Employing a hybrid cloud model can make your business more flexible and optimize costs while allowing you to scale when necessary. However, combining a private cloud with a public cloud environment—which creates a hybrid cloud—generates new security challenges that could lead to unauthorized user access, hacks, and data breaches. The average cost of a data breach can reach up to $3.92 million, according to Red Hat, with the likelihood of experiencing a breach within two years increasing to 29.6%.
Securing a hybrid cloud environment can be difficult for several reasons. As most hybrid clouds consist of at least two components—a public cloud and an on-premise system—the added complexity of managing multiple systems makes it challenging to detect and then fix security threats. When risks arise it can be complicated knowing what portion of the hybrid environment is affected. While the added risk of maintaining a hybrid cloud environment may seem daunting, you can substantially increase security by taking a holistic, layered approach.
How to Approach a Holistic, Layered Security Strategy
Securing a complex environment like a hybrid cloud requires taking a holistic approach that utilizes technology, processes, and people. It is not enough to simply install security-focused tools, and strategies must be agile and adapt as threats and needs evolve.
As hybrid cloud environments lack a defined perimeter, traditional, perimeter-based security approaches are not ideal. Centralized identity management and access control tools should adopt a “least privilege” practice, where users are only provided the access they need. When implementing this approach, it is necessary to have teams to audit contemporary access rights for users and then reassess each user to determine their appropriate access rights.
Holistic hybrid cloud security strategies make use of the capabilities of each layer of the environment, including operating systems, container platforms, automation tools, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) assets, and cloud services. Start by considering the following steps:
- You’ll want to utilize built-in tools that aid in security compliance, implement physical security, control user access, isolate processes, and increase data security.
- Take advantage of built-in processes within your container platform to increase container security. Some tools include network traffic controls, pod security policies, cluster ingress and egress controls, and role-based access controls (RBACs).
- When choosing automation tools, be sure that everyone across your organization can easily learn and use the automation language. Useful tools include access control, logging, and auditing capabilities.
When creating a security strategy for the future, it is integral to revisit current security processes and tools to ensure all available features are being utilized optimally and that you’re modifying your settings to provide the best protection. In order to achieve this, focus on the following:
- Take inventory of your current IT assets and tools.
- Examine and log existing security architectures, policies, and work processes.
- Create threat models, determine risk tolerance for your business, and establish mitigation strategies for possible future breaches.
- Identify areas for improvement within your architectures, policies, and processes.
- Create a list of current tools and assets and see if they can be useful for your updated strategies.
Leverage Automation and Open Source Technologies
When creating your hybrid cloud security strategy, consider the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as well as open source technologies. Utilizing AI to automate processes greatly reduces the risk of manual errors and increases consistency across application development, infrastructure management, and security operations. Adopting open source tech can make monitoring and managing hybrid cloud environments easier. Open source tech also gives businesses more flexibility when choosing security monitoring and remediation tools, which gives IT teams more options and a better chance at creating customized security strategies.
Secure Your Hybrid Cloud Today
Managing and securing a hybrid cloud can seem overwhelming. With cybercrime on the rise, there has never been a better time to invest in the right technologies, processes, and infrastructure to keep you from becoming one of the statistics. At Point Alliance, we work to make sure you adopt the best technologies and systems designed with your unique business in mind. Take your first step in securing your cloud environment by contacting Point Alliance today.
