Public cloud security practices can steer your organization in the right direction when it comes to mitigating threats and ensuring regulatory compliance. Although these measures might not stop every attack, they can greatly minimize the risk of future cases. You can improve your public cloud security posture by incorporating the best practices. In this guide, we will cover critical ones and even include measures that enhance the offerings of public cloud services.

7 Best Practices for Your Organization’s Public Cloud Services Security

Migrating or building your business in the public cloud allows you to scale and grow globally. But without robust public cloud security, you could leave your organization vulnerable to attack.   Essential security considerations must be addressed by every business working in the public cloud. These seven public cloud security best practices will help to protect your assets, your employees, and your customers from breaches and attacks.

1. Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Implement strong user authentication methods such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and biometric checks. Users should be given only the permissions they need and access controls should be regularly checked and updated.

You can also:

• Establish layered authentication by combining MFA (e.g., TOTP-based or biometrics) with single sign-on (SSO) to secure all identity touchpoints.
• Minimize privilege exposure by creating least-privilege roles, granting temporary elevation for specific tasks, and enforcing session recording and keystroke monitoring on high-risk accounts.
• Enforce complex password requirements (length, character diversity) and expiration cycles. Incorporate password-less solutions to reduce phishing risk and improve user compliance.
• Limit root access to break-glass use only, enabling strong auditing on each session. Integrate hardware security modules (HSMs) for additional protection and establish root key rotation policies.
• Integrate CIAM within enterprise IAM frameworks to centralize customer and employee identity protection.
• Deploy Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) to monitor identity-based threats in real-time.

2. Data Encryption

Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit. This ensures that the data remains unreadable even if unauthorized access occurs without the proper decryption keys.

Here’s what to do at every stage of data migration:

• Pre-migration encryption and data classification: Assess the sensitivity of data to determine the necessary encryption standards (e.g., AES-256 for high-sensitivity data). Using client-side encryption tools pre-migration adds a zero-trust layer, ensuring data remains encrypted even before entering the cloud.
• Cloud-native encryption for data at rest and in transit: Cloud providers’ built-in encryption (AWS KMS, GCP Cloud Key Management) often employs AES-GCM for high efficiency. For data in transit, apply TLS 1.3 or higher, and enforce forward secrecy, protecting session keys from future decryption if private keys are compromised.
• Post-migration controls and key management: Implement key rotation policies with automated tools to limit the lifespan of keys. Enforce separation of duties (SoD) in key management to ensure that no single user has complete access to both encryption and decryption keys.

3. Secure Configurations

Misconfigurations are a common security risk in cloud environments, often stemming from default settings that don’t align with an organization’s security requirements. To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial to assess and adjust default configurations thoroughly.   This includes:

• Disabling unnecessary services
• Closing unused network ports
• Implementing strict access control measures

Regularly audit configurations to ensure that they meet evolving security needs and prevent vulnerabilities from arising.

4. Firewalls and Network Security

Firewalls serve as protective barriers between public cloud resources and external networks, monitoring and filtering network traffic based on predefined security rules. Firewalls provide a first line of defense from external threats and must be set up correctly to effectively monitor and control network traffic. To further protect against web-based threats, public clouds may employ web application firewalls (WAFs) and advanced next-generation firewalls (NGFWs). Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) can also be implemented to further isolate and control cloud resources.

5. Monitoring and Logging

Use monitoring tools such as AWS CloudTrail, Azure Monitor, or Google Cloud’s Operations Suite to receive immediate alerts about potential threats. Maintaining detailed logs is equally important, as they provide a record of events that can be used for in-depth analysis and troubleshooting, helping to identify the root cause of incidents and improve security measures over time. A properly configured firewall, as outlined above, can be an important tool for monitoring and logging.

6. Vulnerability Management

Effective vulnerability management is essential for maintaining cloud security. Regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify weak points in cloud infrastructure, applications, and configurations. These assessments involve:

• Scanning for known vulnerabilities
• Misconfigurations or outdated software that could be exploited
• Once vulnerabilities are identified, patches and fixes are promptly applied to reduce exposure to threats.

Staying informed about emerging threats and zero-day vulnerabilities is paramount for proactive defense. Utilize automated vulnerability management tools to continuously monitor for loopholes and streamline the remediation process, ensuring that security gaps are addressed before they can be exploited.

7. Compliance Management

Ensuring that your cloud infrastructure adheres to regulatory requirements and industry standards is critical for avoiding legal and financial repercussions. Cloud setups must comply with key regulations and standards, including GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and ISO/IEC 27001.

Compliance involves securing data, maintaining records, ensuring audibility, and implementing governance frameworks. Since compliance in cloud environments is often a shared responsibility, it’s important to work closely with cloud providers to clarify who is responsible for specific compliance tasks

Tools like AWS Artifact, Azure Compliance Manager, and Google Cloud’s Compliance Reports can help manage compliance obligations by offering insights, audits, and documentation related to regulatory requirements.

Implement Public Cloud Security Best Practices With Sentinel One

Don’t take chances or piecemeal your public cloud services security. The Singularity™ Cloud Security suite includes the Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP), the Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP), and much more. Protect your assets and your clients with the best public cloud security available. Sentinel One lets you effectively manage your public cloud security through a suite of products that work seamlessly together to keep your organization steps ahead of attackers.

Conclusion

Don’t neglect your public cloud security. Your users are responsible for uploading their data and sharing but you are responsible for implementing the latest technologies. These practices safeguard unforeseen circumstances and can help secure the whole infrastructure. Foster a culture of accountability and transparency by using these best public cloud security practices today.