Enterprise cloud refers to a cloud computing model where businesses access virtualized resources from a public or private cloud on a pay-per-use basis. In recent years, security threats have evolved from desktop viruses to browser-based malware.
Mobility has also made it easier to breach enterprise security measures as employees’ access to organizational resources on less secure networks. These threats call for a new approach that provides consistent monitoring, protection, and visibility, regardless of the user’s device location.
Here we have discussed a list of features that you need to look for in an enterprise cloud security platform.
Centralized Visibility of the Cloud Infrastructure
Enterprise cloud security controls should include centralized visibility into user activity, configuration settings, and security policies. This ensures the security teams do not overlook any vulnerability in the cloud due to misconfiguration. It will also provide the security teams not missing any unusual activity that is a sign of an upcoming attack.
According to experts from this website https://sonraisecurity.com/cloud-security-platform/, one of the challenges in cloud computing is that it offers different configuration settings that are selected by the developer that might not have security expertise. Cloud protection tools providing centralized visibility can help minimize these risks. These cloud protection tools must be tightly integrated into cloud management and security systems.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Enterprise cloud systems are often deployed across several business locations with numerous endpoints. Multi-factor authentication refers to using multiple authentication ways to validate cloud access as it can create better security for the cloud platform. Multi-factor authentication involves different categories of security inputs.
One category is the password, while the second category can be a key card or a mobile device. The third category is biometrics that focuses on things inherent to the human body. In multi-factor authentications, different security components should work together to prevent unauthorized access to enterprise cloud resources.
Identity and Access Management
The Identity and Access management feature is also closely related to authentication. It refers to the way businesses assign access and privileges to individual identities that are authenticated within the enterprise cloud system. It is the next step to multi-factor authentication, which refers to “permission vehicle” that allows people into the cloud environment.
When planning for an enterprise cloud system, managers need to think carefully about the specifics of job titles that have access. It is true that employees using cloud platforms can perform their duties well and have access to services if needed to deliver their duties. However, it is also necessary that sensitive data is distributed and accessible to as few people as possible.
Encryption Standards and Key Handling Tools
Encryption is an essential component in enterprise cloud security. Most cloud service providers encrypt data to prevent leaks and breaches. However, encryption alone cannot guarantee data safety. You need to also focus on the issue of key handling. Encryption systems use encryption keys set to encrypt and decrypt data. Anyone who has access to encryption keys can have access to corporate data.
Encryption key management is an essential element in securing data. Leading cloud service providers rely on cryptosystems for the management of keys. The encryption key management manages the generation, storage, use, exchange, crypto-shredding (destruction), and replacement of keys.
Cloud Encryption Gateways
Cloud encryption gateways are like VPNs that secure data when transmitted from one point to another. A cloud encryption gateway encrypts data when it leaves the network and travels through the public Internet to reach its destination. At the destination, the cloud encryption gateways decrypt the data and make it accessible to enterprise cloud users.
Mobile Platform Security
The mobile arena is becoming critical as large enterprises have a geographically distributed workforce. It is a big challenge to keep the enterprise data and application safe when accessed from mobile endpoints using public networks. Enterprise cloud platform service providers should offer effective encryption to secure mobile endpoints. The CSP should also focus on locating vulnerabilities inherent in mobile operating systems, providing tools, and fixing mobile endpoint vulnerabilities.
Security Automation
Cloud security automation is the best way to meet the ever demand for DevOps and scalability. The primary objective of security automation is automating monotonous processes like monitoring, threat analysis, and response. Despite security automation, the security teams enjoy a high degree of control on security tools. For example, configuring guardrails is an excellent example of security automation.
Together, all these features will help security teams to protect the enterprise cloud infrastructure better. As cloud adoption grows, you need to consider the security controls discussed above to reduce complexity while ensuring comprehensive security to your enterprise cloud account.