It is becoming increasingly common for organizations to have their applications, data, and infrastructure spread across on-premises networks and multiple public and private cloud environments. The result is an increased need for security to ensure that all data and applications remain secure against cyber threats. This is the role of hybrid cloud security.
What Is Hybrid Cloud Security?
Hybrid cloud security encompasses the policies, processes, technical knowledge, and tools required to ensure the security of a company’s data and applications that exist on-premises and in multiple cloud environments. Hybrid cloud security includes actions such as coordinating security controls, automating workflows, and managing cloud providers.
Benefits of Hybrid Cloud Security
The proper implementation and management of hybrid cloud security provide numerous benefits to an organization, including:
- Increased control over data security by choosing where to store data based on its level of sensitivity and ensuring that the most sensitive data is stored in a more secure, on-premises location
- Use of the most advanced security technology and training to ensure the utmost security that keeps up with the evolution of their IT infrastructure.
- Enhanced business continuity and disaster recovery by providing multiple backup sites and streamlined data consistency.
- Better risk management and heightened security with the centralization of security controls
- Improved governance and compliance with data protection standards
- The ability to operate with reduced staff and resources.
- Improved access management to ensure that the right people gain access to only the data they need and only when they need it
- Better supply chain security by detecting and protecting vulnerabilities across the supply chain.
Top Strategies for Hybrid Cloud Security
In order to reap the full benefits of hybrid cloud security, you need to approach it using the most effective strategies. The top strategies are:
- Share responsibility – Both you and your cloud providers have a shared responsibility for hybrid cloud security. Don’t assume that the security of data and applications on the cloud is the sole responsibility of your cloud provider.
- Standardize processes – Implement standard processes across all public and private cloud environments to avoid data management and security inconsistencies that could put data at risk.
- Manage access across all cloud environments – Identity and access management (IAM) should be extended across all public and private cloud environments using tools like unified directories. The principles of least-privileged access and zero trust should ensure that all identities are verified, and users only have access to what they need for as long as they need it.
- Encrypt and protect – Encrypt all data stored on and transferred between cloud environments and use other protection techniques, such as tokens or pseudo-normalization stored in databases in the public cloud.
- Embrace automation – Automated tools used to manage the deployment, storage, and destruction of data assets can remove human error from the equation and avoid copies of assets being left behind.
- Ensure full visibility – Use a single dashboard that allows security teams full visibility into what is happening across all cloud environments simultaneously.
- Isolate critical infrastructure – Ensure that the most critical systems are isolated from other systems, whether on the public or private cloud. This can be done with technology such as a virtual private cloud or network segmentation.
- Develop a robust continuity and recovery plan – If a data breach, outage, or other incident occurs, you should have a plan to ensure business continuity and a quick recovery. This includes having backups of all data and systems and having a disaster recovery site hosted offsite or on another area of the cloud.
Hybrid cloud security is not to be taken lightly. A single incident can be costly in terms of finances and reputation. Connect with Platinum Technologies today to find out how we can help you implement the best strategies for your hybrid cloud security.
