Rising Cloud Data Risks Prompt Call for Enhanced Security Measures
The surge in cloud computing adoption has revolutionized business operations but also introduced significant security concerns, especially regarding data breaches, a nightmare scenario for any security professional. A report by ESG indicates that 55% of data and workloads are currently cloud-based, with an expected migration of 43% of current on-premises apps to the cloud within five years. This shift not only heightens data generation within the cloud but also expands the attack surface against cloud assets, making data security in the cloud a pressing issue.
Gartner, Inc. warns that by 2025, 90% of organizations that do not adequately control public cloud use will share sensitive data inappropriately. The lag in cloud strategies behind actual cloud usage results in considerable unsanctioned public cloud use, escalating risk exposure. Encryption, while a potent tool for data protection, is not a catch-all solution. Statista.com reveals that in 2021, 55% of respondents encountering data encryption issues identified unencrypted cloud services as a problem. Implementing encryption comprehensively is a challenge, and failure to do so leaves data vulnerable to various malicious activities.
While public cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) offer certain protections, their Shared Responsibility Model clarifies that while AWS manages security of the cloud, security in the cloud is the customer’s responsibility. This delineation places the onus of cloud data security squarely on the user, encompassing application, network, access, and other security aspects.
To address these challenges, Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) solutions have been developed, focusing on managing IaaS and PaaS security posture through prevention, detection, and response to risks in cloud infrastructure. CSPM applies common frameworks, regulatory requirements, and enterprise policies to assess risk in cloud service configurations and security settings, offering remediation options for identified issues.
However, CSPM does not explicitly address data security, a complex and multifaceted issue. The assumption that data is protected by encryption and requires no additional measures oversimplifies the reality. In the cloud environment, data interception is challenging to track due to the transient nature of microservices-based applications, and actions like exfiltrating encrypted data for ransom are equally problematic.
Recognizing these gaps, Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) has emerged as a critical focus in enterprise security. DSPM offers additional security protections for both structured and unstructured data, whether encrypted or not. It monitors data across public cloud, multi-cloud, and hybrid cloud environments. While CSPM platforms effectively detect and mitigate security vulnerabilities, cybercriminals have still found ways to bypass these measures to instigate data breaches.
DSPM and CSPM represent separate yet complementary components of cloud security, each providing distinct protection for cloud environments. Organizations are advised not to choose one over the other but to deploy both CSPM and DSPM simultaneously for a comprehensive approach to securing cloud and hybrid cloud environments. Ultimately, if a choice must be made, DSPM is crucial as it safeguards the most vital resource – data.
In response to these evolving threats, IBM Security® Guardium® Insights SaaS offers DSPM solutions, equipping compliance and security teams with the necessary visibility and insights to ensure sensitive data remains secure and compliant. The integration of CSPM and DSPM presents a holistic strategy, fortifying cloud environments against the ever-growing landscape of cyber threats.