In the recent Gartner Security Risk Management Summit 2021, Gartner Senior Director Tom Croll spoke about the Outlook for Cloud Security sharing that: “Gartner now views CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management) as a mandatory tool. Every organization that we have interacted with has told us that their CSPM has found risky configurations that they had no idea existed.” What does this mean to you? Have you wondered how CSPM will impact your business operations?
Foundational cloud infrastructure concepts
The pandemic has seen accelerated adoption of cloud services, where virtually everything has been forced to work remotely. While we are familiar with the benefits of using the cloudbenefits of using the cloud, the core concept of how to secure it can mean different things to different people.
For example, the fundamental difference between cloud and traditional on-premise environments needs to be established upfront. The shared responsibility model, for instance, posits that both cloud service providers and customers have an equal part to play to uphold security monitoring and enforcement in the cloud. The same principles for maintaining robust on-prem infrastructure — configuration, security testing, stress testing — need to be applied to cloud infrastructure. But without the right expertise, this can slow your operations by at least 5 times.
Teams need to be conscious of specific cloud security vulnerabilities that stem from the wide range of permissions and controls in the cloud, and understand the importance of security controls like enforcing resource access controls.
Out of sight is NOT out of mind
Native security tools available on cloud service providers cannot easily provide visibility of resource usage and configuration. This is especially dangerous for teams that store confidential and sensitive data in the cloud. Without the right security, attackers can take advantage of misconfigurations to breach an internal network and potentially cause data loss to an organization.
This is where Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) come in. CSPM solutions are specifically designed to give teams the visibility they need, with the right security alerts so that vulnerabilities can be fixed before hackers find them. This then makes CSPMs a major security asset for organizations leveraging cloud computing.
For instance, Horangi’s CSPM solution WardenHorangi’s CSPM solution Warden assists with monitoring and remediation of misconfigurations and enables compliance automation for popular frameworks such as PCI DSS, GDPR, MAS TRM, ISO 27001 and APRA.
Read the Horangi CSPM whitepaper
If you’re still wondering if CSPM is necessary for your organization or weighing the options between in-market CSPM vendors, download The Ultimate Guide: What Is CSPM? And How To Select One now to learn more about why and how it matters.
Key takeaways:
- Teams considering CSPM solutions should prioritize features including resource inventory, risk prioritization, and compliance management
- CSPM is expected to reach its plateau of mainstream usage within 2-5 years
- Look for CSPM vendors based in your market for local compliance frameworks and prompt customer support
