Staying Secure on the Journey to the Cloud
Most organizations are continually looking for ways they can improve the way they conduct business. Currently, one of the most used and helpful ways to improve is by utilizing the latest and greatest cloud technology. While the benefits of the cloud are great, it can’t be simply implemented by flipping a switch. That alone will leave an organization exposed and vulnerable to a range of security threats.
When organizations rush cloud adoption to receive its benefits, many don’t know that the very benefits that attracted them to implementing a cloud service in the first place leave them exposed to security threats. While the cloud enables agility, improves collaboration and reduces costs, it also opens the door to many security threats. An example would be that the collaborative nature of the cloud could also allow sensitive data to be shared with untrusted parties, ultimately negating the benefit of having the feature.
Instead of rushing cloud adoption, security teams need to approach digital transformation to the cloud as a journey, not a walk in the park. Each journey is unique and challenging based on the organization’s needs and desires. There is no single, cookie-cutter solution. Rather, organizations must be proactive and outline the processes that need to be followed for a successful implementation. This is crucial because no matter what stage or where a company is in its digital transformation—hybrid cloud today, multi-tenant cloud tomorrow—neglecting potential security risks could leave you worse off than before.
To keep the cloud journey from upending security, enterprises must address the following to avoid unchecked risk:
Identify Your Transformation Goal
James Madison once said, “Knowledge will forever govern the ignorance.” That principle applies hundreds of years later to IT security. The system fails when organizations are unaware of flaws or where they are exposed. This means it is crucial for teams to know what they have and what they want to migrate to before starting the adoption process.
Performing an audit and gaining the knowledge of all aspects of your organizations help make sure nothing gets lost or exposed in the transition. What is the goal the transition is looking to achieve? What compliance standards will be governing over the data? What are the risks being introduced? By contemplating all of this, organizations will protect themselves during the cloud adoption process.
Gather Internal Stakeholders
Cloud adoption needs to be a team effort. One of the more common ways the adoption process falls off the rails or leaves organizations exposed is when the process is altered due to mid-process disagreements. The easiest way to avoid this is by having all internal stakeholders including IT, sales, operations and the executive suite/board on the same page. This includes knowing everything such as the advantages, challenges, time, costs and risks that will come from the adoption process. Understanding changes will have to occur during the process but having internal agreement will greatly benefit the process.
Manage All of Your Inevitable Third Parties
Many times, when organizations are focused on their own internal and external risks, they overlook vulnerabilities that can come via third parties. Partnerships with third parties can undermine the very secure and efficient adoption processes organizations seek to implement. This can be as simple as having a customer management tool not translate well into a cloud program, leaving security gaps, or it could be something more complex such as a supply-chain attack, wherein cybercriminals gain access to your organization through partnerships, such as your email client. It is important to outline where your organization interacts with third parties and evaluate how those touchpoints will impact cloud adoption.
Overall, cloud adoption is a time-intensive and risky process that organizations shouldn’t take lightly. It is not a quick walk in the park but rather a journey. It requires constant communication and planning upfront to make it there safely, but it is worth the benefits once an organization crosses the finish line into cloud adoption.
