In the evolving IT landscape, cloud deployments have become deeply entrenched in business operations, presenting unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges. The widespread adoption of cloud computing technologies has created a complex and dynamic environment, often spanning multiple providers and geographies, each with its own laws, regulations, and standards.
From fragmented environments to access control challenges, API vulnerabilities, interoperability issues, and difficult monitoring practices, today’s dense cloud deployments can lead to gaps in security coverage and inconsistencies in data protection. In fact, these complexities have been the root cause of many IT security incidents over the years. Cloud use and deployment are rapidly becoming critical parts of business operations and, in some cases, the very foundation of business itself. We’ve seen a significant shift from on-premises to cloud-first strategies for many organizations.
I have had the privilege of being part of many of these transformations over the years. A prime example is a multinational financial services company whose risk management function adopted multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies. While these strategies had their benefits, they also posed significant threats.
This particular organization used a public cloud for advanced risk modeling and an on-premises private cloud to store sensitive financial data to comply with regulatory requirements. However, different technologies, security services, and applications resulted in inconsistent security measures. During a routine audit, we discovered that sensitive financial data had been inadvertently exposed due to poor access control configurations on the public cloud.
Several factors contributed to this. First, the diversity and complexity of the cloud environment allowed for broad access through API calls and other technologies. Second, the skill set within the organization was a constraint. The team was able to manage different levels of technology and their security components but lacked the specialized skills to sustainably maintain a high level of security across all of these environments. The breach that occurred called into question the integrity of the risk model and posed a significant risk to the organization’s reputation.
This incident is a prime example of the inherent vulnerabilities of complex cloud environments and the critical challenges many organizations face. Each cloud provider operates with unique security tools, interfaces, and implementations, creating potential inconsistencies and vulnerabilities. The widespread adoption of the cloud creates a multifaceted environment that requires careful management and robust security measures to prevent exposure.
Specific toolkits that help unify and enhance visibility across diverse cloud deployments should be considered to address these challenges. One such toolkits is a managed detection and response (MDR) solution. Combined with a robust 24/7 security operations center (SOC), this can aggregate data from disparate sources, toolsets, technologies, and cloud infrastructures across an organization’s technology landscape. This centralization allows experienced SOCs to oversee these data streams, improve response times, reduce alert fatigue, and help an organization gain greater visibility and understanding of its environment.
Security culture
But improving the toolkit and skillset alone is not enough. Without the right mindset or culture embedded within the organization, the impact of improved tools and skillsets will be short-lived. Management plays a critical role in this. Security and risk must be a core driver of the organization’s culture, influencing how decisions are made and operations are conducted.
Establishing effective governance structures for data, security, compliance, and risk management is critical. These should not be just documents but practices that permeate the entire organization. Core systems such as incident response and effective resilience programs should be in place and communicated. Identity and access management practices should also be taken seriously.
Addressing these challenges will not only improve an organization’s security posture, but it will also facilitate the achievement of core business objectives. It will also reduce the complexity and drawbacks of diverse technology implementations and mitigate the risks associated with them. As the complexity of cloud environments continues to grow, driven by advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, the challenges facing organizations are set to intensify.
The dynamic nature of cloud environments, characterized by continuous provisioning and de-provisioning of resources, imposes complexities that require advanced security solutions that can adapt to these changes. Ensuring consistent security policies across diverse cloud platforms remains a significant challenge, requiring solutions that can keep pace with the evolving landscape.
Timi Akinlade is a vCISO at Armor Security, specialising in guiding clients through the development of risk and infrastructure security strategy. He is currently based in London, having come to the UK in 2023 following stints in risk and compliance at cyber consultancy Kumbie Technologies in Canada and South Africa. He holds a BSc in Informatics from the University of South Africa and is a volunteer on the UK Cyber ​​Security Council.
