When migrating to the hybrid cloud, enterprises need to tweak their security strategy accordingly. Here are some tips which address the hybrid cloud security fundamentals and related issues. Secure a hybrid cloud for better usability and compatibility.
Foremost Strategies to Secure Hybrid Cloud
- Match the workloads to the right cloud environment: The biggest appeal of hybrid cloud infrastructure is its scalability and flexibility. The enterprises get to retain greater data control, scale up faster, and evolve their changing business needs with cost optimization. When migrating data to the cloud, enterprises first need to strategize which environment is right for which data. The planning process should never be an afterthought, and it is not necessary that all the data is moved to the cloud. The enterprises should take various factors into consideration like type of data, data volume, and data access requirements. Sometimes, it makes sense to keep pieces on-premises. Hence it is very crucial that enterprises match the right workloads to the right cloud environment. Here, a deep dive into the cloud service providers’ capabilities is required so that they meet the organization’s particular requirements. Also, the specific security needs should match up well with the security capabilities afforded to the enterprises in the chosen environment.
- Evolving from traditional perimeter defenses to modern identity management: When the data moves to the cloud, the traditional perimeter blurs. It is recommended that enterprises shift their focus from perimeter to identity. Hence, it is better that they redefine the perimeter to include identity. Identity has to be included and granularly used to grant access to systems across numerous infrastructures. Already existing security features like the least privilege still apply here and it takes a new dimension in hybrid cloud environments. Enterprises should ensure that individuals should have access to only the absolutely necessary data, privileges and environments just enough to do their required tasks, because anything more than that gives rise to unnecessary risks. Any strong secure hybrid cloud technique necessitates the inclusion of Identity and Access Management (IAM). The organizations need to understand who is accessing their data & systems and establish user identity access management by using CASB solutions delivered by Cloud Access Security Brokers, which harness controls for application access using features like MFA (Multi-factor Authentication), SSO (Single Sign-On) etc. With cloud providing the benefits of anytime-anywhere access, it is necessary that unusual activities are immediately spotted and alerted to reduce the data breach risks. This doesn’t mean that the on-premise security is to be discarded, but rather, it is to be implemented with a new mix.
- Enhance cloud visibility and ownership: When migrating to the cloud, enterprises need to have the right tools and policies in place to ensure that they have full visibility of their hybrid cloud infrastructure. They need to be cautious of all the vulnerabilities or the blind spots which may mean that there is a potential hole in the cloud. With a hybrid cloud, enterprises need a unified approach to security that will not only ensure full enforcement of security policies across varied environments but also provide visibility of the entire network. Along with visibility, the ownership of all the assets and environments is also vital if there has to be no security lapse.
- Ensure there is a necessary technological shift: Security can be strengthened through a technical strategy of automation. The biggest advantage is that automation can be scaled and customized as per the requirements because of the ever-changing nature of the hybrid cloud. But a secure hybrid cloud should not be an after-concern. It has to be a well-thought-out strategy before the actual migration takes place. Automation and cloud-native security technologies are not immediate responses. They require that enterprises work well and foster cultural changes necessary for making security a part of everything they do.
- There have to be regular audits: When a secure hybrid cloud process is done right, it can help in improving the security posture for an enterprise. When enterprises move to hybrid cloud infrastructure, they need to overhaul their security tools and practices with the right audits. When the security of the hybrid cloud technology is treated right, then it can help the enterprise to safeguard the sensitive data as well as to achieve compliance.