If yours is like most organizations, your IT environment now includes a mix of on-premises data center infrastructure and public and/or private clouds. In many cases, we’ve seen that the pandemic accelerated cloud deployments. But we’ve also seen that managing these increasingly complex, distributed infrastructures can be challenging.
No matter where your business exists on the cloud migration spectrum, take the next few moments to consider security.
We can’t stress enough the need for a fresh think around cloud security. Here’s why.
On-Premise vs. Cloud Architecture
First, there is a big difference between on-prem and cloud architectures. The cloud is scalable and agile largely because of the way it’s built – including microservices, containers, APIs and service meshes. These components are necessary for the performance and speed that customers have come to expect. A traditional data center might include these services as add-ons, but they’re not native to the architecture – and often why we hear on-prem infrastructure referred to as “legacy”.
Regardless of the language, the differences between the architectures has an impact on security. All those modern services and components operating with a cloud architecture create potential gaps and vulnerabilities that make cyber attackers salivate. Any door into a workload, app, system or network presents an opportunity for a security incident.
Even if you’re not building your own cloud, your organizational data could be exposed if you’re using a hyperscaler like AWS, Microsoft, Azure or GCP – all of whom have built their clouds on cloud-native architecture. In these cases, start by familiarizing yourself with the shared responsibility model.
Connectivity and Access
Another reason to rethink security is the nature of connectivity and system access to cloud versus traditional data centers. When we mostly worked in offices and on-site facilities, we connected to applications typically via local-area or wide-area networks using ethernet or wireless access points, with firewalls and web gateways to secure traffic. And, an IT pro was either in the same building or relatively nearby to manage these systems.
Cybersecurity for Remote Working
Now that many organizations have adopted a hybrid work model, user access typically happens via the internet, Wi-Fi or virtual private networks. Being so geographically distributed means that IT teams have significantly more connections to monitor – and often they too work remotely.
Also, employees sometimes connect via public Wi-Fi, which may provide less data protection, fewer firewalls, and less traffic inspection.
These issues, combined with an ever-increasing shift toward cloud-based services and infrastructure, means that cloud security must take a front seat in business priorities. Hybrid work, or least a steady contingent of remote workers, requires a focus on secure connection and access.
A Word About Skillsets
Do a web search or ask ChatGPT which cloud skillsets are most in demand and you’ll find that cloud architecture and cloud security are at or near the top. Put the two together and it’s clear organizations are thinking about the security of cloud infrastructure. Unfortunately, everyone is in the same hiring boat, which means you’ll need to have a Plan B, or even C.
Talk to product vendors, managed service providers, and IT consulting firms like RKON.
RKON has been working through modernization and cloud migration projects for years now, so we have the expertise to fill any skills gaps you might have. Our teams also have deep experience with cloud-based architecture development and managing complex, hybrid IT infrastructures. Let us know what you’re dealing with, and we can help you strategize and navigate a path forward. Contact us today.
