In recent years, the cloud has become a cornerstone of modern technology, with businesses and organizations shifting their applications and data to cloud platforms for flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. But you have to face different cloud application security challenges.
However, as organizations embrace cloud computing, they are facing new challenges, particularly when it comes to application security. Traditional security models are being stretched to their limits, and new, innovative approaches are required to protect applications in the cloud.
Here’s why the cloud has broken traditional approaches to application security:
Why Has the Cloud Has Broken Approaches to Application Security?
The Complexity of Cloud Environments
Traditional on-premise IT infrastructures had a fixed perimeter that was easier to secure. In contrast, cloud environments are dynamic and complex, with applications distributed across multiple platforms, data centers, and even geographical locations. This complexity makes it difficult to define a clear boundary for where security should be applied. Traditional approaches, such as perimeter-based security, no longer suffice because cloud infrastructures are inherently decentralized.
Cloud services often involve various third-party providers, each with its own security protocols and practices. This fragmented landscape complicates securing applications, as businesses need to ensure that they understand and manage the security protocols of multiple vendors.
Shift from Network Security to Application Security
In the past, network security played a significant role in protecting applications. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and other network security mechanisms were essential in preventing unauthorized access. However, cloud computing has shifted the focus from securing the network perimeter to securing the applications themselves. With the rise of cloud-native applications, microservices, and containers, traditional network security tools cannot protect against threats targeting the applications at a deeper level.
In cloud environments, applications often interact with multiple services through APIs, which introduces additional potential vulnerabilities. Securing the application itself, rather than just the network, is now the priority.
Shared Responsibility Model
One of the key challenges with cloud security is the shared responsibility model. In this model, cloud service providers are responsible for securing the cloud infrastructure, including hardware, networking, and data centers. However, businesses and developers are responsible for securing their applications and data within the cloud. This division of responsibility can lead to confusion or misconfigurations, leaving gaps in security.
If businesses fail to properly secure their cloud-based applications, they become vulnerable to attacks, even though the infrastructure they run on may be secure. This shared responsibility model has shifted the focus from securing only the network to ensuring that proper application security measures are in place.
Rapid Deployment and DevOps Culture
Cloud environments have revolutionized how applications are developed and deployed. In traditional environments, security measures were often implemented at the end of the development process, in the testing or deployment phase. However, cloud adoption has ushered in a culture of continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), where applications are frequently updated and deployed.
With this rapid deployment model, security needs to be integrated into every phase of development. It’s no longer enough to check security at the end of the process. Developers must incorporate security measures from the very start, ensuring that every line of code, every configuration, and every service is secure before it goes live. This shift requires a new mindset—security must be built into the development process, not tacked on at the end. For remote works, companies are using employee monitoring tools to maintain security. For example, using Controlio you can increase the security of your cloud data.
The cloud has undoubtedly changed the way businesses operate and has provided numerous benefits, from cost savings to scalability. However, it has also disrupted traditional approaches to application security. The complexity of cloud environments, the shift from network to application security, the shared responsibility model, the rapid deployment cycles, and the dynamic nature of cloud infrastructure all contribute to the need for new, more proactive approaches to securing applications.