According to the definition by the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), cloud computing is an on-demand service model for IT provision, often based on virtualization and distributed computing technologies. Cloud computing architectures have characteristics, including highly abstracted resources, near-instant scalability, and flexibility, near instantaneous provisioning, shared resources, service on demand, etc. Cloud computing security is a critical aspect of cloud adoption, as it addresses the unique challenges and risks involved in securing cloud-based systems and data.
While cloud computing brings many benefits, cloud security has consistently been the top concern when enterprises immigrate to the cloud. Cloud providers play a key role in hosting, managing, and securing cloud infrastructure, so it is essential to evaluate their security practices, such as data encryption and compliance, to ensure robust protection.
In this article, we will discuss the top 3 cloud security challenges enterprises are facing. Adopting effective cloud security solutions is crucial to address these challenges and safeguard your cloud environment. You can then understand how these 3 issues make cloud security different.
1. Dissolving perimeters
As cloud computing becomes a major force dissolving perimeters, the traditional perimeter-based security approach no longer provides enough protection.
The perimeter-based security model considers all users and devices inside the corporate network as “trusted.” If attackers breached the network, they can gain access to everything inside the perimeters. Nevertheless, in a highly connected cloud environment, the network perimeter essentially no longer exists—users and devices can access cloud data and cloud applications from anywhere and anytime. Malicious actors can easily bypass traditional perimeter defenses to deliver a myriad of attacks and have unfettered access to cloud data and cloud applications if the least privilege is not applied. Security teams play a critical role in access management and protecting cloud applications, ensuring that only legitimate users have access and preventing unauthorized access.
Cloud computing requires enterprises to shift the focus of access control management from devices and locations to identities. Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a key strategy for managing user identities and access in cloud environments. The principle of least privilege is also crucial—users and devices should not be granted extensive access to assets beyond what is intended or required. Implementing role based access controls (RBAC) and multi factor authentication (MFA) is essential to prevent unauthorized access and account hijacking. More about Zero Trust and identity management can be found in our previous article.
2. Dynamic environment
Traditionally, applications and data reside on dedicated physical hardware. In contrast, modern workloads are cloud-based—they are dynamic, scalable, and in many cases, serverless. Cloud native security approaches are specifically designed to protect these dynamic and scalable environments. In a highly dynamic cloud environment, cloud resources are provisioned and decommissioned constantly. This requires organizations to secure cloud assets and manage cloud configurations effectively to reduce the attack surface.
As traditional security configuration may take minutes, hours, or even days, it fails to respond to a cloud environment, where dynamic scalability and instantaneous adaption are required. The notion of security goes beyond securing hardware and expands to accompanying workloads and data in real-time no matter whether they are at rest or in transit. Runtime protection is essential to safeguard sensitive information from attackers, and organizations must continuously monitor and implement continuous monitoring to detect threats and maintain compliance.
Scale protection thus becomes challenging for enterprises. Two key requirements to secure clouds in a flexible and dynamic environment include:
- Micro-segmentate workloads with Zero Trust principles. Zero Trust segmentation allows for consistent policies while scaling with the underlying cloud infrastructure. As the cloud ramps capacity up and down, appropriate control and protection policies shall be automatically and instantly provisioned to new users or devices.
- Centrally manage security deployments and streamline policy enforcement through SASE. Cloud access security brokers (CASBs) play a critical role in providing visibility and control over cloud service usage, helping organizations prevent shadow IT and safeguard sensitive data.
Managing such dynamic environments also introduces challenges in securing cloud systems, cloud platforms, and multi cloud environments, each with unique security requirements and risks. Following cloud security best practices—including regular audits, secure configurations, employee training, and comprehensive security strategies—is essential to address these dynamic security challenges.
3. Regulatory compliance
Regulatory compliance is a critical pillar of cloud security, as organizations leveraging cloud services must navigate a complex landscape of industry regulations and standards to protect sensitive data and maintain trust. In cloud computing, both cloud service providers and cloud customers share responsibility for ensuring compliance. While cloud service providers are typically accountable for securing the underlying cloud infrastructure, cloud customers must safeguard their own data, applications, and access controls within the cloud environment.
Meeting regulatory compliance requirements in cloud environments presents unique challenges. Organizations must ensure that sensitive information is handled in accordance with industry regulations such as PCI DSS for payment data, HIPAA for healthcare information, and GDPR for personal data protection. This often involves implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data, maintaining strict access controls, and continuously monitoring cloud resources for potential security incidents.
Failure to comply with regulatory standards can result in significant financial penalties, reputational damage, and increased cloud security risks. As cloud usage grows, organizations must work closely with their cloud service providers to understand shared responsibilities, enforce consistent security policies, and conduct regular security audits. By prioritizing regulatory compliance, businesses can better protect sensitive data, reduce cloud security threats, and strengthen their overall cloud security posture.
