Cloud Modernization: How to secure cloud-native applications

Those businesses that still rely on legacy systems can never cope up with the modern businesses that leverage the cloud-based platforms to grow their business. While the majority of businesses have understood the benefits of cloud computing and have either migrated or are in the process of switching to cloud, cloud native application is still catching up. Forward-thinking business leaders prefer switching to cloud-native architecture with cloud native applications. Some of the biggest benefits of cloud-native applications are highly secure, easily scalable, cost-effective, seamless integration, etc.

Common Security Risks in Cloud-Native Applications

Application Vulnerabilities

Not all cloud-native applications are 100% secure, some of them do come with unidentified vulnerabilities. It is important to invest more time in determining these vulnerabilities and fixing them. If the vulnerabilities are left unattended, they can be easily exploited by attackers. Some of the common application vulnerabilities are insecure defaults, broken access control, cloud-native applications fail to encrypt data in the rest, while they do encrypt during the transit. 

Infrastructure Misconfigurations

According to a report by The US National Security Agency(NSA), cloud misconfiguration is one of the most frequent cloud vulnerabilities. Another study indicates that only 1% of the large enterprises have fixed misconfiguration issues and only 8% of SMBs did the same, while the rest of the businesses continue to function with these infrastructure misconfigurations. It has become easy to spin up new docker servers in no time which eventually leads to a big network of servers that are highly permissive in nature. Such misconfigured docker units can lead to potential data thefts. 

Malware

Cyber criminals are always in the process of developing and transmitting new types of malwares that can either destroy your data or steal your data. Such malware attacks can be carried out on cloud-native applications too if they are not properly secured with a firewall that is up-to-date and properly configured. 

Overprovisioned Access

What was once a 2-factor authentication has now become multi-factor authentication. Both developers and users primarily are tried when they see a multi-factor authentication. Here you are securing the application while degrading the customer experience. This has forced many organizations to disable multi-factor authentication or make it an optional feature. Passwords are no longer doing the trick, they are either difficult to remember, or easy to predict or the same password is used in multiple sites. Without implementing proper access control, there is always a risk of over-permissive status.

Insecure APIs

APIs are basically 2 types namely, secure APIs that are fully documented and properly used, and the second one is unknown APIs that were once used and forgotten. Many such Zombie APIs could be running in the application that can easily give access to attackers. A Shocking report from Salt Labs shows that API attacks have increased by 681% in the last 12 months. Such unsecure and forgotten APIs will soon become public exploits. The best security standard is to audit your API holdings and schedule them for versioning and retirements. 

How To Mitigate Risks and Secure Your Cloud-native Applications 

Deliver security by design

It is extremely complex to fix a security problem when it is identified after deploying in the cloud. So as a good practice it is important to invest in security considerations right from the design phase itself. Another idea is to start implementing security automation.

Limit access

This is a traditional approach where access to applications is highly restricted and permission is given only to those that are highly required. This will offer superior control for the security team and will also minimize security threats. 

Consider zero trust

Gone are those days where perimeter-based security access was given. With cloud-native applications, a zero-trust policy is widely implemented. Before giving access to anyone, the particular request is highly investigated and only when it meets the necessary guidelines, the access is given. 

Be proactive

Once the application is ready, it should be thoroughly audited for security loopholes before being deployed in the cloud. Even after deployment, schedule an ongoing security audit that will identify any potential threat upfront.

Educate and enforce

While a business is migrating to cloud-native applications, it is critical that they simultaneously train their employees on the security protocol and guidelines that they need to follow. The security team put forward a set of guidelines that developers should comply with.

Focus on Software supply chain

The potential components of the supply chain on the cloud-native applications are third-party agencies, open-source software, in-house developers, application security providers, deployment environments, etc. The security team should audit all these supply chain related software before going to give approval for deployment.

Importance of DevSecOps

DevSecOps is the process of integrating security right from the design phase and automating software security throughout the development phase. This is an important process that companies should invest in.

Cloud-Native Security Case Study:

Cloud-native security practices are becoming increasingly important as more and more organizations are transitioning their workloads and applications to cloud-based environments. Here are a few examples of successful companies that have adopted cloud-native security practices:

Netflix:

Netflix is a prime example of a company that has successfully implemented cloud-native security practices. They use a “Chaos Monkey” tool that randomly disables instances and services within their cloud infrastructure to test for system resiliency and response times. This approach has allowed them to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Additionally, they have implemented a number of other security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, network segmentation, and encryption, to ensure the security of their applications and data.

Capital One:

Capital One, a financial services company, has also adopted cloud-native security practices. They use a microservices architecture with containerization and Kubernetes for orchestration, which allows them to have a more secure and scalable infrastructure. They also use automated security testing and continuous delivery, which allows them to quickly identify and fix vulnerabilities in their applications. In addition, they have implemented a number of other security measures, such as data encryption, network segmentation, and access control, to protect their sensitive financial data.

Airbnb:

Airbnb, a popular online marketplace for renting accommodations, has implemented a number of cloud-native security practices as well. They use a “red team” approach, where a group of internal security experts attempt to hack into their own systems to identify vulnerabilities. They also use automated security testing and continuous delivery, as well as other security measures such as network segmentation and encryption, to ensure the security of their applications and data.

These successful companies have adopted cloud-native security practices such as automated security testing, continuous delivery, network segmentation, and encryption, to ensure the security of their applications and data. These practices have allowed them to quickly identify and fix vulnerabilities, and ensure that their systems are resilient and scalable. By adopting cloud-native security practices, these companies have been able to stay ahead of potential threats and keep their sensitive data secure.

Making the most of cloud:

An IBM report in 2018 indicated that 53% of the applications are already cloud-native. It is predicted that by 2023, more than 500 million digital apps are developed and deployed in cloud-native architecture. We at TAFF have helped many businesses to migrate to cloud-native applications that have increased the profitability of their business. We can help you with cloud-native approach and at the same time, giving equal impetus to security. Get in touch to know more. Contact us today

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