5 Ultra High Value Cloud Security Considerations

5 Ultra High Value Cloud Security Considerations by Aleksandar Gogic

As organisations continue to build innovative solutions that heavily leverage cloud technology, robust cloud security becomes paramount. Businesses must adopt a strategic approach to securely innovate and maintain product trust when building in the cloud. This article expands on five high-value cloud security considerations in order of significance: Identity and Access Management, Security Architecture, Proactive Engagement, Subject Matter Bridge, and Building Cloud First.

1. Identity & Access Management

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is one of the most critical domains in information security. As stated in my recent article Don't Be Taken Aback By ABAC, “when prioritising security uplift initiatives, IAM is often the best starting point”. In retrospect, this statement still understates IAM’s importance—it’s not just the best starting point—IAM is the most impactful factor affecting overall security posture.

The cloud amplifies IAM impact, where identity becomes the new perimeter. Modern cloud environments rely on inherent interaction patterns, including publicly exposed APIs and integrations (external) and complex microservices or software-defined architectures (internal). Consequently, Identity and Access Management is at the forefront of ultra high-value cloud security considerations.

Below are four IAM strategies that can deliver significant security value: 

  • Centralised Identity Management: Simplify and unify identity management processes by consolidating under a single, trusted identity provider. Standardising identity can significantly improve efficiency and oversight while reducing possible misconfigurations across multiple identity silos.
  • Enforce Strong Conditional Access (including Multi-Factor Authentication): Strategically design and apply context-aware security measures that dynamically manage access based on attributes such as user location, device, and behaviour. Combined with MFA, this approach significantly shrinks the exposed attack surface.
  • Streamline Provisioning with Automated Group Mappings: Automate user provisioning by leveraging group-based policies and role mappings. Enforcing least privilege from the outset ensures consistency, reduces manual errors, and tightly controls access.
  • Avoid Platform Applied Out-of-Band Privileges: Prevent access creep by avoiding (or completely restricting) the provisioning of out-of-band privileges that bypass centralised governance structures and management patterns. Keeping all permissions within a single IAM framework eliminates shadow access paths and solidifies your security posture.

2. Clear Security Architecture

Security architecture is a critical yet often overlooked element of cloud security, acting as the blueprint for secure design and implementation. A well-defined architecture does not simply lay out tools and technologies to deploy but also outlines how people, processes, and tech must integrate to deliver cohesive and resilient security. Think of it like a game of Tetris: each security component is a piece that must fit precisely within a larger structure—without intruding on other pieces or leaving critical gaps. Sometimes, you don’t get to choose the pieces served—in these cases, security architecture must adapt to maintain a well-structured whole.

In heavily software-defined cloud environments, infrastructure is dynamic and constantly evolving. Robust security architecture is essential to manage risk and align with compliance requirements and organisational objectives. Strong governance at the architecture level is crucial for preventing fragmented approaches and helping teams collaborate effectively.

Below are three Security Architecture strategies that will bolster cloud security posture:

  • Clear Principles and Strategy: Outline a cohesive strategy that defines tools, policies, and objectives. Once established, ensure an appropriate operating model is in place to govern the enforcement and adherence to these principles across the organisation.
  • Minimising Overlap: Through cross-team collaboration, strategically select platforms that integrate well within the existing ecosystem. Maintain strict control over the introduction of non-governed technologies that could lead to tool sprawl, shadow IT, and ultimately increased attack surface. 
  • Continuous Review and Adaptation: Recognise the threat landscape and technology ecosystems evolve rapidly. Treat security architecture as an adaptive, business-aligned framework rather than a static checklist. Continuously reassess and refine your architecture to address newly identified risks, accommodate emerging technologies, and enable ongoing innovation without compromising security.

3. Proactive Engagement

The exponential cloud uptake has surfaced technological repercussions, resulting in the development of various cloud security capabilities, including tools, frameworks and solutions. This rapid growth often challenges organisations when integrating security capabilities across existing systems and processes. Frequently, security tools (and other security support mechanisms) are purchased and implemented without adequate integration and supporting business processes, resulting in varying levels of effectiveness. Consequently, these security capabilities may become unmanaged and lack ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and essential context tuning to the target environment.

With ever-evolving threats and technological advancements, security products and capabilities cannot be set-and-forget solutions. Proactivity is essential in addressing the dynamic nature of cloud security. Following a reactive approach, such as engaging with security posture management tooling only upon alert notification, leaves organisations exposed to sophisticated threats that can quickly compromise and attack target assets. In contrast, proactive engagement and continuous tuning of security capabilities enable timely threat discovery and risk mitigation before issues escalate. This approach empowers organisations to stay ahead of evolving threats, reduce downtime, and provide teams with up-to-date security metrics. 

Below are four proactive initiatives that can significantly uplift cloud security posture:

  • Proactively Engage and Tune Security Tools: Tools such as Cloud Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) offer visibility, automated compliance, and protection against misconfigurations. Establish processes for continuous monitoring and tuning of these tools to maximise their effectiveness and ensure optimal return on investment.
  • Automate Integration for Improved Coverage: Enhance security coverage by automating the integration of cloud security tooling across all new and existing platforms. Automation reduces the risk of manual errors and ensures consistent management and monitoring across all environments.
  • Collaborate with Other Technology Stakeholders: Work closely with DevOps, IT, and engineering teams to align objectives, share insights, and address risks collaboratively. Well-structured collaboration ensures that applied measures complement other technological initiatives seamlessly.
  • Develop Targeted Reporting and Threat Notifications: Within applicable native or third-party security mechanisms, create tailored reporting and real-time threat notifications. Providing actionable insights directly to relevant stakeholders improves response times and ensures that teams receive targeted notifications in line with their respective responsibilities.

4. Subject Matter Bridge

Security must not be an exclusive concern delegated to a single team or individual—it is a shared responsibility across the whole organisation. In the article The Cloud Security Gap, I delve deeper into the friction often observed between cloud and security teams. I highlight that ”The lack of comprehension and subsequent non-strategic control implementation will (in most cases) result in unnecessary technological constraints or significant security risk”. A pattern emerges where ”cloud professionals have a deep understanding of cloud concepts without security context, whilst security professionals have a deep understanding of general security principles but with no context to associated patterns in the cloud”. In such scenarios, collaboration is crucial—a lack of alignment can lead to security gaps, inefficiencies, increased risks, and extended time to production. 

Below are four strategies that can improve security collaboration across teams and provide significant security posture value:

  • Develop a Cloud and Security Champion Program: Identify and empower passionate team members to act as champions across both cloud and security. Champions can advocate for security best practices across teams, bridge knowledge gaps, and serve as informed security or cloud representatives.
  • Encourage Cross-Team Collaboration: Break down silos and ensure open communication between security, DevOps, and other relevant teams. Regular interdepartmental forums can help align objectives and address common challenges.
  • Leverage Collaborative Platforms: Strategically select tools that facilitate seamless teamwork to drive innovation at speed. Security tooling can bring teams together, share critical context and facilitate collaboration through CNAPP dashboards or views, shared repositories, and joint communication channels on messaging platforms.
  • Continuous Education: Specialised training programs and mandatory certifications set teams up for success. Provide ongoing education opportunities, such as workshops, online courses, and hands-on training, to equip team members with the knowledge and skills to effectively operate and manage all technology capabilities within their respective roles.

5. Building Cloud First

The first step to cloud adoption is pivotal, as it can determine long-term success or failure. To maximise native cloud security benefits, organisations must adopt a ”Cloud First” mindset. Adopting cloud technology involves reprogramming aspects of traditional workflows, resource management, and cultural mindsets. The term ”Cloud First” implies leveraging native cloud technology and design patterns from the ground up to create scalable, fault-tolerant, and automated solutions rather than attempting to adapt aging on-premises practices to a new environment. 

Below are three strategies that provide significant security value when building with a Cloud First mindset:

  • Leveraging Cloud-Native Capabilities: Building in line with Cloud First principles allows for improved integration of native security features offered by cloud providers. Services such as AWS Security Hub, Azure Security Center, or Google Cloud Security Command Center can enhance your security posture effortlessly and integrate seamlessly with other cloud-native services.
  • Streamlining Technology: Lifting and shifting workloads to the cloud can lead to inefficient architectures where comparable services must be self-managed and maintained. Leverage cloud-native capabilities to remove or consolidate redundant technologies, reducing the attack surface and administrative overhead. Technology streamlining not only enhances security but also improves operational efficiency.
  • Embracing Automation: When building Cloud First, leverage inbuilt automation capabilities to enhance security, reduce human error, and significantly improve resilience. The cloud provides robust Infrastructure as Code (IaC) capabilities, allowing organisations to define and manage their infrastructure through code rather than manual processes. Tools like Terraform and AWS CloudFormation enable automated deployments, ensuring consistent security configurations and streamlined management of security changes.

Conclusion

As the use cases for cloud technology continue to evolve, so must our approach to cloud security. Cloud platforms are not merely providers of storage and compute services; cloud platforms are the critical infrastructure underpinning the next wave of technological innovation, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The rapid advancements and widespread adoption of AI technology will amplify the need for secure and scalable data and GPU infrastructure. AI systems, which rely on vast amounts of data and computational power, depend heavily on the integrity and reliability of cloud services. Therefore, ensuring robust cloud security is paramount to sustaining these innovative endeavours.

By focusing on the five ultra-high value considerations mentioned in the article, businesses can create a secure foundation for innovation and growth. These considerations address current security challenges and anticipate future threats, ensuring a resilient and adaptive security posture. 

Cloud security must not solely be a technical necessity; it is a strategic enabler of trust, innovation, and progress in our digital era. Investing in comprehensive cloud security today will lay the groundwork for the secure adoption of groundbreaking technologies tomorrow. As organisations navigate the complexities of the cloud landscape, prioritising these high-value security considerations will ensure they remain competitive and poised for continued success.