Top tips is a weekly column where we highlight what’s trending in the tech world and list ways to explore these trends. This week, we’re looking at three ways you can secure your multi-cloud environment.
Several years ago, the cloud was something new, but times have changed. Now, organizations are making full use of the cloud environment. Organizations are also looking in the direction of a multi-cloud environment.
According to Forbes, over 90% of large corporations have started using multi-cloud infrastructure. Some of the reasons why these corporations have opted for a multi-cloud approach include avoiding a single point of failure, preventing vendor lock-in, and adopting a more tailored approach to their processes.
A multi-cloud environment, however, cannot escape security threats. Toyota announced in 2023 that it had faced a data breach due to a misconfigured cloud. The breach exposed the data of 260,000 car owners. The carmaker identified the security loophole while investigating its cloud environments.
Adopting a multi-cloud approach isn’t easy. Multi-cloud environments must be closely monitored to prevent security loopholes. There are some practical steps you can take to ensure your multi-cloud setup stays secure. Let’s delve into them here.
1. Assess your cloud security risks
Perform comprehensive risk analysis when considering a multi-cloud environment. Assess the security policies and compliance standards of each cloud provider. Crucially, examine the regions where your cloud security providers operate and understand the privacy laws in those areas.
Evaluate if your organization’s security requirements match your chosen cloud service providers’ existing standards. Also, assess how well their platforms integrate with your current tools and platforms.
2. Automate cloud security
In a multi-cloud setup, it’s vital to sync security settings across all your cloud platforms. This can be achieved with automated tools. These tools are the key to maintaining consistent security policies across different cloud providers using generic definitions.
Automated tools offer a reliable way to manage your cloud security by simplifying tasks based on your business requirements. They constantly check for any anomalies or breaches in your cloud infrastructure, alerting you to potential threats. You can even set up predefined security actions to quickly respond to breaches, ensuring a strong, proactive security stance for your multi-cloud environment.
3. Synchronize security settings and policies
Create a unified security framework that aligns with your cloud infrastructure and suits your business workloads. The best approach is to use a centralized dashboard where you can check your cloud security status. This allows you to adjust security rules and policies based on your requirements. Another benefit of having a centralized dashboard is gaining a single point of view for all security incidents and events across your entire cloud infrastructure.
Securing your multi-cloud setup isn’t a walk in the park. It involves monitoring and assessing potential threats 24/7. Check the risks of your cloud service providers, automate and orchestrate security measures, and bring together security policies and settings across your whole multi-cloud setup. These straightforward yet crucial steps will help you keep cloud security threats at bay. Learn more about cloud-native solutions here.
