What Makes Cloud Security Posture Management Different from Conventional Cybersecurity for Enterprises?
Cyber-attacks have never ceased evolving and getting more complex and aggressive, and as a result, cybersecurity must evolve at an exponential rate to keep up. Security companies are continuing to improve the solutions they provide to combat new types of attacks as well as unwelcome but not unexpected shifts in the cyber threat environment.
In the process of improving their cybersecurity goods and services, many security organisations come up with breakthroughs or new packages that are tailored to the new issues that businesses are facing. However, while many of these developments have proven to be beneficial, others have turned out to be gimmicks or wordplay designed to garner attention only. A large number of false security products are cropping up as a result of the migration to the cloud, in particular.
It is worthwhile to consider the concept of cloud security posture management (CSPM), which is a relatively new industrial area in the field of information technology security. Is it able to deliver tangible benefits in the real world? What distinguishes it from other types of cybersecurity systems for businesses is its simplicity.
Cloud security posture management
Cloud security posture management refers to the automated discovery and repair of risks that are encountered throughout a cloud infrastructure’s network of computers. It includes the Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) concepts, as well as other related technologies. In addition to visualising risks and performing security assessments, CSPM is useful for assuring proper incident response, compliance monitoring, and DevOps integration. Also made possible by this technology is a consistent implementation of optimal security practises across cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud systems, including those that make use of container technology.
To distinguish themselves from conventional cyber defences, security firms may offer CSPM as an expanded security posture management solution. Enhanced features are included with this higher level of security, which make it faster and easier to identify cloud and infrastructure vulnerabilities such as misconfigurations, poor cyber and IT hygiene, and holes that allow bad actors to infiltrate and launch attacks against them.
In her role as Senior Director of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology at MorganFranklin Consulting, Sarah Kent concurs that cloud security is becoming increasingly vital. The speaker shared her insights during a tech talk series given by a global cybersecurity firm, where she described how the rise of many clouds and hybrid environments is introducing new difficulties that necessitate advanced solutions. According to Kent, “the basic line is that the intricacies of multi-cloud translate into greater complexity in terms of security.”
Cloud-targeted security enhancement
Threats and risks in cloud environments are addressed by features and functions in CSPM that are particularly developed to address those threats and hazards. It provides appropriate tools for the mitigation of attack surface hazards, as well as for the reduction of risks associated with a lack of information technology and cyber hygiene. Also possible is to quantify individual security faults and vulnerabilities to have a more solid representation of risks and a better understanding of the situation to better prioritise responses and resource allocations.
Cloud security posture management guarantees that a reliable system of threat discovery and visibility is in place. It facilitates risk monitoring and management by providing a single approach, which is particularly useful in environments that include several clouds as well as extremely complicated requirements for deployment, configuration, networking, and change activity tracking (among other things). CSPM contributes to the successful management and remediation of misconfigurations. It also makes it easier to detect and prevent fraudulent and unauthorised access and activity continually.
More importantly, the CSPM facilitates DevSecOps integration, which results in increased productivity, particularly when it comes to dealing with the complexities and friction that can arise in multi-cloud settings. CSPM solutions are meant to be readily linked with SIEMs to streamline security visibility while also generating relevant insights and contexts when it comes to analysing configuration concerns and potential policy breaches, among other things.
Continuous Automated Red Teaming (CART) is risk identification and mitigation technique that may be used in cloud security posture management solutions to make it easier to identify and mitigate threats. A breach and attack simulation (BAS) service may also be provided by these companies to optimise the benefits of security systems. Also available is sophisticated purple teaming, which allows for the scaling of knowledge and competence when it comes to antagonistic activities. The MITRE ATT&CK architecture is also expected to be integrated so that they can make use of the most recent threat intelligence and information on adversary tactics and approaches.
Some may argue that these features are largely identical to those found in conventional enterprise cybersecurity systems. However, there are several variations between CSPM and conventional cybersecurity for organisations that should be considered while making this observation. These differentiating characteristics are baked into the underlying processes of security controls and protocols, with a nod to the factors listed below as examples:
The absence of physical boundaries in the cloud – In contrast to on-premises models, cloud environments are not protected by physical perimeters. In other cases, hackers may have an easier time finding their way into cloud systems, particularly if the systems are not properly designed and protected from the inside. The security characteristics of the CSPM are intended to compensate for the lack of perimeters in the environment.
Problems associated with scaling – Maintaining the security of several cloud platforms may be extremely complex, especially when a business is expanding or changing. As businesses grow or shrink in size, cloud security posture management allows them to be more
Differentiating CSPM from other cloud security solutions
The fear about visibility – The cloud infrastructure is not centralised, which makes it difficult to monitor for security threats. Security events and hazards on the cloud are being monitored and managed by a consistent and coherent system, which is provided by CSPM.
CSPM stands apart from other cloud security solutions in several ways.
Similarly to other cloud security solutions, such as Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Cloud Infrastructure Security Posture Assessment, cloud security posture management has certain distinctions from them (CISPA).
Workload protection is the primary objective of the CWPP, as the name implies. The use of cybersecurity technologies such as malware protection, vulnerability management, and app security, allows for a unified strategy for safeguarding workloads across different cloud providers. CSPM differs from other cloud security solutions in that it protects a broad scale, protecting the entire cloud environment through the use of more complex techniques such as automation, guided remediation, and artificial intelligence.
CASBs, like CWPPs, are security solutions that are meant to serve a specific purpose rather than being general-purpose. They are positioned between the cloud service provider and its customers and function as security enforcement points for both parties. In addition to traffic regulation, they are responsible for ensuring that security regulations are followed before any access is granted. Firewalls, virus detectors, data loss protection measures, and authentication procedures are all features that may be included with CASBs. Again, when compared to CASBs, CSPM provides a greater breadth of protection. This solution is capable of not only detecting threats in network traffic but also of doing continuous security compliance monitoring across the entire cloud environment.
CISPA, on the other hand, can be seen as a precursor to the CSPM system. The term “cloud security posture management” refers to a version of the technology that was limited to reporting functions in its earlier iteration. When it came to reporting, CISPA concentrated on creating reports that demonstrated the success of a security management automation solution in correcting misconfigurations.
In conclusion
To summarise, cloud security posture management is comparable to traditional business cybersecurity solutions in that it can be implemented remotely. Its distinction from standard enterprise cybersecurity solutions may not be immediately apparent, particularly given the similarity of the names and security technology used. There is, however, specialist cloud-targeted protection that is available.
Enterprises that are contemplating CSPM solutions would be well to do a thorough evaluation of their alternatives. Many security services claim to provide cloud-centric protection, but in reality, they only do so in name. The vast majority of them are unable to provide the required and efficient protection that organisations want for their multi-cloud architecture. It is critical to look at the track record of CSPM providers to ensure that their solutions are effective—both in terms of reliability and efficiency.
