The cloud will become a cornerstone of enterprise operations as IDC estimates that by 2025, there will be more than 750 million cloud-native applications globally. Additionally, more than 90% of organizations expect to use a multi-cloud approach within the next few years. Given that the cloud offers unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and speed, these numbers should come as no surprise.
However, the rapid adoption of cloud infrastructure has also expanded the scope of enterprise attacks, the rate of which often exceeds security precautions. According to the Unit 42 Incident Response Report, cloud-related incidents rose from 6% in 2021 to 16.6% in 2023, a trend that is likely to continue. As organizations move to the cloud, it is clear that the gap between traditional security operations center capabilities and cloud security requirements is widening, leaving critical assets vulnerable to cyber threats and presenting a new set of security challenges that traditional security operations center (SOC) tools are ill-equipped to handle. But why do they fall short? What can we do to protect our operations from threats?
Old tools versus modern threats
Old SOC tools were not designed for the modern world. They were designed for on-premises environments and often lacked native capabilities to help analysts detect and respond to cloud-specific threats. For example, most traditional tools provide limited visibility into cloud infrastructure, resulting in unmanaged and exposed sensitive data. Our recent Cloud Threat Report revealed that 63% of publicly exposed storage pools contain personally identifiable information (PII), things like financial records and intellectual property. Furthermore, attackers have become more efficient, with the average time from breach to data leak falling to just two days in 2023, down from nine days in 2021. In nearly half of these cases, the data leak occurred within one day of Penetration.
Securing cloud environments is complex and can seem daunting. It requires constant coordination across multiple teams, including CloudOps, DevOps, and SecOps. Each team has distinct responsibilities and tools, leading to fragmented security efforts that can leave gaps. The State of Cloud Native Security 2024 report indicates that the average organization uses more than 30 security tools, of which 6 to 10 are dedicated to cloud security only. This siled approach hinders the ability to respond to threats in real time and manage security holistically. Furthermore, companies are realizing that this siled approach needs to be addressed, with 80% of respondents expressing a desire for a centralized security solution, further underscoring the need for integrated, comprehensive security strategies.
The necessity of having a modern security platform
As cloud threats evolve, companies must recognize the limitations of traditional security operations center tools and the necessity of a modern security operations platform. To effectively address these challenges, organizations need solutions that provide comprehensive visibility, control, and real-time threat response capabilities.
A modern security platform should not be considered modern unless it is driven by principles that address the dynamic and evolving nature of cloud threats. This includes real-time detection and response capabilities that can keep up with a fast-moving threat landscape. Advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning are more important now than ever in providing a comprehensive and adaptable security posture.
Cloud security operations must also require full visibility and context. Without a clear view of the entire cloud environment, security teams cannot accurately detect or respond to threats. Real-time insights are essential to enable proactive threat response, allowing security teams to anticipate and neutralize threats before they cause significant damage.
Using traditional Security Operations Center (SOC) tools can cause breakdowns in security coverage and often complicates threat response efforts. A unified security platform integrates vulnerability management, compliance capabilities, runtime protection and threat detection, simplifying deployment and operations across your entire security program – a must in today's cloud-centric world.
Addressing contemporary cloud threats
To address the challenges of cloud threats, Palo Alto Networks introduced XSIAM for Cloud, which combines enterprise security and cloud detection into one intuitive, AI-powered platform. XSIAM enables real-time security results, making it the industry's first cloud-optimized SOC platform. This is achieved through real-time cloud workload protection, detection and response capabilities, and cloud-native analytics and automation.
Real-time cloud workload protection is essential to maintaining the security integrity of dynamic cloud environments. As organizations increasingly migrate their critical operations to the cloud, they become more vulnerable to complex cyber threats. Real-time protection ensures that any anomalies or malicious activity are detected and mitigated immediately, preventing potential breaches and reducing downtime.
The introduction of Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) as part of XSIAM's Cloud Command Center enables SOC teams to identify and respond to threats quickly and accurately. Through advanced detection mechanisms, organizations can identify unusual behavior patterns and potential threats as they arise, allowing rapid intervention before they escalate into major security incidents.
Finally, cloud-native analytics and automation play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of Security Operations Center (SOC) operations. XSIAM leverages advanced analytics so organizations can gain deeper insights into their security posture, and more easily predict potential threats. Additionally, automation streamlines routine tasks and response procedures, enabling security operations center teams to focus on analyzing more complex threats and making strategic decisions. This combination of analytics and automation not only enhances the speed and accuracy of threat detection and response, but also makes security operations more resilient in the face of the growing volume of threats.
Matching mismatches
The mismatch between legacy security tools and modern cloud threats highlights the need for advanced solutions like XSIAM for Cloud. By providing end-to-end visibility, real-time insights and unified security measures, we aim to ensure modern platforms stay ahead of evolving cyber threats while effectively securing cloud environments.
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