Unveiling The Cloud’s Hidden Threats: How Enterprises Can See More and Prevent More

Ian Farquhar

Security Chief Technology Officer, Gigamon

In recent times, the surge of cloud-based security threats and breaches has taken the world by storm,  leaving nearly one in three attacks undetected by even the most vigilant IT and Security professional and  their tools, as shown in a recent survey Gigamon conducted. This is compounded by the revelation that a  staggering 93 percent of these respondents globally anticipate a further escalation in cloud security attacks in the coming year. 

This disconcerting reality poses an imminent challenge for enterprises worldwide especially with the  prevailing trend of cloud migration. Indeed, organizations across the globe have embraced a hybrid  infrastructure model, skillfully blending on-premises and cloud-based systems to optimize their operations. 

Notably, the Asia Pacific region has emerged as a leading proponent of cloud adoption, witnessing  substantial advancements in the implementation of this technology. However, the survey findings serve as  a wake-up call, exposing the vulnerability of the region’s cloud security posture. Specifically in Singapore,  only one in four IT and Security professional state that they possess the critical visibility required to fortify  their cloud security. 

Given the projected rise in cloud-based security threats and breaches, IT and Security experts in Singapore  are now placing hybrid cloud security at the forefront of their priorities.  

The gap between perception and reality 

The gap between perception and reality further complicates the situation. Our survey revealed that over a  quarter of IT and Security leaders in Singapore express complete confidence in their entire IT infrastructure  (with another 66 percent being confident). Despite this confidence, all of them have experienced breaches  in the past months, shedding light on a concerning disparity between perception and reality. This disconnect  underscores the dangers of hybrid cloud security complacency, even as efforts are made to strengthen the  overall security posture. 

So, how are enterprises tackling the security of their hybrid cloud infrastructure? According to many IT and  Security leaders, ensuring critical visibility across data in motion, from on-premises to the cloud, emerges  as a pivotal aspect in this regard. Visibility is widely recognized as a key solution to address hybrid cloud  concerns. Despite its significance, many organizations are encountering difficulties in achieving  comprehensive visibility. 

Gigamon’s survey results echo this challenge, with a substantial number of IT and Security leaders in  Singapore acknowledging the presence of blind spots across their hybrid cloud infrastructure. Furthermore,  the data revealed that only one in four Singapore respondents stated that they have the necessary visibility  into encrypted data, from the network level down to the application level. 

When organizations have critical visibility into applications and data in the cloud, multiple benefits occur at  the same time:

Preventing threats rather than reacting to them: IT and Security teams can see emerging  threats and prevent incidents before they occur, reducing vulnerability and lowering risk. When  undetected bad actors cause issues such as network downtime or interruptions, customers and providers alike will lose out on business during those periods. With visibility, organizations can  identify the source of malicious traffic, detect indicators of compromise, and ensure uptime for  business continuity through a preventative approach rather than reacting once the bug has already  infiltrated the system. 

Simplifying cloud management: As enterprises adopt more devices and use multiple cloud  platforms for all their different needs, cloud visibility streamlines the management process of all  applications. Security teams can search for threat patterns simultaneously across multiple  platforms with a single pane-of-glass, saving time and effort when troubleshooting  

Achieving comprehensive visibility with deep observability 

Achieving this level of critical visibility is not always straightforward, especially in complex hybrid cloud  environments. This is where deep observability steps in to enhance visibility comprehensively, and improve  the security and performance of hybrid cloud environments. In the cloud era, successful digital  transformation is rooted in security, performance, and compliance, all of which deep observability  technology can provide. Surpassing traditional log-based tools, deep observability offers actionable insights  into an organization’s entire hybrid cloud environment. 

The benefits of deep observability are far-reaching. It aids in identifying and mitigating security threats and  performance bottlenecks proactively, warding off attacks before they even begin. Moreover, deep  observability contributes to cost reduction by providing insights into resource utilization, optimizing areas  where costs can be better allocated. An illustrative example is the Land Bank of the Philippines, which  achieved the desired level of visibility and security by implementing deep observability solutions. This act  helped them to streamline their monitoring tools, which ultimately resulted in significant cost-savings.  

For enterprises determined to bridge the gap between perception and reality, implementing deep  observability becomes paramount in providing the best protection for their hybrid cloud environments. In an  era where cloud-based attacks are expected to increase, this enhanced visibility will prove indispensable in safeguarding critical assets, ensuring compliance, and fostering confidence in the face of the ever evolving threat landscape. 

With deep observability as their ally, enterprises can proactively secure their hybrid cloud environments,  bolster their defenses, and pave the way for a secure and successful digital future.