A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right FinOps Tools in 2023

Cloud has transformed the world by revolutionizing business operations, enabling seamless collaboration, scalability, and accessibility to resources and services on a global scale. Similarly, FinOps solution providers have made it easier for organizations to manage costs associated with the cloud. Using FinOps tools, businesses can prosper in a competitive world without worrying about financial constraints and inefficiencies. These tools empower companies to optimize costs and make data-driven decisions that yield desired financial outcomes. Besides, IT solution firms have paved new ways for organizations to navigate challenges related to finances that may arise in the future. Let’s find out how to shortlist the right FinOps tools for your company and the top 3 FinOps tools in 2023.

Cloud FinOps Tools 101

FinOps revolutionizes cloud cost management by promoting collaboration and accountability across IT, DevOps, and finance teams. It involves cultural change, supported by software tools, to optimize cloud usage and costs. With a focus on full-funnel accountability, FinOps tools help businesses understand cloud consumption and correlate costs with products, projects, and teams, making it crucial for sustainable growth, particularly for SaaS companies.

How to Choose the Right FinOps Tools?

Developing a FinOps culture is crucial for sustainable business models, and specialized FinOps tools enhance maturity levels. Businesses can address complexities, automate cost management, and set ambitious goals with the right strategy and tools. When selecting a FinOps platform, consider business needs, such as multi-cloud support or scalability for growing environments, and ensure alignment with business size, current FinOps maturity, and performance indicators. These metrics may vary from company to company; hence, you must ensure that your chosen FinOps tool aligns with your business’s specific requirements.

Top 3 FinOps Tools in 2023

With an ever-growing market of FinOps tools in 2023, it can be challenging for professionals to choose the one that fits them best. To make it easier for you, we have shortlisted the top 3 FinOps tools you need to consider:

Densify

densify-portrait

Densify is a platform that utilizes machine learning to automate the optimization of cloud costs and usage. It provides functionalities like automated optimization of instance sizes and intelligent scaling for various cloud resource types. Its primary focus is containerization using the Kubernetes platform, efficiently managing clusters, namespaces, quotas, and projects at scale.

Densify stands out from other FinOps tools as it primarily caters to the requirements of cloud engineering teams. These teams face increasing pressure from finance departments to report and validate their cloud resource utilization accurately. The tool is designed to be compatible with single-, hybrid-, and multi-cloud environments. Using this tool, you will gain the following advantages:

High Optimization: Find out opportunities for optimization, facilitate precise resource matching, and effectively prevent overprovisioning, resulting in significant cost reduction.

Better Efficiency: Finance and operations teams can enhance their efficiency by intelligently creating scaling groups and seamlessly integrating FinOps workflows into DevOps pipelines. This integration boosts their overall effectiveness and productivity.

Cloudability

Cloudability

Apptio Cloudability is a FinOps platform that promotes collaboration among IT, finance, and DevOps teams for optimized cloud usage, improved service delivery, and cost reduction. While focusing on the FinOps framework, it primarily serves large enterprises and leading cloud adopters.

Cloudability provides professional services encompassing strategic counsel and technical proficiency, aiding businesses in successfully adopting a FinOps culture. Some of the benefits of using Cloudability include the following:

Improve Efficiency: Foster a shared understanding of costs and business value to enhance the cost-effectiveness of cloud operations continuously.

Optimize Costs: Align spending with actual needs, explore reservation and commitment-based discounts, and identify opportunities for cost optimization through purchasing and adjustments.

Enhance Visibility: Consolidate billing and usage data to obtain a unified perspective, enabling better cost understanding and governance of cloud consumption.

Harness

harness

Harness serves as a FinOps software delivery platform with a strong focus on cloud cost optimization tailored to DevOps teams. While it is not exclusively a FinOps tool, it offers comprehensive features for reducing cloud expenses. The platform primarily targets development teams and highlights intelligent cloud cost automation as a key benefit, claiming potential savings of up to 70%. Automation is a central focus of Harness, covering the entire cloud software delivery pipeline and efficiently managing cloud resources and idle time, eliminating the need for manual scripting or custom engineering efforts.

Harness enables users to optimize financial operations in a multitude of ways:

Monitoring and Reporting: Harness proactively monitors and generates timely reports on opportunities to terminate unused instances, ensuring efficient resource utilization hourly.

Better Collaboration: Harness's Cloud Cost Management enables seamless collaboration between finance and IT teams, empowering them to track and manage cloud spending effectively.

Higher Cost Efficiency: The Harness Continuous Delivery Platform includes root cost analysis capabilities, enabling users to correlate cloud events with their corresponding costs effectively.

Why You Should Partner with Mobiz

Whether your business requirements call for a private, public, or hybrid cloud solution, our expert team at Mobiz is well-equipped to craft, execute, and oversee the right cloud infrastructure tailored to your unique needs. Our services include 'Cloud Ops,' a suite of managed cloud services engineered to empower businesses in fine-tuning their cloud environments for unparalleled efficiency, unwavering security, and optimal cost-effectiveness. Additionally, we provide Azure services, offering enterprises the gateway to harnessing the formidable capabilities of Microsoft's Azure cloud platform.

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The Bottom Line

Cloud FinOps tools are essential for businesses aiming to optimize cloud costs, foster collaboration, and drive operational efficiency. By adopting a FinOps culture and leveraging specialized tools like Densify, Cloudability, and Harness, organizations can gain visibility into cloud consumption, align spending with needs, and continuously improve cost-effectiveness. These tools offer features such as machine learning-driven optimization, comprehensive FinOps platforms, and robust cloud cost management capabilities. They enable businesses to make informed decisions, enhance efficiency, improve collaboration between teams, and achieve significant cost reduction. Embracing Cloud FinOps tools empowers organizations to navigate the complexities of the cloud landscape, achieve sustainable growth, and excel in their cloud operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the features of FinOps tools?

Top FinOps tools, such as Densify, Cloudability, and Harness have the following features:

Shared Cost Management: Effectively managing costs shared among multiple entities.

Cost Allocation: Assigning costs based on metadata and hierarchical structures.

Anomaly Management: Handling and resolving irregularities or deviations.

Data Analysis and Showback: Analyzing data and demonstrating costs to stakeholders.

Forecasting: Predicting future costs and budget requirements.

Commitment-Based Discount Management: Effectively managing discounts based on commitments or agreements.

Budget Management: Efficiently overseeing and controlling financial resources.

Workload Management & Automation: Optimizing workloads and implementing automated processes.

by Mobiz

Cloud Risk Assessment Checklist

Cloud Risk Assessment Checklist

Cloud platforms have paved new ways for businesses to secure their data and access information without any hassle. However, you can’t overlook the risks and threats associated with the cloud. Despite being a robust service, risk assessment for cloud computing has become essential for organizations to remain secure at all times. We have devised a cloud assessment checklist for companies to evaluate the potential risks of moving your data to the cloud. Also, we have curated a list of reasons why you must conduct a cloud risk assessment for your business. Continue reading till the end to find out!

Reasons Why You Need Cloud Infrastructure Security Assessment

A cloud security assessment holds significant importance due to the following reasons:

Enhancing Overall Security

A cloud security assessment helps organizations recognize areas that require improvements in their cloud security. By addressing these areas, organizations can enhance their overall security posture, reducing the likelihood of security breaches and data loss.

Identifying Security Risks and Vulnerabilities

The dynamic and intricate nature of cloud computing environments makes it crucial to promptly pinpoint potential risks and vulnerabilities. Conducting a cloud security assessment allows for identifying these risks, enabling organizations to take appropriate measures to mitigate them effectively.

Gaining Comprehensive Cloud Environment Insights

A cloud security assessment provides valuable insights into the cloud environment, encompassing crucial aspects such as utilized data and applications, existing access controls, and associated security risks. These insights play a pivotal role in developing a more comprehensive and robust cloud security strategy.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance

Numerous organizations must adhere to specific regulatory compliance requirements such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR, which impose stringent guidelines for cloud security. By conducting a cloud security assessment, organizations can verify their compliance with these requirements and take corrective actions if necessary.

The 7-Step Cloud Risk Assessment Checklist

Here is our 7-step cloud compliance checklist:

Step 1: Cloud Policies and Procedures

  • Develop comprehensive cloud security policies and guidelines to ensure secure operations in the cloud.
  • Consider various scenarios, such as private, public, and hybrid clouds, when creating and evaluating security policies.
  • The cloud provider and the customer are responsible for maintaining a secure system.
  • Implement and monitor policies and procedures to address potential security threats.

Step 2: Cloud Access Management

  • Efficiently manage user identities and access to control permissions and ensure proper authentication and authorization.
  • Conduct thorough reviews and authorizations for access to cloud systems.
  • Provide security awareness training for employees and implement multi-factor authentication.
  • Control and restrict guest access to minimize security vulnerabilities.

Step 3: Cloud Networking

  • Add extra layers of network security to enhance cloud security, as public cloud security often lacks built-in protection.
  • Implement measures to protect against malware injection and network-based attacks.
  • Ensure sensitive data is appropriately encrypted when transmitted over less reliable networks.

Step 4: Cloud Backup and Data Recovery

  • Establish a robust data recovery plan to prevent data loss due to hardware failure, natural disasters, or malicious actions.
  • Regularly back up and store data and applications from servers on remote servers.
  • Test the restoration process to ensure a successful recovery and have a contingency plan for physical storage locations and disaster recovery.

Step 5: Security Patches and Updates

  • Keep cloud systems up to date with the latest security patches to maintain a secure environment.
  • Centrally manage the application of patches to address vulnerabilities.
  • Test security patches in a development environment before deploying them to live servers.
  • Regularly assess the system for vulnerabilities and apply patches accordingly.

Step 6: Logging and Monitoring in the Cloud

  • Log and monitor system activities to detect security compromises on time.
  • Utilize cloud-based log centralization solutions to streamline the management and analysis of log data.
  • Retain log data for an appropriate period and proactively monitor the system for suspected security breaches.

Step 7: Cloud Data Encryption

  • Encrypt sensitive information stored in the cloud to render it unreadable and useless to unauthorized individuals.
  • Implement measures to protect private keys and certificates.
  • Ensure data is encrypted at rest and in transit to maintain security.

Manage Cloud Computing Risk Assessment with Mobiz

Since the cloud security assessment checklist comprises seven steps, the process can be time-consuming. To make it easier, cloud service provider Mobiz safeguards organizations from risks associated with the cloud by offering cloud assessment services.

At Mobiz, we have a team of well-trained cloud operations experts with proficiency in various domains. Our checklist to cloud readiness assessment combined with the threat risk assessment checklist will help you navigate challenges and prevent future cloud security issues. Partnering with Mobiz for your cloud security assessment needs will give you peace of mind, knowing that your cloud environment is thoroughly evaluated, risks are mitigated, and you are well-prepared to secure your valuable data and assets in the cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cloud risk assessment?

A cloud security risk assessment is an essential evaluation of the potential risks and vulnerabilities that come with utilizing a cloud-based system. It is a crucial process that businesses should conduct to ensure the proper protection of their data while stored on remote servers. Companies can proactively identify and address potential security gaps by conducting a comprehensive cloud security risk assessment, minimizing the risks of data breaches and unauthorized access.

What is the NIST checklist for cloud security?

The NIST Cloud Computing Security Reference Architecture (NCC-SRA) checklist is a comprehensive framework provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for assessing and implementing security measures in cloud environments. It covers the following key components:

  • Compliance and Audit
  • Cloud Consumer Perspective
  • Security and Privacy Capabilities
  • Security Assessment and Authorization
  • Security Governance
  • Trusted Cloud Infrastructure
  • Cloud Provider Perspective

What is the key risk of cloud computing?

A significant risk in cloud security is the potential for inadequate security measures, which can result in data breaches. Businesses must ensure that their chosen online storage provider offers comprehensive protection against data leakage and unauthorized access to sensitive and personal information.

by Mobiz

DevSecOps Phases

DevSecOps Phases 101

DevSecOps, a combination of 'Development,' 'Security,' and 'Operations,' has brought a paradigm shift to the integration of security within the software development lifecycle. DevSecOps cycle incorporates security practices at each juncture, from ideation to deployment, guaranteeing that software is not just functionally sound but also inherently secure. This article delves into the five pivotal phases of the DevSecOps framework, outlining how each phase fosters a secure software development journey.

To successfully adopt DevSecOps, the following steps should be taken:

  • Ensure that security controls, DevSecOps processes, and tools are incorporated at the beginning of the DevOps workflow, enabling automated security checks to be conducted throughout the entire software delivery process.
  • Mitigate vulnerabilities in software programming by integrating security principles right from the outset of the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
  • Foster a collective responsibility among all stakeholders, including IT operations teams and developers, to strictly adhere to security procedures in their respective tasks.

The 5 Phases of DevSecOps

The core principles of DevSecOps are divided into five stages. Let’s understand the 5 phases that must be incorporated during the DevSecOps software development cycle:

Plan

When approaching new roadmap initiatives, individual projects, or feature enhancements, it is crucial to thoroughly analyze and tackle the potential threat models specific to the undertaking. It is necessary to assess any risk of data breaches or data leakage and implement proactive measures to prevent such incidents. Furthermore, it is essential to consider and incorporate any applicable national or local security policies into the development requirements. From our experience, threat models often exhibit resemblances among companies operating in industries such as Healthcare or Financial Services, so conducting comprehensive research and engaging in collaborative planning are recommended to address these factors effectively.

Code

During the code phase, developers can improve the security of their code by utilizing DevSecOps technologies. Key security practices during this phase include conducting code reviews, performing static code analysis, and implementing pre-commit hooks.

By integrating security technologies directly into the developer’s existing Git workflow, each commit and merge can automatically trigger a security test or review. These technologies are designed to support multiple integrated development environments and programming languages. Popular security tools commonly used in this context include PMD, Gerrit, SpotBugs, CheckStyle, Phabricator, and Find Security Bugs.

Build

Once you have defined your requirements and established a plan with code, it is essential to examine your backlog and ensure that all your security requirements are accounted for. Have you included acceptance criteria in your backlog stories to address the security needs associated with each feature? Have you incorporated stories specifically for managing permissions and system settings that may be affected? It is worth noting that there are distinct considerations for declarative features compared to custom-built ones:

  • Custom Development: Conduct code reviews and inspect open-source libraries and other code assets for custom-built features to ensure compliance with security requirements. Automated code scanning tools can assist in maintaining quality control and achieving spot-checks during development.
  • Declarative Development: Establish clear standards and best practices for declarative features in the Salesforce platform. Properly describe fields and objects, label process builders and flows, and apply suitable security settings. Utilize automated tools to enforce security best practices, including data classification, auditing profiles, and permission sets, and implementing data visibility controls with intelligent alerting capabilities.

Whether your focus is on custom or declarative development, planning for tracking user behavior in your new application, release, or feature is essential. Particularly for highly regulated industries like Financial Services and Healthcare, incorporating backlog items that facilitate employee behavior tracking and provide alerts for suspicious activities is crucial. This becomes crucial when managing significant data extractions, personally identifiable information (PII), or regulated functionalities such as chat or support channels.

Test

To strengthen your DevSecOps approach during testing for new features and releases, you must take the following requirements into account:

Penetration Testing: As Salesforce apps become more client- and partner-facing, it is crucial to have a robust plan for conducting penetration testing. This involves assessing the security of apps exposed to external entities beyond your collective VPNs and firewalls, including communities, Experience Cloud, Lightning Web Components, custom mobile apps, and chatbots.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST): To ensure the security of Salesforce code, it is vital to integrate a static code analysis tool into your development process. Conduct thorough audits of Apex, Visualforce, Lightning Components, and JavaScript to identify OWASP's top 10 vulnerabilities and adhere to Salesforce security best practices. While tools like Clayton and PMD are recommended, explore other available options.

Interactive Application Security Testing: Incorporating advanced in-browser tools for runtime security analysis is crucial for identifying vulnerabilities in Salesforce applications. These tools assess runtime issues, including 3rd-party modules and managed package components that may not be fully covered by static application security testing (SAST). To ensure effective security testing, having a well-defined plan for integrating these tools into your functional testing process and promptly addressing any identified issues is important.

Addressing these considerations can strengthen your DevSecOps approach and ensure robust security testing for your Salesforce applications.

Release

As your development and testing phase transitions to the release phase, it is crucial to prioritize security and incorporate it into your DevSecOps process flow. Auditing becomes a key consideration. How will you effectively track and audit changes, identify requesters and reasons, and understand connections and timing? While the Salesforce audit trail has limitations, following and documenting changes diligently is crucial. The audit and release log play a crucial role in the DevSecOps workflow, and utilizing tools such as Confluence, Jira, and Git repositories can significantly facilitate release management operations.

Deploy

Upon successful completion of the abovementioned steps, the next phase demands deployment. It may require you to address security-related issues that can impact the live production system. Furthermore, this stage focuses on logging change activities and the production release, including identifying configuration variations that may occur between the initial staging and development settings and the existing production environment.

Operation

After deployment, the DevSecOps life cycle requires an operation during which operations personnel perform regular maintenance tasks. The presence of zero-day vulnerabilities is a serious concern. Therefore, operation teams need to monitor them consistently. DevSecOps can leverage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools to swiftly and effectively protect the organization's infrastructure, mitigating the risk of human error.

Monitor

It is essential to monitor security for any anomalies to prevent a breach. Therefore, it is crucial to implement a reliable continuous monitoring tool that operates in real-time. This tool will help track system performance and detect any potential vulnerabilities at an early stage.

The Bottom Line

DevSecOps incorporates security seamlessly throughout the software development lifecycle. Organizations can mitigate risks and prevent breaches by integrating security controls and tools early on. The five phases of DevSecOps - plan, code, build, test, and release - provide a structured framework for incorporating security. Organizations should conduct thorough threat analysis, use security technologies during coding, ensure security requirements are addressed during backlog management, perform comprehensive testing, including penetration testing and static/interactive application security testing, prioritize security during release and deployment, and implement continuous monitoring. By following these steps, organizations can achieve a proactive and comprehensive approach to security in their software development practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DevSecOps lifecycle approach?

The DevSecOps lifecycle approach involves incorporating security practices throughout the software development process:

  • It begins with thorough planning, analyzing potential threats, and incorporating security requirements.
  • During the code phase, developers utilize DevSecOps technologies and conduct code reviews and static code analysis.
  • The build phase involves examining the backlog to ensure security requirements are accounted for in custom and declarative development.
  • Testing includes penetration testing, static application security testing, and interactive application security testing.
  • Release involves prioritizing security, tracking changes, and documenting them.
  • Deployment addresses security issues and focuses on logging change activities.
  • Operation requires regular maintenance and monitoring for zero-day vulnerabilities.
  • Continuous monitoring in real-time helps detect potential vulnerabilities.

by Mobiz

Cloud-First Strategy Mean

What Does a Cloud-First Strategy Mean in 2023: All You Need to Know

In today’s digital age, embracing a cloud-first strategy offers numerous benefits to organizations. Combined with network security service, it works as an optimal solution for businesses having the 7 layers of cyber security in place. Organizations prioritizing cloud-based solutions can optimize resource allocation, respond quickly to market demands, and focus on their core objectives. The cloud-first approach empowers businesses to thrive in the digital landscape, delivering superior services and staying ahead of the competition. Let’s delve into the meaning of cloud-first strategy in 2023, understand how it works, and find out how you can reap all the benefits that come with it.

What Is a Cloud-First Strategy?

A cloud-first strategy involves prioritizing cloud-based solutions over on-premises options. Instead of building your technology stack, you can subscribe to service providers offering cloud-based software or platforms. Organizations can benefit from high-quality services by utilizing these infrastructures without relying heavily on in-house operations.

While not all infrastructures need to be cloud-based, it is essential to consider hosting new additions in the cloud when appropriate. It is also necessary to evaluate which existing on-premises solutions should migrate to the cloud to enhance operational efficiency.

To meet requirements, most organizations utilize a combination of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions:

  • IaaS refers to the foundational infrastructure that supports IT operations and provides access to virtual storage and networking capabilities. It is primarily used by IT administrators. Examples of IaaS providers include Microsoft Azure and AWS.
  • PaaS offers platforms and development tools for building and deploying new solutions. It is predominantly used by software developers. Some of its notable examples include Bizagi and Google Apps Engine.
  • SaaS encompasses applications commonly used by end-users to facilitate their daily tasks. Business users are the primary users of SaaS solutions. Its prominent examples include Office 365 and Salesforce CRM.

How Does a Cloud-First Strategy Approach a Client's Migration to the Cloud?

Cloud-first is a cloud adoption strategy that provides an efficient way for organizations to move to the cloud. With a cloud-based infrastructure, the cloud-first policy offers ease in managing and deploying applications, services, and data.

While the process comprises multiple steps, it starts by evaluating each client’s IT landscape to provide cybersecurity services and other technologies that align with the organization’s requirements. After conducting the assessment, creating a roadmap that outlines the required steps for migration and ensures alignment among all stakeholders is crucial. This roadmap serves as a clear guide for the migration process. Additionally, the organization must establish a testing and deployment environment to facilitate a seamless transition of applications and services to the cloud. This environment allows for thorough testing and verification to ensure the successful migration and functionality of the cloud-based solutions.

7 Reasons Why Organizations Need a Cloud-First Approach

To reduce the risk of security issues in cloud computing, you must adopt a cloud-first approach. We have shortlisted seven reasons why you may need it:

Better Collaboration

Cloud-based applications facilitate seamless collaboration among teams by enabling real-time access, editing, and sharing of documents from any location. This enhances productivity and communication, particularly for remote or geographically dispersed teams.

High Flexibility and Scalability

Adopting a cloud-first approach gives organizations greater agility and scalability, allowing them to adjust resources according to their needs. This is particularly beneficial for businesses that experience sudden spikes in demand as they can quickly scale resources without needing costly hardware upgrades. Cloud computing strategies enable rapid access to information, empowering organizations to respond promptly to changing customer demands and market trends.

Easier Compliance

Cloud-based services assist organizations in meeting compliance requirements by offering built-in security measures and data protection features. Cloud providers adhere to various compliance standards, including ISO 27001, GDPR, and HIPAA, ensuring secure storage of customer data. Additionally, cloud providers offer automated tools that simplify the reporting and auditing processes, facilitating compliance obligations for organizations.

Minimal Upfront Costs

A cloud-first cloud computing strategy eliminates the need for significant investments in hardware and software, as cloud services are typically offered on a subscription basis. Organizations can avoid upfront capital expenditures by paying only for the resources they utilize. This approach also results in lower maintenance costs as the responsibility for managing the underlying IT infrastructure lies with the cloud service providers.

High Security

Cloud-based services provide robust security measures to protect sensitive data. With features like multi-factor authentication, encryption, and real-time monitoring tools, organizations can have peace of mind knowing that their information is safeguarded by top-of-the-line security protocols.

Better Performance

A cloud-first strategy allows organizations to leverage the scalability and performance capabilities of the cloud. By provisioning servers, databases, and other services on-demand, organizations can enhance performance and reduce latency, especially with multiple data centers globally. The flexibility of cloud services enables organizations to quickly incorporate new features and capabilities, allowing them to stay ahead of the competition.

Enhanced Reliability

Cloud-based services offer improved reliability as organizations no longer need to worry about unexpected hardware or software failures. Cloud providers implement redundancy measures such as fault tolerance and failover capabilities, ensuring consistent uptime and uninterrupted service delivery. This enhances customer satisfaction and reduces operational costs.

How Mobiz Helps Businesses with Cloud-First Strategy

Mobiz plays a vital role in supporting a cloud-first strategy for businesses. We assist with cloud migration, manage cloud infrastructure, develop and deploy cloud-native applications, handle data management and analytics, ensure security and compliance, and facilitate integration and automation. In addition to this, we offer disaster recovery and business continuity plans with utmost scalability and cost optimization and provide training and support to maximize the benefits of the cloud-first approach.

We recommend you benefit from our comprehensive solutions to make the most of your cloud-first approach. Let's take your business to new heights with the power of the cloud! Contact us now.

The Bottom Line

A cloud-first strategy offers numerous benefits for organizations seeking to leverage the power of cloud computing strategy. Organizations can enhance their agility, scalability, and responsiveness to market demands by prioritizing cloud-based solutions and services. The reduced upfront costs and lower maintenance expenses associated with a cloud-first approach provide financial advantages, allowing organizations to optimize resource allocation and avoid costly hardware investments. Furthermore, the improved security measures offered by cloud providers ensure the protection of sensitive data, providing peace of mind for organizations and their customers. Collaboration is enhanced through cloud-based applications, enabling seamless teamwork and document sharing regardless of location. With increased performance, reliability, and easier compliance management, organizations can focus on their core objectives and deliver superior services to their customers. Embracing a cloud-first strategy is a forward-thinking approach that empowers organizations to thrive in today's digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Four Adoption Strategies in Cloud Computing?

The four adoption strategies in cloud computing are as follows:

  • Define business outcomes
  • Address potential risks
  • Select a deployment model
  • Establish a roadmap and integrate it into multiple stages

What Are the Three Main Factors of the Cloud Computing Adoption?

While there are various factors involved in the cloud computing adoption process, the top 3 factors you must consider are as follows:

  • Cloud computing security concerns
  • Business goals
  • Cloud computing infrastructure

by Mobiz

Virtualization vs. Cloud Computing

Virtualization vs. Cloud Computing: What’s the Difference?

In the current times, many companies have transitioned to the latest technologies, such as virtualization and cloud computing. They have opened new doors to business success and growth while streamlining business operations and ensuring data security. However, many people still need clarification about whether to go for virtualization or cloud computing. So, if you think you are in the same boat, don’t worry! We are here to help you understand the difference between virtualization and cloud computing so that you can make an informed decision. Continue reading until the end to find out what you need.

Virtualization versus Cloud Computing

While these two terms may appear synonymous to most people, they are quite different from one another. Let’s explore them!

What Is Virtualization?

Using virtualization, you can separate computer environments from physical infrastructures to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single machine. For instance, in a workspace virtualization scenario, if you primarily work on a Mac but require specific PC-exclusive applications, you can run a virtual machine with Windows to access those applications without switching computers.

Some of the benefits of virtualization are as follows:

  • Increased efficiency: Virtualization enables you to extract maximum value from your servers by leveraging multiple systems and applications on a single hardware platform.
  • Optimized resource utilization: Through virtualization, you can optimize resource utilization by reducing the requirement for acquiring numerous physical systems.
  • Streamlined cost management: By adopting virtualization, you can integrate costs related to infrastructure management, administration, and associated requirements into your IT budget, ensuring better cost management.
  • Disaster recovery: In a virtualized environment, the quick and seamless replication or cloning of affected virtual machines enables rapid recovery in minutes, improving business continuity compared to the time-consuming process of provisioning and setting up new physical servers.
  • Environment-friendly: By minimizing the use of physical servers, businesses can lower power consumption, resulting in cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint for the data center, offering both financial and environmental benefits.

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing includes software, hardware, and advanced network resources that individuals and organizations can conveniently access over the Internet. A provider of cloud computing services offers a variety of service types to meet the requirements of businesses.

One such service model is software-as-a-service (SaaS), where a cloud service provider delivers software applications to client businesses. Instead of installing the software on users' individual desktops, they can conveniently access these applications through a web browser.

Here are some benefits that come with cloud computing:

  • Cost savings: Cloud computing models ensure cost optimization by paying only for the resources used, avoiding unnecessary expenses, and freeing up IT teams for more strategic work.
  • Faster time to market: Cloud computing enables quick deployments, allowing developers to accelerate development and testing without hardware limitations or lengthy procurement processes.
  • Better collaboration: Cloud storage allows data access from anywhere in the world on any device, promoting seamless collaboration and eliminating location or device restrictions.
  • Data loss prevention: Storing data in the cloud safeguards against data loss caused by emergencies, hardware failures, malicious threats, or user errors, with backup and disaster recovery features provided by cloud providers.
  • Scalability and flexibility: Cloud computing allows businesses to scale resources up or down to meet demand rapidly, eliminating the need for extensive investments in physical infrastructure.
  • Advanced security: Cloud computing strengthens security through comprehensive features, automatic maintenance, and the expertise of top security professionals employed by reputable cloud providers.

Cloud Computing vs. Virtualization: What Is the Difference?

Cloud Computing vs. Virtualization

The term ‘virtualization’ refers to software that virtually transforms your hardware into multiple machines, whereas cloud computing utilizes a technology that combines multiple hardware devices. To make the most out of their benefits, such as Cloud Ops, you must discover their distinct features. Here are some of the key differences listed down below:

  • Cloud computing offers multiple hardware devices to enable one login environment while users get dedicated hardware in virtualization.
  • Ideally, you should access cloud computing via an office network; however, virtualization approves access to users from the office only.
  • With cloud computing, you can pay as you go, but virtualization does not provide such features to its users.
  • You can sell your software or service to external users using cloud computing. On the other hand, virtualization lets users set up data centers within the infrastructure or network of the company.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing with Mobiz

While many cloud computing services offer a combination of both, Mobiz ensures you achieve optimal efficiency without charging an arm and a leg. This way, you can scale your business according to your requirements and unlock the potential of your company to reach new heights of success and profitability in no time!

Closing Thoughts

With a comprehensive understanding of the variations between virtualization and cloud computing, you can recognize how these innovations have transformed businesses across the globe. Virtualization enables running multiple systems on a single machine, optimizing resource utilization and offering cost management benefits. Cloud computing provides convenient internet-based access to software, hardware, and network resources, resulting in cost savings, faster deployment, and enhanced security. Understanding these distinctions empowers businesses to make informed decisions and leverage the advantages of each technology for business success and growth in the dynamic digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between cloud computing and virtualization?

Virtualization serves as the underlying technology that drives the functionality of cloud computing, as it involves software that incorporates hardware. Cloud computing, in turn, makes virtualization an essential prerequisite for cloud computing.

How is virtualization and cloud computing similar?

Virtualization is the core component of cloud computing solutions and services as it provides the infrastructure to develop and manage cloud virtualization; hence, they are similar in many ways but different.

by Mobiz

Lift and Shift Cloud Migration

Introduction to Lift and Shift Cloud Migration

Are you looking forward to migrating your applications to the cloud? If so, you are most likely familiar with the lift and shift approach. Cloud method shifting is an optimal strategy that allows you to move your applications and associated data to the cloud without requiring a complete redesign. But is it the best choice for your organization? In this blog, we will explore the lift and shift approach, its benefits, and its potential drawbacks. We will also discuss five things you must consider while migrating to the cloud. So, if you are ready to embark on your cloud migration journey, let's dive in and discover how to lift and shift work.

What Is Lift and Shift Cloud Migration?

The lift-and-shift approach to cloud migration entails transferring applications, systems, workloads, and data from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud with minimal modifications. The existing resources in the data center are replicated and migrated to a cloud environment, whether it is a single cloud, multi-cloud, or hybrid cloud setup.

During the lift and shift migration, applications are typically not modified as they cannot be completely redesigned to be cloud-native. In exceptional circumstances where slight modifications are feasible for lifted-and-shifted applications, the changes usually revolve around adjustments to the architecture. This characteristic sets lift-and-shift migration apart from other methods like refactoring and re-platforming, which require more extensive modifications to the code or architecture of applications for successful cloud migration.

5 Things to Consider for Cloud Migration

Before moving applications to the cloud, here are a few points for you to consider:

Refactor

PaaS, also known as Platform as a Service, enables you to deploy your applications on a cloud provider's infrastructure. It offers the benefit of utilizing familiar programming languages, frameworks, and containers that are strategically valuable to your company. However, PaaS has limitations regarding capabilities, potential risks associated with component interactions, and the potential for framework lock-in.

Rehost

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), often referred to as lift and shift, involves transferring your application to a different hardware environment without modifying its architecture. This type of migration is typically fast and cost-effective initially, but it may lead to higher ongoing operational costs due to the need for utilization of cloud efficiencies.

Revise

In the beginning, you fulfill legacy-modernization requirements by making adjustments or expansions to the existing codebase. Subsequently, you can choose between rehosting or refactoring the application for cloud deployment. This approach allows you to utilize the cloud features provided by your infrastructure provider, although it necessitates some initial development expenditure.

Replace

Transition to utilizing commercially provided software as a service (SaaS) by discarding your existing application set. This strategy is advantageous when business function requirements change rapidly, as it eliminates the need to invest time and resources in assembling a development team. However, it is essential to be aware of potential issues that may arise, including inconsistent data semantics, complex data access, and the possibility of becoming locked into a specific vendor.

Rebuild

This step requires you to discard and rebuild your current application's code. This allows you to leverage the innovative features provided by the platform, which can enhance developers' productivity. However, this choice entails the risk of being locked into the platform or abandoning your application assets if the situation becomes unfavorable.

Benefits of Using the Lift and Shift Method

Here are some of the benefits of using the lift and shift cloud migration process:

Scalable and Cost Effective

Enterprises can leverage the scalability and cost efficiency offered by the cloud by migrating their on-premises backup and recovery resources. However, since refactoring or re-platforming can potentially impact the content of backups, opting for the lift-and-shift approach makes more practical sense.

Highly Efficient

Legacy applications developed before the mainstream adoption of cloud computing often cannot be easily modified or migrated to function efficiently within a cloud architecture. However, many legacy system applications can operate effectively when hosted in the cloud with minimal alterations. This is where the concept of lift-and-shift migration becomes relevant and valuable.

Highly Secure

Migration in cloud computing offers cyber security services to all types of applications, including legacy applications and systems. With little to no security issues in cloud computing, it gives access to advanced security features, such as unified hybrid security processes, multifactor authentication, and role-based access control.

Downsides of Using the Lift and Shift Method

While the cloud-shifting method provides immense benefits to its users, it is best to consider the following limitations associated with it:

Potential Security Risks

Before lifting and shifting an application to the cloud, you must examine its weaknesses, including unresolved faults or potential vulnerabilities. Once in the cloud, these issues can lead to various security risks by causing great havoc within the cloud environment compared to an isolated on-premises setup.

Underlying Costs

The cost advantage often emphasized by proponents of the lift-and-shift approach primarily applies to the initial phase of migration rather than long-term savings. Regarding ongoing expenses, shifting to the cloud through this strategy involves transitioning from capital expenditure (CapEx) to operating expenditure (OpEx).

Additionally, if significant changes are needed after the migration for lifted-and-shifted applications, or if they do not demonstrate substantial performance improvements, the lift-and-shift approach can be considered a sunk cost.

High Latency and Other Performance Issues

Initially hosted on-premises, legacy applications, and other platforms may exhibit higher latency or decreased performance after migrating to the cloud. While simpler commercial applications generally pose little difficulty, complex applications that underwent significant modifications while on-premises, such as a custom software development platform, might encounter challenges during the transition to the cloud. In such instances, additional adjustments and changes will be necessary after the migration to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.

The Bottom Line

The lift and shift strategy for cloud migration entails transferring applications, systems, workloads, and data to the cloud with minimal or no alterations. While it offers certain benefits, there are important factors to consider. Refactoring legacy applications for cloud-native architecture may be challenging, making the lift and shift a practical option. However, assessing any vulnerabilities before migration is essential for avoiding security risks. The upfront cost savings of lift and shift should be weighed against long-term expenses, as ongoing operational costs may increase. Additionally, there can be latency and performance issues, particularly with complex applications. All in all, lift and shift can be a valuable strategy, but it requires careful consideration of the specific application and its requirements before proceeding with the migration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Lift and Shift in Cloud?

The term ‘lift and shift’ in the cloud refers to an approach that involves moving your application and data to the cloud without any significant changes.

What Is the Lift and Shift Principle?

The lift and shift principle works on minimizing the costs associated with on-premises IT infrastructure and refactoring the application as it moves to the cloud. It may include changing the code, structure, and design of the app.

by Mobiz

Understanding Platform as a Service

PaaS 101: Understanding Platform as a Service for Businesses

Nowadays, PaaS is known as a gateway to taking businesses to new heights of success and profitability. It provides an effective way to automate backend processes, enabling organizations to respond to demands without further delay. Its benefits are not limited to streamlining workflows as it brings built-in frameworks to simplify the development and management process of applications and data systems. However, you can’t overlook the limitations that come with the PaaS. So, if you are skeptical about moving to the PaaS, this article will provide you with every detail you are looking for. Keep reading till the end to find out.

What Is PaaS?

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model where customers are offered a comprehensive cloud platform to develop, run, and oversee applications, including hardware, software, and infrastructure. This eliminates the expenses, intricacies, and rigidity typically associated with constructing and maintaining an on-site platform.

Under the PaaS model, the service provider hosts all the necessary components—servers, networks, storage, operating system software, databases, and development tools—at their data center. Customers are usually presented with two payment options: a fixed fee for a predetermined amount of resources and users or a pay-as-you-go model where they are billed solely for the resources they utilize. Both options empower PaaS customers to swiftly and cost-effectively build, test, deploy, update, and scale applications compared to the challenges involved in developing and managing an on-premises platform.

What Are the Pros and Cons Of Using PaaS?

To make it easier for you to make a decision, we have shortlisted some of the pros and cons associated with PaaS:

Benefits Of PaaS

While PaaS offers a multitude of benefits, here are the most effective ones that will help you navigate your business challenges:

  • PaaS works as a cost-effective solution for businesses as there is no need to purchase hardware or incur additional expenses during downtime, resulting in significant cost savings.
  • Implementing PaaS will help save your team valuable time by eliminating the need to set up and maintain the core stack. This allows for more focus on application development and innovation.
  • PaaS speeds up the time required for product marketing, making it easier for businesses to gain a competitive edge by bringing products to market more quickly.
  • With PaaS, you don’t need to invest in additional security as it offers robust protection technologies that are required for data and applications.
  • PaaS has proven to be futuristic as it allows access to state-of-the-art data centers, operating systems, and hardware. Therefore, it prepares organizations to adapt to the latest technologies and industry standards in the future.
  • By leveraging the PaaS cloud, users can concentrate on prototyping, developing, and designing new products without additional computing resources, as they can launch pre-configured environments.
  • PaaS provides flexibility by allowing employees to log in and work on applications irrespective of their physical locations. This facilitates remote work, enhancing collaboration and productivity among your organization’s team members.

Downsides Of PaaS

Before moving to PaaS, here are some of the limitations you need to consider:

  • While PaaS providers provide optimal security through the infrastructure and platform, businesses are responsible for ensuring the security of the applications they build on top of the PaaS. If these issues are not adequately addressed, this may introduce potential vulnerabilities.
  • Difficulties may arise when integrating PaaS with existing development platforms, demanding additional effort and resources to ensure smooth interoperability.
  • Users become heavily reliant on the capabilities and offerings of the PaaS vendor, potentially limiting flexibility and innovation within the company. Furthermore, this may impact the ability to customize or adapt the platform to unique business requirements.
  • Customers may risk being locked into a specific language, interface, or program the PaaS provides, which could become obsolete or no longer meet their evolving needs.

Transitioning to PaaS

Switching to new technology can be daunting for many people. It doesn’t matter whether you run a newly launched venture or a large enterprise; reaching out to a PaaS solution provider can help you sail your journey without any obstacles. Once you have defined your business objectives and desired outcomes, a team of well-trained PaaS specialists will cater to your needs and requirements without charging additional fees.

Closing Thoughts

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) is the best solution for businesses to automate backend processes and streamline workflows. It provides a comprehensive cloud platform, eliminating the complexities and costs of maintaining an on-premises platform. In addition, PaaS brings numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness, time savings, accelerated time to market, enhanced security, future-proofing, customizability, and flexibility. However, businesses should also consider the downsides, such as security responsibilities, integration challenges, vendor dependency, and the risk of lock-in. Despite these limitations, partnering with a reliable PaaS solution provider can make transitioning to PaaS easier. By defining objectives and working with experienced specialists, businesses can navigate the PaaS journey and unlock its full potential for maximum growth.

by Mobiz

The 7 DevSecOps Principles and Concepts for Automation

With the ongoing technological advancements, DevSecOps has become the go-to solution for QA, developers, InfoSec, and IT operations teams. It offers security for organizations to navigate processes and mitigate issues that may arise during all the phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). However, enterprises must keep up with DevSecOps best practices to achieve their desired results. In this blog, we will explain to you all the concepts and principles for DevSecOps implementation. Keep reading until the end to find out.

Before delving into the core principles of DevSecOps, let’s discover more details about the DevSecOps process.

What Is DevSecOps Framework?

The DevSecOps framework consists of four primary phases: Planning, Development, Testing, and Deployment. Let's explore each of these phases in detail:

Planning

This initial stage entails outlining the development process, which includes defining requirements, designing the architecture, and selecting the necessary tools and technologies.

Development

During this phase, the actual coding and development of the application take place. This involves writing code, conducting testing, and addressing any encountered bugs or issues.

Testing

The testing phase focuses on assessing the application's adherence to desired security standards. This involves conducting both functional and security testing to ensure optimal performance.

Deployment

The deployment phase involves releasing the application into the production environment. It is crucial to ensure a secure deployment process that safeguards the application against potential security threats.

What Is DevSecOps Principle for Success?

Here are the key principles of DevSecOps:

Holistic Automation

Implementing comprehensive automation for extensive testing and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes is a fundamental aspect of DevSecOps. In the DevSecOps approach, automation is strategically employed after careful consideration, rather than automating all manual processes indiscriminately. It is recognized that automating inefficient processes compromises software quality.

In such instances, addressing quality issues through rework often comes at the expense of security performance, which contradicts the principles of DevSecOps. Instead, DevSecOps teams prioritize the integration of cybersecurity testing within the automation process, focusing on:

  • Evaluating software dependencies
  • Assessing the impact of every change on the overall security performance of the software application.

Shift Left Security

DevSecOps teams collaborate with cybersecurity experts in the early stages of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), signifying a significant departure from traditional DevOps approaches. In DevSecOps, cybersecurity becomes a collective responsibility shared by all members of the team. Consequently, software design and implementation adhere to security best practices, taking into account crucial aspects such as:

  • Identifying potential security vulnerabilities
  • Assessing threat vectors
  • Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations

By shifting security measures towards the beginning of the SDLC, known as "shifting left," every software build is configured with security in mind. This approach optimizes performance, cost, time to market, and other essential business objectives. Consequently, the team can proactively identify security risks and exposures early on, resulting in secure builds for each integration within the CI/CD pipeline.

Collaborative Culture and Communication

To facilitate effective collaboration and communication within DevSecOps teams, organizations are encouraged to create an environment that fosters seamless interaction. In traditional enterprise IT environments, development (Devs), Quality Assurance (QA), Operations (Ops), and Information Security (InfoSec) teams often operate in isolated silos, each adhering to their own policies and pursuing individual objectives. Unfortunately, these objectives frequently clash, necessitating the establishment of a dominant policy to determine priority objectives.

From a DevSecOps standpoint, such an approach is impractical. Any unforeseen consequences, security lapses, or uninformed decisions can have a lasting detrimental impact on overall software quality and performance. Therefore, DevSecOps emphasizes the need for collaboration and shared responsibility, ensuring that all team members are well-informed and actively involved in making security-conscious decisions throughout the software development lifecycle.

Continuous Security Testing

To expand the practice of Continuous Testing, automated testing functionalities are introduced to assess the build quality for potential security vulnerabilities. In the context of DevSecOps, both developers (Devs) and Quality Assurance (QA) teams assume shared responsibility for enhancing software quality through continuous testing of each build. This process is seamlessly integrated into the CI/CD pipeline and encompasses the following elements:

  • Static application security testing
  • Dynamic testing functions

Additionally, it is advisable to establish a threat model and define security policies early on in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) process. To effectively address recurring vulnerabilities that may arise due to the rapid release cycles and fast sprints of DevOps, automated remediation tools can be employed. These tools aid in promptly resolving identified vulnerabilities as Devs and QA teams work at the agile pace of DevOps.

Security as a Code

To facilitate the configuration and development of personalized automation workflows for security testing, Devs and QA teams can adopt the practice of treating security policies, procedures, and controls as code.

By treating security as code, organizations ensure that continuous and automated security testing seamlessly integrates into the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), without introducing unnecessary costs or delays. Security testing processes run concurrently with functional testing within automated CI/CD workflows. Devs and QA teams can automatically analyze the results and enhance security performance using a programmable approach to security. This approach allows for the reuse of tools, metrics, testing scopes, and configurations. Additionally, the testing procedure adheres to consistent policies that are established during the security planning and initial design phase.

Continuous Improvement

To address the ever-evolving security threats and mitigate potential risks associated with new development sprints, DevSecOps strives to enhance security capabilities iteratively by incorporating continuous feedback. This feedback is sourced from various stakeholders, including:

  • Executives and business decision-makers
  • Multiple functional teams
  • End-users in real-world environments
  • External partners

To enable the seamless integration of security-related feedback throughout iterative sprints and release cycles, it is vital to establish provisions from the outset. This ensures that the necessary mechanisms are in place to effectively incorporate and act upon the received feedback related to security matters.

Traceability, Auditability, and Visibility

One of the primary objectives of DevSecOps is to provide valuable insights that contribute to establishing a dependable environment for achieving the desired security performance within the SDLC pipeline. To accomplish this, DevSecOps incorporates three key characteristics:

Traceability: Thoroughly tracking configuration items to ensure compliance and gain a comprehensive understanding of how security issues and policies are addressed.

Auditability: Ensuring that the process is well-documented, with clear records of administrative controls, policy implementations, and security decisions. This enables audits and ensures accountability.

Visibility: Adopting robust monitoring and observability capabilities to attain a comprehensive and end-to-end view of the security performance across the SDLC pipeline.

An essential concept that encompasses these principles is observability. Discover more about observability and its significance in the context of DevSecOps.

What Tools Are Involved in DevSecOps?

Here is the list of tools used in DevSecOps:

  • Static application security testing (SAST) tools: Identify and examine weaknesses within proprietary source code.
  • Interactive application security testing (IAST) tools: To assess the potential vulnerabilities of an application in the production environment, IAST utilizes dedicated security monitors embedded within the application itself.
  • Software composition analysis (SCA): Automating the visibility into the utilization of open-source software (OSS) to enhance risk management, security, and license compliance.
  • Dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools: Simulate the actions of hackers by conducting security testing on the application from an external network perspective.

Leverage DevSecOps Services by Mobiz

In today's fast-paced corporate environment, software development teams must find a delicate balance between speed and security. Conventional security measures can impede the development process, posing a significant challenge to overcome. At Mobiz, our DevSecOps services are tailored to tackle these issues effectively. With our support, you can effortlessly incorporate security into each phase of the software development lifecycle, ensuring that your software remains safe and secure right from the start.

Reach out to us today and transform your business in no time!

Final Thoughts

DevSecOps has become essential for organizations seeking to balance software development with robust security. By implementing principles such as holistic automation, shifting security left, collaborative culture, continuous security testing, security as code, continuous improvement, and traceability, audibility, and visibility, enterprises can enhance security capabilities throughout the SDLC. Tools like SAST, IAST, SCA, and DAST aid in identifying vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance. DevSecOps enables iterative improvement and incorporates feedback from stakeholders. Embracing these principles establishes a secure development process, delivering high-quality applications and maintaining a strong security posture.

by Mobiz

Top 5 Security Issues in Cloud Computing to Watch Out For

Over the years, many companies have moved to the cloud to store, access, and manage data without compromising security. Despite making it more convenient for businesses to carry out operations on time, it comes with a set of challenges that demand your attention! That is why companies need to watch out for common security issues in cloud computing and follow preventative measures to mitigate them ahead of time. This blog entails all the information you need to prevent cloud security issues in the future. Continue reading until the end to find out!

What Are the Security Risks of Cloud Computing?

In today’s digital age, the average number of cloud security attacks per year is skyrocketing. Since most large enterprises have migrated to the cloud, subscribing to cybersecurity services has become crucial. In addition to this, organizations must protect their data, systems, and applications against the following security threats in cloud computing:

Unauthorized Access

Unlike on-premise infrastructures, the cloud allows users to access data regardless of distance from the network. While this feature benefits customers and employees, it also gives rise to multiple cloud security threats, making it easier for unauthorized users to breach an organization's cloud resources. Compromised credentials or inadequate security configurations can provide attackers with direct access without seeking permission from the organization.

Here are some of the best ways to avoid unauthorized access:

  • Monitor user activity
  • Avoid using weak passwords
  • Use multi-factor authentication methods
  • Establish end-point security

Data Breaches

The term ‘data breach’ refers to unauthorized access to sensitive information by individuals or a group of individuals. It may occur due to insufficient security practices, human error, or targeted attacks. Since cloud service providers host a large amount of data, they are just as vulnerable to the risk of data breaches. However, it is worth noting that cloud providers follow the best practices to mitigate security risks and threats by utilizing robust tools and strategies to protect their data.

To prevent data breaches, you must follow these tips:

  • Encrypt your data
  • Enable multi-factor authentication
  • Regularly back up your data
  • Devise a disaster recovery plan

Insider Attacks

Insider attacks pose a broad range of security concerns in cloud computing, as malicious insiders already possess authorized access to the network and confidential information. Often, the attempts made by attackers to acquire access indicate their intentions. However, detecting a malicious insider can be challenging for organizations without a comprehensive security approach using the 7 layers of cybersecurity.

Sometimes, traditional security practices become less effective when organizations have limited control over the infrastructure in cloud deployments. In addition to this, when cloud infrastructure is accessed from the public internet, it becomes vulnerable to malicious insiders that can disrupt data security. In such situations, network security services can help protect your data and network from intrusions. It may include the following features:

  • User ID technology
  • Server-side threat prevention
  • Malware prevention
  • Secure branch connectivity
  • DNS security
  • URL filtering
  • OT intelligence and IoT security

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are among the most common cloud computing threats that breach their victim’s IT systems to steal Intellectual Property (IP) and data. They are primarily known for posing vulnerabilities by gaining access to third-party or unsecured networks, direct system hacking, or spear-phishing. While detecting and eliminating APTs can be challenging, you can effectively mitigate them by following proactive security measures, such as:

  • Authorize access to trusted users only
  • Train your staff and create security awareness programs
  • Regularly update your software
  • Enable firewalls
  • Monitor devices and email servers
  • Use strong passwords and change them regularly

DDoS Attack

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are malicious attempts on a targeted network, server, or service to attack its traffic. It is carried out in a way that the victim gets flooded with unexpected internet traffic, making it difficult for regular traffic to reach its destination. Moreover, it may utilize multiple compromised systems, including IoT devices, to disrupt the traffic.

To identify DDoS attacks, see if suspicious traffic is coming from the same IP range or IP address. Another way to detect them is to look for multiple users' behavioral profiles. It may include information such as the same geolocation, device name, or web browser.

To mitigate a DDoS attack, use the following methods:

  • Perform blackhole routing to drop malicious traffic from the network
  • Enable web application firewall (WAF)
  • Limit the number of requests accepted by the server

The Bottom Line: Reach Out to Mobiz

As more companies embrace cloud computing, knowing the top security issues associated with this technology is crucial. The primary concerns are unauthorized access, data breaches, insider attacks, and advanced persistent threats (APTs). However, organizations can mitigate these risks by implementing preventive measures and following best practices. Monitoring user activity, implementing multi-factor authentication, encrypting data, training staff, and regularly updating software are effective strategies to enhance cloud security. By taking proactive steps and staying vigilant, businesses can ensure the integrity and confidentiality of their data in the cloud computing environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common cloud attack?

Phishing is the most common type of cloud attack.

What are the different types of security attacks in cloud environments?

The different types of security attacks in cloud environments are as follows:

  • Abuse of cloud services
  • Account or service hijacking
  • Cloud malware injection attacks
  • Denial of service attacks
  • Main-in-the-cloud attacks
  • Side channel attacks
  • Wrapping attacks

What are the major threats to cloud security?

The list of major threats to cloud security includes the following:

  • Unauthorized access
  • Data breaches
  • Insider attacks
  • Advanced persistent threats (APTs)
  • DDoS attacks

by Mobiz

devsecops

Everything You Need to Know About the DevSecOps Maturity Model

In today’s digital age, the number of cybercrimes is growing exponentially. In addition to utilizing cyber security services, it has become essential for organizations to implement security protocols in the development and deployment process. As security is integrated into the DevOps maturity model by Gartner, it gives rise to DevSecOps. However, similar to the security issues in cloud computing, it comes with some downsides that can be resolved with the help of the DevSecOps maturity model as it enables seamless integration of DevSecOps. This blog will introduce the benefits of using DevSecOps, followed by the four levels of the DevSecOps maturity model. Keep reading until the end to discover everything!

Understanding DevSecOps Maturity

The DevSecOps maturity model provides a structured framework for organizations to assess their maturity level and prioritize DevSecOps elements, improving application security. It resolves previous difficulties incurred by development and security teams in evaluating progress and determining steps for advancement. By utilizing the model, organizations can self-assess security practices, understand the desired state of application security, and DevOps maturity assessment in different domains. It empowers organizations to deliver reliable, secure, and high-quality software.

Perks of Using the DevSecOps Maturity Model

DevSecOps is a relatively new practice that continues to gain adoption as organizations strive to mature their processes. Surprisingly, only 30% of organizations have fully implemented the DevSecOps model and are reaping its rewards. Let's delve into the multitude of benefits that organizations can achieve by transitioning toward DevSecOps maturity:

  • Facilitates the identification of areas for improvement and future potential, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.
  • Enhances the overall workflow of the organization, optimizing efficiency and productivity.
  • Improves the organization's security posture, mitigates risks, and protects sensitive data.
  • Enhances the quality and operational performance, ensuring robust and reliable software solutions.
  • Reduces the time to market for new products or features, enabling organizations to stay competitive and meet customer demands swiftly.
  • Increases the frequency of software releases, allowing for faster deployment of new features and updates.
  • Accelerates the delivery speed, enabling rapid adaptation to market changes and customer feedback.

4 Levels of the DevSecOps Maturity Model

The DevSecOps maturity model comprises four levels, each representing different characteristics as organizations progress in their DevSecOps journey. It is crucial to view these levels as a guide rather than strict entrance and exit criteria since the process is a continuous progression. Advancing through all levels is necessary to achieve and sustain level 4.

Level 1

It is the beginning of the DevSecOps journey with independent teams lacking risk and security considerations, resulting in vulnerabilities and breaches in production.

Level 2

It is the actual start of the DevSecOps journey that allows innovation, frequent risk assessments, partial automation improving remediation, disaster recovery planning, and platform availability.

Level 3

It helps boost productivity and efficiency, allowing the regular release of high-quality software on reliable platforms, collaboration and culture, comprehensive risk assessment and security integration, development, testing, operations automation, dynamic vulnerability, and misconfiguration scanning.

Level 4

It is the most advanced stage; multiple daily code releases to reliable production environments, security is ingrained throughout the lifecycle, extensive automation in threat modeling, validation, testing, scanning, and deployment, infrastructure as code, automatic scaling using multiple cloud providers, visible user journeys, consistent delivery of secure and high-quality software products.

All in All

The DevSecOps maturity model is a valuable framework for organizations looking to improve their security practices and enhance their overall development and deployment process. By implementing DevSecOps, organizations can benefit from improved efficiency, productivity, and security posture. The model provides a structured approach to assess the maturity level and prioritize DevSecOps metrics, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. It also enables organizations to deliver robust and reliable software solutions, reduce time to market, increase the frequency of software releases, and accelerate delivery speed. By embracing the DevSecOps approach and progressing through the four maturity levels, organizations can stay competitive, meet customer demands swiftly, and protect sensitive data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is DevSecOps Maturity Model?

The DevOps Maturity Model (DOMM) is a structured methodology that helps organizations assess and improve their DevOps practices. It enables organizations to evaluate their current state of DevOps adoption and identify areas for improvement.

What Are the 4 Components of DevSecOps?

The four components of DevSecOps are listed below:

Better Teamwork: DevOps fosters collaboration and breaks down the barriers between development and operations teams. Similarly, DevSecOps emphasizes the integration of security and compliance goals with the overall objectives of development and operations. It promotes a harmonious environment where the voices of security and compliance are heard and aligned with the goals of other teams.

Assessment of Processes: In the development process, it is crucial to prioritize identity and access management. This entails identifying and controlling the access of individuals involved in the system or software, ensuring unauthorized access, shared logins, or user impersonation is prevented. Additionally, assigning appropriate access levels to users based on their roles and organizational requirements is essential.

Data Access Controls: Data privacy and security concerns are increasing; hence, it is crucial to consider data access controls from the early stages of application development. While implementing restrictions initially is vital, it is just as essential to continuously reinforce and strengthen these controls to prevent weakening over time. Automating mechanisms to maintain and enforce controls will enable early detection of potential data leaks before they reach the production environment.

Secure and Audited Systems: When choosing a solution for your underlying systems, prioritize high levels of service, security, and privacy. Look for a DevSecOps solution that adheres to industry regulatory standards such as ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, EU/US Privacy Shield, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and FISMA.

What Are the Benefits of the DevSecOps Maturity Model?

Some of the benefits of the DevSecOps maturity model are as follows:

  • Enables rapid adaptation to market changes and customer feedback by accelerating delivery speed.
  • Allows organizations to stay competitive and meet customer demands swiftly by reducing the time to market for new products or features.
  • Promotes a culture of continuous learning and growth by facilitating the identification of areas for improvement and future potential.
  • Ensures robust and reliable software solutions by enhancing quality and operational performance.
  • Optimizes efficiency and productivity by enhancing the overall workflow of the organization.
  • Mitigates risks and safeguards sensitive data by improving the organization's security posture.
  • Allows for faster deployment of new features and updates by increasing the frequency of software releases.

Mobiz: Your Trusted DevSecOps Provider

As a leading DevSecOps provider, Mobiz is committed to assisting you in identifying and addressing security flaws in your code at any stage of development. Through close collaboration with your development teams, we ensure that security is integrated throughout the entire software development lifecycle, enabling early detection and resolution of vulnerabilities before they can affect your system. Our focus on security enhances software quality and reduces the risk of security breaches, safeguarding your organization's assets.

Contact us today by dialing (909) 453-6700 and our customer service representative will assist you!

by Mobiz