Top Hybrid Cloud Security Best Practices

Why Is Hybrid Cloud Security Important?

Research from Statista shows hybrid cloud deployments are incredibly popular, with 73% of respondents stating they have implemented the architecture within their organization.

With migration to the cloud so common, it is unsurprising that cloud security incidents are on the rise. Check Point’s 2024 Cloud Security Report shows a dramatic increase in cloud security incidents in the past 12 months, with the percentage of organizations falling victim to one jumping dramatically from 24% to 61%. The report also shows the many options available to target cloud assets, with the most common security incidents being:

1. Data security breaches (21%)
2. Misuse of cloud services (17%)
3. Configuration and management (12%)
4. Phishing and social media posts (10%)
5. Service disruption (9%)
6. API security issues (7%)
7. Supply chain attacks (6%)

AS threat actors target cloud environments through a range of attack vectors, organizations need to emphasize hybrid cloud security best practices and find ways to overcome the various challenges the architecture poses.

7 Hybrid Cloud Security Best Practices

#1. Deliver Consistent Security Policies

The main goal of hybrid cloud security is to deliver comprehensive protection regardless of the environment. This requires integrating different cloud services, both public and private, into a single security strategy with complete visibility into how users interact with data and applications. To achieve this, you need unified security tools and controls that mitigate the complexity of the network by adapting to each environment and matching the needs of specific workloads.

#2. Conduct Regular Security Audits

Managing a hybrid cloud network requires regular audits to prevent misconfigurations and ensure proper access controls. Audits allow you to review security settings for different cloud environments, identify potential security gaps, and prevent exploits. Factors to consider during audits include:

• User activity.
• Access permissions.
• Configurations.
• Data classification.
• Compliance checks.

#3. Train Staff on Hybrid Cloud Security

Check Point’s 2024 Cloud Security Report found the most significant barrier to effective cloud security is employees’ lack of security awareness. While it can be easy to focus on technology and specific security tools, data shows that the most impactful hybrid cloud security best practice is to invest in training and developing proper educational information for staff.

#4. Implement a Zero Trust Security Model

Identity access management (IAM) ensures that only approved users gain access to your infrastructure. To do this, they must go through authentication processes to prove they are who they are. IAM best practices for hybrid cloud security include implementing a zero trust security model where users must continually verify their identity to gain access. As workloads and data migrate from more secure on-prem infrastructure to public clouds, zero trust security models provide additional controls to protect your data.

#5. Encrypt Data and Setup Automatic Backups

The increased accessibility of the cloud should be accompanied by advanced protections such as data encryption strategies and automatic backups. This keeps sensitive data out of the hands of third parties and ensures you still have access to a backup in the event of a ransomware attack or a cloud environment becomes compromised. Implement data encryption strategies based on strong protocols while protecting information at rest and in transit.

#6. Automate Security Responses

As the complexity of your network increases, manual security controls become less effective. Security automation helps to apply policies and threat monitoring controls consistently across environments. This could include security automation for:

• Responding to anomalies in real-time.
• New vulnerabilities and patches.
• Regulatory changes and new compliance requirements.
• Incident response measures such as quarantining or access restrictions.
• Applying the best possible configurations to new environments.

#7. Incorporate AI-Powered Protections

AI is a key enabling technology for automated security responses and enhanced threat monitoring. Relying on signature-based threat detection means waiting for vulnerabilities to be identified. This leaves you vulnerable to previously unseen attack vectors or zero-day exploits. With AI-powered protection, you can incorporate contextual data to identify suspicious activity that goes beyond typical operations. When implemented correctly, this increases detection rates while reducing false positives.