As companies increasingly migrate to public cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud, many are choosing to enhance and move their existing security toolsets in the process. Today, the average company employs just as many 76 different security tools. This is commonly known as the best approach.
However, the problem with a best-of-breed model is that it creates security and efficiency gaps for cloud workloads. Because third-party cloud security solutions rely on the visibility provided by the cloud service provider’s (CSP) application programming interface (API), each has a unique set of limitations and blind spots. This makes it difficult for security engineers and analysts to classify and resolve threats accurately and efficiently.
On the other hand, a native cloud security This approach implements seamlessly integrated proprietary security solutions to drive greater cost and resource efficiency, as well as increase overall security resilience. Here are three reasons to prioritize a native approach over best-of-breed.
Reduce your attack surface
A key argument in favor of implementing a cloud-native security approach over the best one is that relying on multiple third-party security solutions can inadvertently expand an organization’s attack surface. Each new tool introduces its own set of configurations, APIs, and potential vulnerabilities. If not managed properly, third-party tools can create additional opportunities for attackers to exploit weaknesses in your security infrastructure. In fact, they are responsible for cloud misconfigurations 80% of data security breaches in 2023.
On the other hand, a native cloud security approach relies on proprietary solutions and does not require any changes to the customer’s cloud environment. This minimizes the risk of introducing further weaknesses.
Eliminate security blind spots
Another key benefit of a native cloud security model is that it eliminates the blind spots often found with best-of-breed solutions. Third-party solutions often struggle to integrate with each other or with the specific cloud platform used, which can lead to gaps in visibility and coordination, making it difficult to have a unified view of the security landscape. And because public cloud environments often rely on a variety of interconnected services and APIs, organizations run the risk of missing potential threats or vulnerabilities if their cutting-edge security tools aren’t designed to work seamlessly with these cloud-native services .
A native approach eliminates this problem because all CSP solutions are already designed to work together seamlessly. For example, a cloud container workload protection plan that natively integrates with Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS) and Azure Container Repository (ACR) would not require any changes to the protection plan when changes are made to the cloud-based solution container. Likewise, a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) that integrates with Microsoft Threat Information can ensure that security teams can respond to security incidents in real time.
Drive greater team efficiency
Finally, taking a best-of-breed approach means that security teams are responsible for managing multiple security solutions from different vendors. This is a complex and resource-intensive process that requires teams to understand various interfaces, policies and update schedules, while managing critical security configurations and responding promptly to emerging threats. Running multiple security tools simultaneously can also lead to redundant system resources. This redundancy impacts the overall performance of the cloud environment and increases operational costs without necessarily improving security effectiveness.
Under a native model, security teams only need to understand their CSP’s services, thus reducing the initial learning curve required as native solutions leverage other native services, such as dashboards and responses. Many CSPs are also designed to ensure efficient use of customer cloud resources, with much of the heavy lifting done within the CSP’s control plane.
Ultimately, a native cloud security approach offers better protections and more efficient use of resources than the best third-party solutions. Additionally, because CSPs are accustomed to serving a broad range of customers and use cases, they can often offer greater flexibility, innovation, and specialized security expertise than third-party vendors. By exploring available native security solutions to see what makes the most sense for their environments, organizations can take the first step towards a more secure and efficient cloud-based future.
– To know more Partner perspectives from Microsoft Security