Cloud Security as a Service (also known as SECaaS) is a method for companies with Software as a Service contracts (SaaS), or other similar cloud environments to protect their cloud operations and assets. The nature of the cloud is ever-changing, and constantly creates new vulnerabilities. It’s also inherent that creating multiple points of access for a whole host of users manifests many points of access that can be exploited. SECaaS is unique expertise, but constant evolution designed specifically to protect your essential systems and functions within the cloud.
A huge draw of SaaS is the efficiency of multitenant architecture. Multitenant architecture is when multiple diverse applications are hosted on a single server, saving your team time bouncing back and forth between different servers, and bringing everyone together under a single digital workplace umbrella.
While multitenant architecture is a huge benefit to organizations and saves countless hours and headaches, it does create a unique vulnerability in that all or most of an organization's essential programs are effectively centralized. The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” has functionally been tossed by the wayside. In this sense, your multitenant architecture becomes one of your most valuable assets, and protecting it is essential to both your investment and daily operations. By employing a cloud security service with a background and specialized knowledge in the cloud and multitenant architecture, you insure this asset against numerous and constantly evolving digital threats.
Every business has different needs and different rates of growth. That’s why the customization and scalability of the cloud are so attractive. The cloud is versatile enough (and hosts enough apps) to create a unique environment that gives you everything your business needs with nothing it doesn't. That also applies to scale. Say your company has a bumper year and needs to double its cloud storage capacity. Huge changes to accommodate your needs are simply a few clicks away. This means that your cloud ecosystem is not only custom but constantly changing. This is where cloud security as a service becomes a fantastic asset. Staying on top of any changes, and possessing equally scalable security precautions is a key trait of cloud security as a service provider.
Running a cloud ecosystem grants your team unparalleled access to data and privileges, allowing you to truly dial in your operations for maximum efficacy and insightful monitoring. However, it can be difficult for the untrained eye to not only absorb but apply all the complex insights that cloud transparency provides. For example, members of your team may be accessing a module or application that they may not need to have access to. That may not present as a problem (assuming you trust your team to make responsible decisions on whether to make changes within a sensitive application, or whether or not to share the data), but the fact of the matter is you instantly increase your risk through user access. What may present as a demonstration of trust in your teams is actually another risk point. Adding a single username and password is opening up an extra chink in your armor to potential fraud, hackers, or malware. Cloud security is a service provider specializing in negating unnecessary risk, and plugging holes that create the potential for harm, especially when they create insignificant upsides. Access to app data can be a useful insight into potential vulnerabilities in your ecosystem.
Cloud SaaS is undoubtedly a powerful and essential tool for ambitious companies in the coming years. The future of remote work, dynamic data storage, and indispensable insights into your operations are all fundamentally reliant on progressive cloud architecture with modularity and dynamic traits. However, there are unique risks inherent in a cloud-based, multitenant, complex, and personalized setup. That’s exactly why traditional cybersecurity is insufficient for the new age of SaaS. SECaaS provides purpose-built services and specialists that know the ins and outs of the ever-changing cloud ecosystem, and are experienced in the progressively more complex threats that exist in that environment.
When engaging on your cloud journey, it is always best practice to partner with an MSP to ensure you’re getting the absolute most out of your investment. But is an MSP enough to protect you from cloud security threats? Cloud security as a service is best obtained through the enlistment of an MSSP with cloud security qualifications. While some companies like Coretek provide both services, it is important to note that being an MSP does not necessarily include the qualification to be an effective MSSP.
Are you a good candidate for cloud security as a service? The short answer is that if you have a cloud ecosystem that powers your business, yes you are. While starting your cloud journey is an essential step to evolving with the pace of business technology, you do assume some unique risks when you consolidate your functions into a single space. Enlisting experts to protect the nucleus of your business functions is not only prudent but critical to your success.
To learn more about cloud security services, talk to a Coretek expert!
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