Cloud infrastructure allows businesses to manage their data at affordable prices securely. But every environment has its risks. That is why cloud security systems are implemented to identify and tackle risks, and eventually, safeguard against cyber-attacks and other security vulnerabilities caused by human error.
Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) is a collection of IT security tools that notifies an organization regarding vulnerabilities in configuration. The software constantly monitors the cloud infrastructure for policy compliance risks or gaps in security policy enforcement.
The software is an upgraded version of Cloud Infrastructure Security Posture Assessment (CISPA) used only for simple monitoring. It offers monitoring along with advanced automation features for risk remediation.
What Are The Cloud Security Management Solutions?
Cloud security management is a broad subject with various solutions for the diverse challenges a cloud infrastructure can face. Some solutions focus on intersecting areas, but cloud environments require different solutions for different security goals.
The following are the various cloud security solutions:
- Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
- Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)
- Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP)
- Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)
- Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP)
Out of these solutions, this article will dive into the features and needs of Cloud Security Posture Management.
Who Needs Cloud Security Posture Management Services?
If you are wondering whether your business needs a Cloud Security Posture Management software solution, then here is a list of appropriate users for the software who will benefit from its features:
Strict Compliance Rules
Any organization that serves an industry with extremely rigid compliance requirements can benefit from a Cloud Security Posture Management solution. Instead of worrying about the possibility of non-compliance, your business can implement Cloud Security Posture Management software and enjoy automated compliance checks.
Critical/Massive/Sensitive Datasets
Organizations with huge workloads are the typical targets for security breaches or hackers. Those organizations that store critical or sensitive information on their cloud platforms that could cause serious harm when accessed by unauthorized individuals should be protected with a CSPM software solution.
Several Cloud Accounts
Businesses that handle multiple cloud environments will require software assistance to manage the security. It can be challenging to continuously monitor the risks and breaches on the cloud with manual effort.
What Are The Focus Areas?
As discussed at the beginning of this article, cloud security management has various solutions, and Cloud Security Posture Management is one. Each solution focuses on a set of areas. For CSPM software, the following are the key practices or areas of concern:
- Identity, security, and compliance
- Monitoring and reporting
- Inventory and segmentation
- Cost control and resource management
Benefits of CSPM Software
The following are the reasons why your cloud infrastructure will greatly benefit from this system:
- Cloud Security Posture Management software offers you a clear view of your organization’s cloud assets and their configurations. Keep track of all your risks and reports without any inconvenience.
- The tools help you contextually understand the cause and scope of risk in the cloud environment. It decodes vague alerts into meaningful problems that you can tackle.
- It helps you secure your data by enforcing data security controls so that outsiders or hackers cannot access it.
- The software helps your organization detect workload challenges by identifying the misconfigurations or misalignment with best practices.
- You can easily track policy violations and perform remediation automatically with the help of this advanced software.
- The Cloud Security Posture Management software gives you access to prebuilt libraries containing best practices and general standards.
What Are The Best Practices?
The following are the best practices for a Cloud Security Posture Management solution to perform well:
Measure Risk and Focus on Security Breach
You cannot deal with security threats as and when they come. If not, serious risks will harm the environment before anything can be done to mitigate them. Therefore there should be a system in which security violations are prioritized and dealt with immediately before any other minor threat in the cloud ecosystem.
Follow Cloud-Specific Benchmarks
Cloud-specific benchmarks offer fundamental guidelines that an organization can follow to stay in compliance with the regulations. Several policies protect the cloud systems from the advancing threats in cyberspace. Conforming to these benchmarks will ensure that your organization constantly updates and secures its cloud infrastructure.
Identify Misconfiguration in Pipelines
It can be challenging to immediately identify vulnerabilities in the system, especially when new resources are constantly assessed. Allowing gaps to exist in the infrastructure can enable cyber hackers and other threats to steal data. This is why security checks should be enforced in development channels to be identified early on and remediated.
With this detailed guide on CSPM software, its functionalities, and benefits, make your decision on which service provider to choose and enjoy a secure and compliant cloud system.
