Techonology

When to use cloud network security (and when to avoid it)

From data storage to business applications and beyond, companies of all sizes rely on the cloud for day-to-day operations and critical business processes. It is important for modern organizations to secure cloud-based infrastructure with strong security standards.

Cloud network security is a popular approach. But is it right for your business? Read on to find out.

What is cloud network security?

Cloud network security is a broad term that covers all the security measures used by a company to protect its private cloud network, public cloud network, or hybrid cloud network. This includes everything from the technology used to internal policies, procedures and controls.

It helps businesses protect against data breaches, cyber attacks, unauthorized access, service interruptions, and other threats to their infrastructure.

Network security (regardless of how it is implemented) is one of many security layers that businesses use to protect themselves from vulnerabilities. But it is arguably the most important, as your network is often the first line of defense against attacks.

Deploying cloud network security correctly can be the foundation of your company’s entire approach to IT security.

See: How your business can benefit from a network security policy.

How does cloud network security work?

Cloud network security uses multiple defense layers between the infrastructure components and devices on your network.

First, the software helps set security policies and pre-defined rules for the network. From there, the software inspects all data packets and traffic on the network to enforce those policies.

For example, approved users may be granted access to digital assets through an application on a cloud network while unauthorized users are blocked.

It can also integrate with other security protocols, such as gateways and firewalls, to provide organization-wide control over the network. With APIs and other integrations, IT security administrators can use cloud network security processes to monitor the network in real-time, segment the network, and detect threats based on network patterns.

Many modern cloud security systems rely on AI and machine learning to help detect and prevent threats, which is something that can’t always work with a rules-based security system.

See: View the best threat protection solutions.

Advantages and disadvantages of cloud network security

Like any IT security framework or methodology, cloud security also has its own advantages and disadvantages. For most, the positives are more important than the negatives.

benefits and advantages

  • centralized management – Cloud network security gives IT administrators a single location to configure and monitor security policies, including the ability to integrate with on-premises solutions.
  • automated security monitoring – Once configured, cloud security systems automatically protect against threats without putting a strain on IT resources.
  • data security – Deploying a cloud network security system helps protect data stored in cloud servers and applications on your network (both in transit and at rest).
  • compliance — You can set up your network security systems to comply with GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other regulatory standards.
  • data encryption – While encrypted data does not prevent breaches or attacks, most cloud network security companies include encryption, which makes it more challenging for bad actors to access data if your network is breached.
  • Real-time threat detection and prevention — When working properly, cloud network security systems automatically detect and block threats on your network.
  • scalability – Strong cloud security allows organizations to confidently scale processes and applications using cloud resources, knowing they will have reliable access.
  • policy-based enforcement — System administrators have a more detailed level of control based on custom policies tailored to your organization.
  • Reduce the risk of breaches and attacks – Cloud network security solutions can significantly reduce security vulnerabilities while preventing hacks, malware, ransomware and other malicious incidents.

Potential Drawbacks and Challenges That Should Be Considered

  • mis-configuration — It can be easily misconfigured and prone to human error.
  • pace of change – As access controls for different employees as well as cloud resources change, malicious users can exploit vulnerabilities before your policies are updated.
  • DDoS attacks – Advanced DDoS attacks, which can overwhelm servers and disrupt cloud-based services, preventing authorized users from accessing your systems.
  • accuracy – Sometimes, cloud systems may give false positive results. This could be dangerous if policies are changed as a result, opening the door to real threats slipping through the cracks.
  • Cost – Advanced cloud systems are expensive to deploy and maintain at scale, especially those that use AI technology to monitor network traffic and detect threats in real-time.
  • insider threat – Someone with privileged access can inadvertently (or intentionally) attack the system from the inside.

When it’s appropriate for your business to use cloud network security

Any business that has invested heavily in cloud infrastructure is suitable.

This is especially true if you have a lot of data or run many applications in the cloud.

It is also useful for hybrid cloud environments. Because you have a combination of on-premises and cloud infrastructure, a cloud-based security system can help you centralize everything on your network.

Another common reason businesses use it is to comply with industry-specific or location-specific compliance standards. You can set up your cloud network security policies to adhere to security protocols for GDPR in Europe, PCI compliance for payment acceptance, HIPAA compliance in the medical industry, and more.

If your organization has remote employees who access your network through encrypted connections, you can also use cloud security to authenticate them and their devices.

When you should avoid cloud network security

Cloud network security is a necessity for most people, but it’s not for everyone.

This may not be enough if you are working with sensitive data that requires strict security standards. Organizations working on government contracts or handling confidential information may have to meet DoD standards, and not every cloud security system meets those requirements.

Cloud network security solutions may also not be suitable if you are using older, legacy systems that cannot be easily migrated to the cloud. In this case, you’ll probably need to use an on-premises security solution instead.

Apart from those two scenarios, it is difficult to deploy a cloud network security solution if you have limited IT security resources or your team is not familiar with these systems.

They require a lot of streamlined configuration. If you don’t have the resources, you can outsource to a third party (which can be very expensive).

Network Security Best Practices

There is a set of standards that are generally considered best practice. Following them is not only great for deploying a strong cloud network, but it can also help you overcome some of the common challenges and shortcomings we covered earlier.

Some of those best practices include:

  • zero trust network access – Zero Trust model requires authentication of every user, application and device before accessing the network.
  • Micro-segmentation within your network – Limiting communications between applications and services within the network can help prevent or isolate attacks.
  • Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions – IAM systems can prevent unauthorized access at the user level, ensuring that authorized users only have access to the areas they need to do their jobs.
  • misconfiguration monitoring – Use cloud security state management (CSPM) tools to identify misconfigurations that may be the result of human error and ensure that your configurations are properly set up to specific regulatory compliance standards.
  • continuous monitoring equipment – Instead of checking for attacks periodically, you can use continuous monitoring tools to identify threats in real time.
  • regular entrance test — Your IT team should regularly perform penetration testing on your network to identify vulnerabilities and vulnerabilities. From there, they should work to fix them as quickly as possible.
  • Training – Make sure your team understands the risks associated with breaches and cyberattacks so they know what to do in these scenarios.

Ultimately, cloud network security is an ongoing initiative.

This is not something you can implement once and move on. There are always changes to your network and systems that require attention as well as new threats that your team must understand how to deal with.

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