As companies integrate cloud computing, they are grappling with increasingly complex cyber threats. To remain agile and competitive, enterprises are adopting cloud-native architectures, an operating model that provides independence and scalability through the use of microservices and extensive APIs. But this also comes with difficulties.
Why security has become important
The shift to prioritizing cloud security over cost and scalability is an important trend driven by several factors:
The increase in cyber threats is both perception and reality. As businesses become more dependent on cloud services, they are facing more sophisticated cyber threats. High-profile data breaches and cyberattacks have raised awareness and made security a top priority.
As cloud environments become more complex, introducing cloud-native architecture increases multiple layers of complexity. Ensuring the security of distributed components (microservices and APIs) becomes a critical factor, as misconfigurations or vulnerabilities can pose serious risks. Many experts, including myself, have pointed out this problem for a long time. In IT terms, complexity must be accepted as a means to an end, but managed for its security implications.
Due to compliance and regulatory pressures, many industries are facing stringent regulations regarding data protection and privacy (e.g. GDPR, CCPA). Compliance requires strong security measures to protect sensitive information in the cloud. Many companies are migrating to Sovereign Cloud or local clouds that comply with laws and regulations. Even though these clouds are more expensive, businesses see it as worth it for the reduced risk.
Corporate reputation and trust are always vulnerable, and a security breach can immediately damage both. In fact, if your name appears on the morning news, you will see the stock price plummet. By prioritizing security, companies want to protect their reputations and customer relationships.
Although it may initially seem reasonable to focus on cost and scalability when considering long-term costs, the long-term financial impact of a security incident can be severe. Cybersecurity experts know that risk equals money. When considering the possibility of a breach, the greater the risk, the less valuable the system. Prioritizing security can help prevent costly breaches and downtime.
Innovation and agility mean that companies must innovate quickly to remain competitive. A secure cloud infrastructure makes this possible by providing a stable foundation on which new services can be built and deployed without compromising data integrity or security.
This environment is leading companies to adopt a ‘security first’ mindset. It may be a cliché, but it’s important to recognize that other benefits of cloud computing, such as cost savings and scalability, can be undermined without proper security plans and mechanisms. These changes, along with existing operational metrics, reflect a broader trend toward greater emphasis on resilience and stability.
How to lower your security costs
Balancing cloud costs and security requires a strategic approach that optimizes resources while protecting systems and data. This is directly related to the value of cloud price and security, and it is often not easy to connect the two. Many people believe that the more security required, the more expensive cloud services will be. Akamai’s research also assumes that increased security always costs more. But I discovered that this was not the case. In fact, in many cases, the exact opposite is true.
Here are some tips to help you discover the value of security and break away from the myth that more security always means more money.
- By building security into your architecture from the beginning, you avoid costly modifications later. This may seem obvious, but it is often not done. Security gets put on the back burner half the time, and companies have to throw money at the problem to fix it later.
- Automate compliance and management to reduce manual effort and costs. Automation means repeating good processes without relying on people, and the same goes for security.
- Use strong access controls to ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data. Identity management is the most popular approach, and for good reason.
- Regularly audit cloud usage to eliminate wasteful spending and optimize resource allocation. It also trains teams to efficiently manage cloud resources and security.
It’s not that difficult if you actually do it. What is concerning is that companies believe they have to spend a lot of money to reach an appropriate level of security. This is completely different from the truth.
editor@itworld.co.kr
Source: www.itworld.co.kr
