The rapid adoption of cloud computing in enterprises, with 67% of infrastructure now cloud-based, demonstrates the overwhelming advantages of this technology. Organizations are embracing various cloud models to meet their specific needs, such as hybrid cloud for compliance and data residency, private cloud for customization, and multicloud architecture to avoid vendor lock-in.
However, despite the numerous benefits, there is one persistent challenge that cloud service providers are grappling with – complex security issues that arise when different clouds and computing models interact.
Multicloud deployment has become a growing trend among large organizations due to its ability to provide agility, performance, and adaptability in navigating complex and dynamic computing needs. It allows businesses to avoid vendor lock-in, choose the best cloud services, and strategically distribute workloads to leverage pricing variations. But despite these advantages, 94% of organizations are concerned about cloud security.
Multicloud deployments bring unique security challenges that go beyond the typical security concerns associated with the cloud. Here are some of the key challenges:
1. Increased attack surface: Multicloud environments expand the attack surface, as the number of cloud environments and services increases, leading to unforeseeable security vulnerabilities. Different clouds can expose organizations to new types of security threats that were not present in traditional IT environments. Organizations must address the risks associated with each environment.
2. Platform-specific security solutions: Each cloud provider offers its own set of security controls and services tailored to their specific environment. Extending these solutions and services to other cloud environments can be complex and sometimes impossible due to inherent incompatibilities. It is crucial to ensure that security solutions are compatible, effective, and consistent across all environments.
3. Fragmented visibility: With data and applications spread across multiple clouds, achieving comprehensive network visibility and monitoring becomes challenging. If a security incident occurs, coordination and collaboration between cloud providers can be problematic, resulting in a disjointed and inefficient incident response. Establishing seamless incident response procedures, data collection mechanisms, and forensic capabilities across cloud platforms is essential but challenging.
To address these challenges and ensure the security of users, data, and systems, organizations deploying multicloud architectures need a modern security strategy. Here are a few ways to achieve this:
1. Embrace network-level security: Implementing security measures at the network level allows organizations to enforce consistent security policies and access controls across the entire multicloud setup. It provides visibility into network traffic patterns, enabling organizations to monitor and analyze data flows. Network-level access control strategies like zero-trust network access (ZTNA), a core component of a secure access service edge (SASE), reduce the risk of unauthorized access and lateral movement of threats across cloud environments.
2. Ensure global reach: In a multicloud environment, security measures and services must have a global reach, as data and resources are spread across multiple regions and countries. Cloud-native, globally distributed security infrastructure allows organizations to inspect and secure network traffic at the edge, closer to its source, regardless of its destination. Global reach provides resilience, redundancy, business continuity, and regulatory compliance.
3. Adopt a comprehensive security portfolio: Different cloud platforms introduce unique security challenges and vulnerabilities. To mitigate all cloud-specific threats, organizations need a security portfolio that includes firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), ZTNA, cloud security access broker (CASB), secure web gateway (SWG), and more. A unified stack with a defense-in-depth approach provides a layered security posture that is harder for attackers to breach.
4. Centralize security management: In a dynamic and disparate multicloud environment, it is nearly impossible to keep all systems up to date with the latest patches and security configurations. Converged security models that consolidate networking and security behind a single management console streamline security operations, improve visibility, and minimize complexities.
5. Scale security as needed: As multicloud environments grow, security technologies must be able to scale effectively to handle higher traffic volumes and cover more geographic locations. Adopting cloud-native security with global presence and scalability ensures network performance while accommodating growth.
Securing a multicloud architecture is an ongoing process. A flexible and adaptable security strategy is necessary to address emerging threats, regulatory changes, and technology advancements. While the suggestions mentioned above will help design a resilient multicloud security strategy, regular audits, revisions, and updates are imperative for maintaining a strong security posture in a dynamic cyber environment.