Defend multicloud environments against today’s security threats
There’s no time like the present! Review security threats your customers must navigate when adopting a multicloud strategy.
Multicloud adoption has taken off, and for good reason — it gives companies the flexibility to deploy apps and workloads efficiently and cost-effectively, in the way that best suits their objectives. But it also opens the door to cyberthieves looking to exploit vulnerabilities as attack surfaces proliferate. Complex cloud configurations and data storage infrastructures pose significant security risks to your customers, keeping CIOs on high alert for malware and ransomware, as well as social engineering techniques that entice people to divulge private or confidential information. And generative AI is making attacks more sophisticated and elusive than ever as cybercriminals play cat-and-mouse with the AI-powered defences meant to thwart them. The statistics are eye-opening:
- 60% of corporate data is stored in the cloud [1]
- 89% of businesses rely on more than one cloud service [2]
- 83% of companies have experienced a data breach [3]
- $4.35M global average cost of a data breach [4]
- 63% of IT leaders expect to increase spending on cybersecurity services [5]
Cybersecurity solutions are widely available, giving companies of all sizes access to enterprise-level security. But it’s the rare organisation for whom security is a core capability. Even those with strong IT teams often face bandwidth constraints and capabilities gaps as their teams grapple with securing an everything-as-a-service (XaaS) world. Managed service providers that can help companies protect their people, data and assets are in high demand, as are those that can help them recover quickly when compromised. From cloud, network and endpoint security to identity and access management to vulnerability management and content security, you play an essential role in your customers’ threat protection and security monitoring.
It’s a multi-threat world, too
It’s always a good time to review the security threats that your customers must navigate when adopting a multicloud strategy and the solutions that can help them cope with a challenging landscape.
1. Unauthorised access: Keeping data breaches at bay is at the top of the list for companies deploying multicloud environments. Storing sensitive data across multiple cloud platforms increases the attack surface, making it more challenging to maintain adequate security controls. Mitigate the risk by helping organisations implement robust access management mechanisms, such as multifactor authentication, strong password policies and granular access controls. Regularly monitoring and auditing user activities can also help identify and respond to potential threats promptly. A zero-trust network security framework is a must.
2. Data loss and recovery: While cloud providers offer high availability and redundancy, data loss remains a big concern. Accidental deletion, software bugs and lapses in employee diligence are just a few of the possibilities. Implementing a comprehensive data backup and recovery strategy is crucial to mitigate the impact of such incidents. Consider automated backups distributed across different cloud providers and geographic regions, and strongly encourage regular testing of data restoration processes.
3. Cloud misconfiguration: Cloud misconfiguration is disconcerting, dangerous and costly. The complexity increases as businesses manage multiple cloud platforms simultaneously. Misconfigurations can lead to unintentional exposure of sensitive data, open network vulnerabilities or inadvertently granting excessive permissions to unauthorised users. Security-savvy partners can provide regular audits and security assessments that identify and rectify misconfigurations promptly. You can also drive adoption of a proactive approach that defends against threats before they wreak havoc by deploying AI-powered security tools purpose-built to protect multicloud environments.
4. Compliance and regulatory requirements: Compliance with industry-specific regulations and data protection laws is critical for those operating in multicloud environments. Compliance certifications vary among cloud providers, and it falls to the user to confirm whether those certifications match their requirements. You can help companies understand their compliance obligations and implement appropriate security controls, encryption and data access restrictions across cloud providers to maintain compliance and protect sensitive customer information.
5. Vendor dependency: Relying on each of the cloud providers in a multicloud environment for data security poses potential risks. Each has its own security tools and protocols, and there’s no guarantee they will play well with others. That’s a vulnerability. Furthermore, if a cloud provider experiences a service outage or a security breach, your customers’ business operations could be severely impacted. Delivering a vendor-agnostic, comprehensive multicloud solution with clear data portability policies ensures that your customers can migrate applications and data seamlessly, with redundancy assured.
Protect your customers from core to edge to cloud
As companies continue to embrace multicloud environments, it is essential that they address the associated cybersecurity risks. Learn more about how Arrow's security solutions can help you assess and address your customers’ multicloud security posture or get in touch with an Arrow representative now.
[1]Statista
[3][4]IBM
[5]Tech Target
