The Key to Securing Hybrid Cloud Environments is Zero-Trust

Hybrid cloud environments are today’s network standard for businesses that are looking to retain agility as they expand and grow. Allied Market Research found that the cloud-native applications market is expected to grow from $5.3 million in 2022 to $48.7 million by 2032. Additionally, 89% of the organizations used more than one cloud for storage and workloads, with just 9% using a single public cloud and 2% using a single private cloud solution.  

To meet these demands, applications are now developed specifically to run in cloud environments, taking advantage of the cloud’s speed, scalability, flexibility and resilience. Applications use microservice architecture to group individual services together via APIs, allowing them to be tweaked and upgraded without impacting service delivery. The ability to orchestrate and monitor applications, alongside segmentation and configuration, has become a vital part of network security. Historically, security strategies relied on the concept of a secure perimeter, but this approach can’t protect against today’s distributed landscape. The rise of remote work, mobile devices and the proliferation of sophisticated cyberattacks mean that perimeter-based defenses aren’t enough anymore.  

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Which of the following best describes how you currently monitor and manage systems across your hybrid cloud environment?(Required)

Multiple separate tools for different environments

Multiple separate tools for different monitoring and management functions

Single consolidated dashboard

Custom built monitoring and management solution

No full monitoring and management solution

Don’t know

How valuable would it be for your monitoring and management solution to incorporate predictive analytics to help you identify and address system issues that are critical and not waste time or effort working through all the data and “noise” that is not critical?(Required)

Extremely valuable

Moderately valuable

Somewhat valuable

Slightly valuable

Not valuable

How do you most typically address potential system issues BEFORE they impact your operations?(Required)

Automated workflows and playbooks to remediate potential issues as soon as they are detected

An orchestrated response process that leverages automation, AI, and human expertise to rapidly respond to potential issues

Advanced monitoring tools such as predictive analytics and anomaly detection to proactively identify and address potential issues

Respond to issues as they arise, using manual processes and troubleshooting techniques

A combination of automated remediation, orchestrated response, and/or proactive monitoring to address potential system issues

Don’t know

Other

What methods does your organization use to control and monitor cloud/IT spending?(Required)

Centralized procurement processes

Pre-approved budget thresholds

Automated cost monitoring tools

Department-level spending controls

Regular cost audits and reviews

Cloud cost optimization platform

Approval workflows for resource provisioning

Native financial operations tools provided by the cloud provider

No formal controls in place

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Other

Please specify:

Which methods do you rely on most to detect security vulnerabilities in your systems?(Required)

Automated scanning tools

Manual assessments

Vendor notifications

Threat modeling (for early detection)

None of these

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Other

Please specify:

What are the TWO most common ways you prioritize vulnerabilities to address within your environment?(Required)

Based on potential impact

Based on exploitability

Regulatory compliance requirements

Based on CVSS scores

Risk-based analysis of multiple factors

First-in-first-out approach

No formal prioritization process

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How do you typically handle system updates and security patches?(Required)

Automated updates and patches

Manually review and apply updates and patches on a regular schedule

A combination of automation and manual review

Apply updates and patches on an as-needed basis.

Outsourced update and patch management

No defined process

Don’t know

Other

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To combat this, zero-trust architecture (ZTA) offers a framework designed to address modern network complexities. Unlike traditional models that grant implicit trust based on network location, ZTA assumes that no entity should be trusted by default. This approach emphasizes the importance of ‘least privilege’ access, ensuring that users and devices are granted only necessary permissions. Real-time monitoring of network assets allows businesses to spot anomalies and potential threats as they occur, and micro-segmentation divides the network into smaller, isolated segments, reducing the potential impact of any security breach and providing a fundamental shift in security for hybrid cloud. 

Securing Hybrid Environments 

The diversity of hybrid environments leads to inconsistent security policies and fragmented visibility, making it difficult to maintain a unified security posture. Each platform comes with its own set of tools and configurations, which can create gaps in defenses that cybercriminals are quick to exploit. Managing a wide array of endpoints, each with varying levels of security and often operating from different locations, further complicates the task and increases the risk of unauthorized access. 

The dramatic shift to remote working over the past few years has amplified these challenges. According to one report, vulnerable attack surface areas grew by 600% in 2023 as businesses added more cyber assets to their organizations. Employees accessing company resources from various locations and devices make perimeter-based security models practically obsolete. There is now an increased need for a more adaptable, comprehensive security approach — one that continuously verifies and controls access instead of just ‘guarding the gates’. 

One critical element for securing hybrid environments is segmentation. However, research suggests that 75% of surveyed organizations struggle to enforce network segmentation. Many businesses make the mistake of focusing solely on implementing micro-segmentation at the individual device or application level without considering the broader macro-level segmentation strategy, which can lead to inconsistencies in segmentation policies and ineffective isolation of network segments. Macro-segmentation creates boundaries that segment different parts of the network and ensures sensitive areas like production servers are isolated and not exposed to less secure zones.  

Zero-Trust is Essential for Applications 

Hybrid environments often rely on microservices, containers and APIs, each of which can become potential entry points for attackers if not secured properly. It is a double-edged sword: The fluidity and scalability that make hybrid environments so powerful also create a situation where vulnerabilities can spread quickly and go largely unnoticed.  

ZTA addresses these risks by ensuring that every interaction within the system is verified and offers macro-segmentation based on business application isolation. This isolation reviews workloads to limit the lateral movement of threats, as well as robust identity and access management to enforce the least privilege principles. Continuous verification processes also monitor all traffic, ensuring that any deviation from normal behavior is detected and addressed. By integrating zero-trust into hybrid cloud environments, organizations can maintain high level of security and still reap the benefits of cloud agility and scalability. 

The boundaries of trust are constantly shifting. By continuously verifying every user, device and application, zero-trust minimizes the risk of unauthorized access, reducing the likelihood of security incidents. This level of control is crucial for businesses that want to continue to ‘guard the perimeter’ when their perimeters are virtually impossible to define. The scalability and flexibility of zero-trust allow organizations to adapt their security measures as their hybrid cloud environments evolve. This adaptability ensures that as business needs change, security remains a priority, providing a sustainable framework for long-term protection.