Implementing a Cloud Security Governance Program

Implementing a Cloud Security Governance Program

Two kinds of businesses are not uncommon: Ones that find it difficult to develop a cloud security governance program and those that find implementing a cloud security governance framework harder. In this article, we will take a look at how to smoothly and efficiently develop a program, what it should contain, as well as how to enforce it.

The Importance of a Cloud Security Governance Program

When a business operates in the cloud, an effective framework pertaining to cloud security governance is crucial to the success of its operations. The most common reason why businesses find it hard to incorporate the right elements into the program or develop or implement it is the lack of understanding of the precise goals and aims that cloud security governance addresses. We can define governance as a laid-out track for performance that performs the functions of allocating resources and offering a strategic direction in order to help the organization to meet its objectives. It does so while keeping in compliance and without compromising the parameters that stipulate risk tolerance.
When it comes to cloud security governance, it performs all the above-stated functionalities in the context of facilitating best practices through regulating policies to ensure security within the cloud. But it is not the only benefit it offers as it also provides efficiency to other business aspects, including cost optimization and performance. For this reason, it is vital for all stakeholders and organization members to participate in the process of developing and implementing a cloud security governance framework so that expectations of achievements through the cloud at all levels can be set accordingly.

Creating a Cloud Center of Excellence

Before you go on to developing a governance program for cloud security, it is best to create a ‘Cloud Center of Excellence,’ which is basically a team that comprises representatives from different business areas. Each member of the team is assigned specific responsibilities regarding the building of best practices, governance of IT infrastructure, and development of cloud operations framework. Your business might already have a Cloud Center of Excellence that many organizations create around their DevOps team. However, the team would not serve the purpose in the case of cloud security governance program development in an ideal manner as members of the IT department alone cannot ascertain the program’s overall effects on procurement, finance, or other departments.
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Furthermore, the cloud presence of the business can be gauged and assessed more efficiently when there is representation from across the business. Access management, unintentional or deliberate misuse of cloud services, shadow IT, etc., are issues that even team members that do not hold much experience with the cloud can help with while the creation of policies to address them is being carried out.

Development of a Cloud Security Governance Program

One of the most important things to ensure at the initial stage of cloud security governance framework creation is that the Cloud Center of Excellence should have very few objectives, and it should be small in size. This mitigates the risk of ‘analysis paralysis, which is a situation that allows an organization to achieve anything fruitful. Starting low, the team can be scaled up and expanded as per the needs of the project.
With that in mind, the first step to go about the development of the program is to evaluate the current operations and activities of the business within the cloud and gain a thorough understanding of them. Next comes risk and problems identification, and the last step is the prioritization of policies for addressing the identified risks and challenges. These steps require complete and transparent visibility of all the cloud operations so that:
  • Regulated or sensitive data can be identified
  • Sharing and access to data can be gauged
  • The business can perform IT ‘shadow’ line detection
  • Audit configurations can be performed for Iaas services
  • The team can uncover user behavior that is detrimental or purely malicious

Frequently Asked Questions

A Microservice is the breaking up of traditionally tightly coupled application components into small specialized services that communicate through HTTPS REST and HTTPS API interfaces.
Since Microservices are small specialized services, they can be quickly and efficiently rearranged to accommodate future capabilities unknown at the present time.
Microservices are independent and modular which allows for significant flexibility in communications patterns and often prevent cascading failure.
DevOps is the combination of development and operations into a single function of software development and infrastructure management. The main priority of DevOps is the reduction of barriers to speed of delivery.
DevSecOps empowers everyone in the development process using a security focused tool set to address timely security decisions at speed and scale of each development stage. The main priority of DevSecOps is risk reduction through DevOps security accountability and governance.
Security automation in DevSecOps increases speed of code releases while reducing the risk using static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and code dependency checking.
High business value is realized from quick and efficient response to market opportunities and challenges, optimization for innovation, and reduction of technical debt all lead to superior competitive advantage.
CCT is pleased to discuss your requirements and present a proposal for your review and consideration. Call us today at 1-800-804-9726 x105.

Implementation of a Cloud Security Governance Program

The need for enforcement of the created policies should be fulfilled with the joint efforts of technology, efficient processes, and relevant business members. Individuals sitting at the executive level of the organization, along with all the stakeholders, should carry out processes and methodologies used for modifying the policies as per the need with the help of technology and monitoring mechanisms that keep an eye out for non-compliance issues. The contribution of each of the three components is no less significant than that of the other.
The biggest reasons why many businesses fail at the task of implementing a cloud security governance program within their organization to make the security in their cloud efficient include inadequate use of technology, use of outdated technology, non-participation of executive-level personnel or stakeholders, and failure to plan for future amendments in the policies.

Conclusion to Implementing a Cloud Security Governance Program

Cloud Computing Technologies is the ideal solution for preventing users from performing activities that do not align with the policy parameters as well as for continually and effectively monitoring compliance with cloud security governance. With the use of policy-driven automation, CCT can render your Security Operations Center (SOC) and, consequently, your business more secure. CCT’s cloud management platform is equipped with the ability of customized configuration that your business can program into taking specific actions in the case of a policy violation.

Get in touch with Cloud Computing Technologies to find out more about its policy-driven automation from a cloud security expert. CCT is more than willing to help businesses create and implement a cloud security governance program in a hassle-free and smooth manner.

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