Keeping Your Cloud Deployments Safe and Sound – Source: securityboulevard.com

Are You Effectively Securing Your Cloud Deployments?

Organizations rely heavily on cloud technology for their daily operations. However, the rising tide of cyber threats poses enormous challenges for businesses to keep their cloud deployments safe. According to a DefenseScoop report, a robust and secure cloud is instrumental to organizational mission success. Leveraging Non-Human Identities (NHIs) and Secrets Security Management has emerged as an effective strategy to address these challenges and enhance cloud safety.

Understanding Non-Human Identities (NHIs) and Secrets Management

NHIs are machine identities used in cybersecurity. They are created by combining a “Secret”, an encrypted password, token, or key which serves as a unique identifier, and the permissions granted by a destination server. Put simply, managing NHIs is akin to the management of tourists (the NHIs) and their passports (the secrets), in addition to overseeing their behaviors within a system.

The Strategic Importance of NHIs in Cloud Safety

An Entro Security blog post emphasized the absolute necessity of employing NHIs to mitigate threats for cloud-based deployments. NHIs management takes a holistic approach to secure machine identities and secrets, unlike traditional secret scanners that offer limited protection. It involves processes which span across the lifecycle stages, from discovery to threat detection and remediation.

Why Does NHI and Secrets Management Matter?

A streamlined NHI and Secrets Management strategy offers numerous benefits for businesses.

1. Reduced Risk: With a proactive approach to identify and mitigate security risks, this strategy significantly reduces the likelihood of costly breaches and data leaks.
2. Improved Compliance: It helps organizations comply with regulatory requirements via policy enforcement and comprehensive audit trails.
3. Increased Efficiency: By automating the management of NHIs and their secrets, security teams can focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.
4. Enhanced Visibility and Control: NHI management platforms provide a centralized view of access management and governance, offering greater transparency and control over security operations.
5. Cost Savings: Automating secrets rotation and NHIs decommissioning can lead to considerable operational cost reductions.

Integrating NHI and Secrets Management for Cloud Protection

An effectively managed NHI and Secrets management strategy is key to achieving end-to-end cloud protection. However, with the ever-evolving cyber threat, this is easier said than done. According to a Google Cloud discussion on Reddit, organizations are continuously searching for a reliable solution for comprehensive cloud protection.

Making the Shift Toward NHIs for Secure Cloud Deployments

Given the benefits and strategic importance, integrating NHI and Secrets Management strategy is no longer optional but rather a necessity for businesses. With robust and secure cloud deployments, organizations can drive operational efficiency, ensure business continuity, attain regulatory compliance, and ultimately gain a competitive edge.

We suggest reviewing your current approach to cloud safety and consider adopting an NHI and Secrets Management strategy if you haven’t already. Not only will this provide a comprehensive layer of protection for your cloud deployments, but it will also help your organization weather the storm of cyber threats.

Check out this post for more insights on enhancing cloud security with AI.

The Growing Significance of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity has emerged as one of the top priorities. Cyber Trends 2018, a report by Deloitte, estimated the cost of cybercrime to businesses to reach $6 trillion annually by 2021, signifying the growing emphasis on effective cybersecurity strategies.

However, the demand for far-reaching control over cybersecurity, especially for crucial functionalities like cloud deployments, has been challenging for most organizations. With a dramatic rise in the diversity and extent of cyber threats, businesses must look for a holistic security strategy that secures both, their digital infrastructure and the associated data. It is here that NHI and Secrets Management comes to the fore.

Tapping into the Power of NHIs

NHI and Secrets Management essentially combines secure cloud practices with NHI and Secrets management, creating a layered security system for cloud deployments.

Non-Human identities entail the management of machine identities and the underlying secrets created for distinct cybersecurity functions. With the growing reliance on automated systems and AI technology, NHIs have become an integral part— securing critical systems against unauthorized access and breaches.

The Core Tenets of NHI and Secrets Management

Fundamentally, NHI and Secrets Management involves three core elements— identification, management, and control. Each NHI, despite being a non-human entity, requires a unique identifier or secret, akin to a passport. Just as a passport holder requires a visa from the destination, the NHI also needs permissions from the destination server.

The management aspect covers the inventory of these NHIs, their associated secrets, permissions, and behaviors within a system. Here, the strategy ensures that all NHIs are correctly logged, their secrets are securely stored, and any changes are carefully tracked.

Lastly, control involves enforcing security over these NHIs and their secrets. It means closely monitoring NHI behavior, enforcing security policies, and taking preemptive measures against potential breaches.

Preparing for the Future with NHI and Secrets Management

Modern businesses need to effortlessly adapt to rapid technological advancements and evolving cyber threats. Therefore companies adopting the NHI and Secrets Management strategy are better equipped to mitigate potential cyber threats, thereby ensuring robust security mechanisms.

A case in point is the banking and financial services industry. A report by Ernst and Young highlighted the urgent need for a holistic approach to cybersecurity in Indian banks. The NHI and Secrets Management strategy fits the bill by offering a multi-layered, comprehensive approach to protect valuable information and systems.

Driving Transformation Across Industries

Beyond the banking sector, NHI and Secrets Management are proving ground-breaking in industries like healthcare, e-commerce, logistics, and even government institutions. The strategy brings robust security, improved compliance, cost efficiency, and scalable management to the table, driving a massive shift in how businesses approach cybersecurity.

Acknowledging the Intersection of AI and NHIs

Interestingly, when organizations veer towards AI and machine learning, non-human identities are likely to play a more significant role in ensuring secure systems. With robust and secure cloud deployments powered by NHIs, organizations can drive operational efficiency, ensure business continuity and compliance, while staying ahead of the competition.

So, are you ready to embrace the power of NHIs for your cloud deployments? Not only is it a need of the hour, but it might also be your ticket to a safe and secure digital future!

The post Keeping Your Cloud Deployments Safe and Sound appeared first on Entro.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Entro authored by Amy Cohn. Read the original post at: https://entro.security/keeping-your-cloud-deployments-safe-and-sound/