution is characterized by having an automated and unified security system
for multiple clouds, especially as 76% of organizations are using
multi-cloud strategy.
2) Incorporate Artificial Intelligence and automation. Artificial Intelligence is a key tool for
enhancing cloud security, as it can detect patterns and anomalies unnoticed by
humans. It performs massive data analysis to detect potential threats and can
continuously monitor cloud security systems, notifying administrators of any
suspicious activity. AI can also strengthen authentication and access to
information.
3) Continuously assess cloud configuration and security. The most effective cloud security tools
offer comprehensive auditing and reporting functionalities. It’s necessary to
keep detailed records of user activities, system events, and cybersecurity
incidents. This way, in case of a breach, analyzing the cause of the problem
thoroughly is facilitated. These reports also make it easier to comply with
security standards. Another option is to perform vulnerability tests in which
company attacks its own infrastructure to identify any weaknesses or potential
exploits and thus be prepared against future threats.
4)
Promote a culture of security and
continuous education. Cloud security does not solely depend on the provider or the security
solutions implemented by the company; it is also crucial that the team is aware
of the risks associated with storing sensitive data in the cloud and knows how
to take appropriate security measures and respond to potential incidents. Most
internal cybersecurity issues stem from a lack of training: according to "The Global Risks Report
2022," by the World Economic Forum, 95% of cybersecurity
problems originate from human errors. Given the rapid evolution of cyber
threats, employee training must be continuous and consistent.
Cloud security is becoming increasingly vital as
organizations adopt these services: Cyber security experts predict that
the by the end of 2025, cloud will host a staggering 100 zettabytes of data.
Concurrently, they anticipate a rise in attacks targeting newer cloud
technologies. This escalation implies a surge in cloud storage requirements, as
well as an amplified necessity for unified and automated cloud security
measures.
"The convenience offered by cloud environments often leads to overlooking the risks involved. More and more companies are adopting this type of technology but overlook taking effective security measures, which should encompass everything from team training to selecting robust security policies following a recognized framework or implementing comprehensive security solutions," says Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director at Check Point Software Technologies, India & SAARC.
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About Check Point
Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a
leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting
over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI
everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its
Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat
anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform
includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to
secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point
Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Core Services for
collaborative security operations and services.