Cloud computing is now seen as a transformative technology that has completely revolutionised how we interact with information. The cloud’s advantages in storing, processing, and delivering large amounts of data are unparalleled and now serve as the backbone of modern businesses.

But as with any technology, clouds are susceptible to a wide array of threats, ranging from ransomware to supply chain attacks. This establishes the need for a robust security solution like cloud workload protection (CWP) to safeguard an organisation’s data and its users. In this article, we go over the risks threatening modern cloud environments, how CWP solves these challenges, and what organisations should know about CWP to better secure the integrity of their digital assets on the cloud.

Understanding Cloud Workload Protection

To understand CWP, we must first be familiar with what it is protecting. Cloud workloads are the building blocks of cloud computing, which represent all the relevant machines, containers, and functions that store the necessary resources for a cloud-based service or application to work.

Cloud workloads consist of many different activities ranging from running applications to hosting websites, which are all run on a cloud infrastructure and can be accessed remotely via the internet. Hence, anyone with an internet connection can harness cloud resources wherever they may be.

What separates conventional on-premises computing from cloud workloads is that the latter is more dynamic and scalable. Scaling cloud workloads up or down to meet shifting demands is incredibly easy, which is why they are ideal for organisations with irregular workloads and do not yet wish to invest in costly hardware.

What is Cloud Workload Protection (CWP)?

Cloud Workload Protection takes a comprehensive approach to cloud environment security by protecting every individual component in a cloud workload. It ultimately ensures the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of applications and data running on the cloud.

However, the highly dynamic nature of cloud environments makes them difficult to monitor and secure via traditional security approaches. CWP’s security solutions integrate frontier technologies like AI and machine learning for real-time monitoring, threat detection, and quick response to security issues.

Today, CWP providers continue to innovate and offer solutions catered towards cloud workloads and their dynamic nature with adaptive security so they can evolve with the cloud environment they are used in.

The role of Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) in modern cybersecurity

A CWPP plays a critical role in protecting cloud environments with its vast range of security features, including:

● Real-time monitoring – CWPPs continuously monitor cloud workloads for suspicious or unusual activities and unauthorised access, a proactive approach that allows IT security teams to quickly identify security threats.

● Threat detection and response – CWPPs leverage machine learning and advanced analytics to detect possible security threats and other anomalies. Upon identifying a threat, an automated remediation response gets triggered, or an alert notifies IT teams about it so they can immediately take action.

● Access control – CWPPs enforce stringent access controls, such as authentication mechanisms and identity and access management controls, to guarantee only authorised users can interact with cloud workloads.

● Vulnerability management – CWPPs identify and manage vulnerabilities in cloud workloads to help organisations patch up their systems before attackers exploit them.

A brief look at the risks plaguing cloud landscape

Organisations operating in the cloud face a multitude of cyber threats that each pose unique obstacles to operational integrity and data security. The following are some of the prominent threats Cloud Workload Protection (CWP) safeguards against with its multi-layered approach to securing cloud workloads.

● Cloud ransomware

Cloud ransomware works by exploiting weak access controls or undiscovered vulnerabilities in cloud environments to gain unauthorised access and finally encrypt the sensitive data stored within, ultimately disrupting operations and then demanding a ransom for decryption. CWP’s continuous monitoring combats this threat such that whenever ransomware is detected, it can react swiftly by isolating compromised workloads and enabling recovery from secure backups.

● Supply chain attacks

These attacks target third-party vendors with access to a business’s cloud ecosystem. Hackers take advantage of the vulnerabilities in these supply chain partners to slip into the target organisation’s network and systems. CWPP deters such attacks by scanning and evaluating the security of third-party cloud services and uncovering potential vulnerabilities, which helps organisations mitigate their risks and strengthen their cybersecurity posture.

● Cloud misconfigurations

Even the slightest misconfiguration in cloud services can lead to disastrous consequences, such as data breaches, making these oversights highly attractive targets for cybercriminals. CWP can remedy these misconfigurations with its automated security configuration checks that help identify misconfigured resources and services and alert organisations about them to enable quick resolution.

● Distributed-Denial-of-Service DDoS attacks

DDoS attacks interfere with cloud services by overwhelming them with malicious traffic. A CWP can mitigate the impact of these attacks by monitoring unusual patterns in network traffic and diverting those deemed malicious away from cloud workloads to maintain service availability to legitimate users.

Conclusion

As more businesses migrate to the cloud and the technology improves over time, maintaining the security of cloud workloads and addressing the new vulnerabilities to come will become a greater priority for IT teams and security leaders. Thus, adopting a CWPP is paramount to operating in the cloud safely and effectively today and well into the future.

To get the best protection for your cloud environments, consider working with GROUP8 today. As the industry leader in offensive-inspired cybersecurity services in Singapore, we guarantee that our offerings can ensure your cybersecurity posture is ready for anything, whether your business operates in the cloud, on-premises, or both. For more information about our solutions that cover the entire cybersecurity ecosystem, don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@group8.co today.