Post-treatment risk mitigation

Cloud security remains a critical concern for organizations. Traditional security practices, which primarily focus on visibility and detection, are no longer sufficient to combat the complex threats targeting cloud environments. The inherent complexity and diversity of cloud infrastructures require a comprehensive security strategy that goes beyond simple fixes.

ZEST Security has come out of the shadows to address this problem. I recently spoke with Sneer Ben Shimol, CEO and co-founder of ZEST Security, about how companies can adopt effective risk mitigation and resolution strategies to strengthen their security posture and ZEST’s vision moving forward.

The Evolution of Cloud Security: From Vision to Solution

Historically, cloud security efforts have centered around gaining a clear view of potential threats and vulnerabilities. Tools have been developed to identify issues such as misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, giving security teams a detailed view of their security landscape. However, this approach has significant limitations.

“Vision is just the first step,” Shimul explained. “Knowing your problems without an effective way to solve them leaves organizations vulnerable and frustrated.”

According to Shimul, shifting toward solution-centric solutions is key to achieving effective cloud security. Rather than simply identifying risks, it emphasizes resolving those issues quickly and effectively. This shift is critical to reducing the attack surface and preventing known vulnerabilities from being repeatedly exploited.

Bridging the Gap Between Security and DevOps: A Collaborative Approach

We also talked about integration and collaboration between security and DevOps teams. Traditional silos between these teams often lead to inefficiencies and delays in addressing security issues.

“Security cannot change anything in the cloud without DevOps involvement,” Shimul noted. “This collaboration is essential to ensure security measures are implemented effectively.”

By fostering a collaborative environment, organizations can streamline the process of identifying and resolving vulnerabilities. This approach is believed to not only enhance security but also ensure that DevOps practices align with overall security goals.

AI and Automation: The Future of Scalable Security Solutions

Artificial intelligence and automation are closely linked to cybersecurity, and cloud security is no exception. These technologies enable organizations to scale their security efforts and respond to threats faster.

The ZEST Security platform uses generative AI to create automated resolution paths and reduce the time and effort required for manual remediation.

By automating the process of identifying and resolving vulnerabilities, AI enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of security operations.

“AI allows us to run through endless options and provide the best solution paths,” explains Shimul. “This capability is transforming how organizations approach cloud security, making it possible to address issues at scale and with greater precision.”

The Economics of Cloud Security: Balancing Costs and Benefits

The financial implications of cloud security strategies are a major consideration for businesses. Traditional manual remediation methods are not only time-consuming, but also expensive. On average, it takes 30 to 60 days to remediate a single cloud security risk, with 80% of resolved risks resurfacing shortly after remediation.

Implementing automated resolution and mitigation strategies can lead to significant cost savings. By reducing the operational burden on security and DevOps teams, organizations can allocate resources more efficiently and improve their overall security posture.

Post-Process Risk Mitigation: A Comprehensive Security Strategy

A comprehensive security strategy should go beyond simple remediation to include proactive mitigation of risks. This involves leveraging existing tools and infrastructure to reduce the possibility of exploiting vulnerabilities, even when they cannot be fixed immediately. The ZEST Security platform embodies this approach by providing remediation and mitigation options.

“Mitigation is all about making it more difficult for threat actors to exploit vulnerabilities,” says Shimul. “By using our cloud-native security controls and automated resolution paths, we can reduce risk from critical to medium or low, ensuring our customers are better protected.”

Shimol described how this comprehensive approach addresses the inherent complexity of cloud environments, providing a more robust defense against emerging threats.

Cloud Security Problem Solving

The cloud security landscape is constantly evolving, and businesses must adapt by adopting comprehensive strategies that go beyond just patching.

For CISOs and security professionals, embracing these innovative approaches is critical to staying ahead of the curve and ensuring the resilience of their cloud environments. By moving beyond traditional practices and leveraging advanced technologies, businesses can build a more secure and efficient future.

As Shimol summed up, “It’s not about opening tickets; it’s about closing them.”