There are many diverse reasons to implement cloud security posture management (CSPM). Perhaps the most critical reason is the need to protect data and ensure compliance with government and industry regulations. However, other factors like the increasing complexity of hybrid IT environments and the growing number of cloud-based services can also make CSPM a necessary investment.
Here is a guide that will not only answer the question, “what is a CSPM?” but also help you understand why it has become increasingly necessary for your organization.
Data Protection and Compliance
One of the primary reasons for implementing CSPM is to protect data from unauthorized access and ensure compliance with government and industry regulations.
Many organizations are required by law to protect sensitive data, such as credit card information or patient records. Others may choose to implement CSPM to meet compliance mandates, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
CSPM can help organizations meet compliance requirements by providing a centralized view of the security posture of all cloud-based applications and services.
It includes identifying which applications are at risk for data breaches, assessing compliance to industry standards and benchmarks, and monitoring suspicious activity. With CSPM, organizations can better protect sensitive data by automatically quarantining or blocking compromised workloads at the source.
Easier Management of Hybrid IT Environments
As enterprises increasingly move to a hybrid cloud model with applications hosted both on-premises and in public clouds, organizations are challenged to manage complex, multi-cloud deployments that introduce additional risk into the environment. For example, workloads hosted in public clouds can remain unprotected due to their lack of control over security, compliance, and governance policies.
CSPM provides visibility into multiple cloud infrastructures to better understand the impact of changes or configurations on the overall security posture. Additionally, CSPM can help to ensure that data is adequately protected regardless of where it is stored or processed.
Cloud-based Services
The number of cloud-based services (Ref. Forbes on Cloud Security) is gradually growing. And this trend is expected to rise. Gartner predicts that by 2021, more than 50 percent of all new business applications will be deployed in the cloud. However, the scenario presents a challenge for organizations to manage and secure these applications.
CSPM provides visibility into cloud applications that are typically out of scope for traditional security controls, such as PaaS and IaaS. This visibility allows IT teams to gain insight into the configuration of these services, assess associated risks, and proactively manage application security policies.
Reduced Risk of Data Breaches
In addition to protecting data from unauthorized access, CSPM can also help organizations reduce the risk of data breaches. A recent study by Ponemon Institute found that the average cost of a data breach is $3.8 million.
CSPM can help organizations prevent data breaches by identifying vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in cloud-based applications and services and protecting against malicious threats. CSPM can also decrease the time to detect a security incident by providing an automated way of monitoring cloud infrastructure for suspicious activity and abnormal access patterns.
Implementing A Cloud-Native Solution
As more organizations seek to reap the benefits of cloud computing, they are faced with decisions about how best to move their applications and data to the cloud. While some organizations can shift their entire IT infrastructure to the cloud, many others find a more beneficial hybrid approach.
Some applications and services remain on-premises in a hybrid IT environment, while others are moved to the cloud. It can create a complex environment in which organizations have multiple points of vulnerability.
Improved Visibility and Control
As organizations are moving more applications and data to the cloud, they need better visibility and control over these resources. It is especially true for cloud-based applications and services outside of the organization’s traditional security perimeter.
CSPM provides a centralized view of all cloud-based applications and services, regardless of location or provider. With CSPM, organizations can better monitor and protect these applications through unified policies.
Increased Visibility into Users, Vulnerabilities, and Threats
Finally, CSPM provides increased visibility into your cloud infrastructure. It can help you identify potential security threats more quickly by providing insight into the users that have logged into the system and any vulnerabilities that may be present. With CSPM, organizations can optimize their cloud security posture more efficiently and protect against data breaches and other security threats.
People also read: What to choose – Cloud based subscription software or Desktop version?
By understanding how changes to cloud policies affect the overall security environment, IT teams can minimize risk and ensure compliance requirements are met across the organization.
CSPM can help organizations get a centralized view of all cloud-based applications and services, both on-premises and in the cloud. It includes identifying those applications which are at risk for data breaches, assessing compliance to industry standards and benchmarks, and monitoring suspicious activity.
Now that you know the answer to the “what is a CSPM?” question, you will be able to understand how vital this is when it comes to protecting sensitive data.