5 best practices for effective data security in a multicloud environment

Shrikant Navelkar, Director, Clover Infotech

The multicloud environment has become a popular choice for many businesses looking to leverage the best of different cloud platforms. Multicloud environments offer several benefits, including increased flexibility and agility. However, they also present unique security challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of visibility and control over data across multiple cloud platforms. This can lead to data breaches, insider threats, and compliance issues. Additionally, each cloud platform 3may have different security protocols and configurations, making it challenging to maintain a consistent security posture. Businesses must address these challenges by developing comprehensive security plans, implementing encryption, controlling access, monitoring and auditing activity, and regularly updating security measures to protect against evolving threats.

As businesses increasingly adopt a multicloud strategy to meet their computing needs, it’s essential to ensure that data security is not compromised. Managing data security across multiple cloud environments can be challenging, but there are several practices that organizations can follow to minimize the risk of data breaches and protect their sensitive information. Here are the five recommended practices for data security in a multicloud environment.

1. Centralize data security management

Centralizing data security management across multiple cloud environments is crucial to maintaining a strong security posture. A centralized approach allows organizations to apply consistent security policies and access controls across all clouds. This approach also enables organizations to identify and respond to security incidents quickly.

2. Secure data with Confidential Computing

Encryption is essential for protecting data as it moves between cloud environments or when it’s stored in the cloud. Encrypting data ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed without authorization, it cannot be read or used. However, companies face data encryption challenges because data is encrypted at rest and in transit, but it is rarely encrypted while in use by applications. Confidential Computing makes it possible to secure data in use. It isolates and secures the CPU and memory used by the code and data from potentially compromised software, operating systems, or other VMs (Virtual Machines) running on the same server.

3. Implement a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan

A comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan is essential for data security in a multicloud environment. The plan should include regular backups of critical data and a clear process for restoring data in the event of a disaster or security incident.

4. Regularly assess and monitor security posture

Regularly assessing and monitoring security posture is critical for identifying and mitigating potential security risks. This process should include regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing to identify and address any weaknesses in the security infrastructure.

5. Deploy Zero Trust Data Protection

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity model that eliminates the concept of ‘trust’ present in traditional security models. Essentially, it means Trust no one, always verify and grant the least privilege, so that once a user’s identity is verified, they only get access for the role they’re assigned.

Wrapping up

Security is a critical aspect of an effective multicloud strategy. Since multicloud deployments are highly complex, the security measures you take will need to be as well. A data security strategy in multicloud environment requires a continuous and consistent assessment to ensure real-time data protection and compliance with all regulatory laws. The above-mentioned practices can help you deal with the security challenges of multicloud environment to a great extent.