As the business world continues to migrate to the cloud in droves, it still leaves us with the question: is the cloud safe? For companies, data is one of their most valuable assets. The cloud, while scalable, flexible and up-and-coming in today’s modern world, may not always be sufficiently secure. For data in the cloud, what you need is a cloud data protection solution.
But what is cloud data protection?
Glad you asked. This term doesn’t actually refer to one particular thing, but rather serves as an umbrella term for a range of tools, processes, and solutions that work to safeguard your data in the cloud, whether at rest or in transit.
The biggest challenge when it comes to cloud security is warding against data loss, threats to data privacy, and potential confidentiality breaches. As such, solutions that protect data in the cloud need a few things in order for them to be effective.
Perhaps most importantly, they need to be as transparent as possible, with admins having extensive insight into all network activity. All data needs to be encrypted and stay encrypted–regardless of what it may be doing at the time, whether that’s at rest or in transit. And finally, having strong authentication protocols in place is a must. Having data in the cloud is pointless if it can’t be accessed, but this access must be heavily guarded and monitored. Solutions that also operate within strict compliance regulations are also important for organizations dealing with sensitive information.
The Cyber Protect Cloud platform from Acronis is a cloud-native security platform that consolidates a range of security tools to offer strong yet flexible protection to yours and your clients’ cloud networks. Most users noted a good experience with Acronis, particularly praising the support team for their assistance and the ease of initial configuration and deployment. It combines backup and next-generation, AI-based anti-malware, antivirus, and endpoint protection management to create a highly intelligent and pervasive platform.
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud Features:
- Disaster recovery protocols which can restore systems anywhere in the cloud
- Disaster recovery orchestration, production failover, and site-to-site VPN
- Backup capabilities can be extended to SAP HANA, Oracle DB, MariaDB, MySQL, and application clusters
- Anti-malware and anti-ransomware technology
- AI-based static and behavioral analysis
- URL filtering, exploit prevention, and data loss prevention tools
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Overall, Acronis offers powerful and consolidated security protocols that help to increase detection and response rates for threats. Cyber protection is offered for web browsing, data, and recovery processing. Advanced security comes in the form of Acronis’ Active Protection product which is synchronized with the Cyber Protect Cloud product. It has strong file backup and disaster recovery capabilities, with these capabilities able to be deployed on more than twenty platforms within your network with minimal RPOs and RTOs. Acronis’ Cyber Backup is one of the fastest recovery and response solutions available. With a strong focus on supporting not just your servers but associated client servers as well, we would recommend the solution for enterprises and MSPs.
Check Point is a highly established cybersecurity vendor from Israel. Their contribution to this list is in the form of their Check Point CloudGuard Network Security platform. It is a highly scalable, flexible solution that is highly efficient and quick. It has a range of deployment options within the cloud, supporting a wide range of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. It blends network security, threat hunting, prevention, and remediation, application security, posture management, and intelligence cloud features for an adaptive and pervasive security tool.
Check Point CloudGuard Network Security Features
- Advanced threat prevention
- Automation of certain processes and protocols, and heightened visibility and extensive management capabilities through the multi-cloud which helps to detect and flag any particularly abnormal or malicious behavior that may escape initial checks
- Data loss prevention, intrusion prevention, firewall, IPS, application control, antivirus, antimalware, antibot tools
- SandBlast and IPsec VPN capabilities
- Scalable and integrates with a wide range of existing cloud networks
- Threat extraction feature removes malicious content before it reaches users, presenting them with sanitized content instead
- Traffic forwarding and SNI support performs in depth SSL and TLS traffic inspection
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Overall, Check point CloudGuard Network Security is an advanced threat prevention and automated cloud network security tool that is delivered through a powerful virtual security gateway. Deployable in a range of environments, it offers unified security management that can handle hybrid and multi cloud environments. Users praised the solution for its ease of onboarding and the fact that it can be centrally managed from your current environment. It can be deployed in a short span of time, is easy to scale as needed, and is easily integrated with a wide range of existing cloud networks. It has a large stack of robust security features within the product, as well as the solution integrating well with your own security stack. We would recommend Check Point’s CloudGuard Network Security for large to enterprise level organizations.
Cisco Secure refers to a set of products and tools that fall under the general cloud security category. Cisco Secure Cloudlock is a solution composed of a CASB and cloud cybersecurity platform that seeks to secure users, data, and applications across a range of environments–including cloud and multi-cloud environments. It is easily integrated with existing applications and deployment has been described by some users as fuss-free. It complies with security and compliance requirements for both vendor and client.
Cisco Cloudlock Features
- Cloud native and friendly firewall that offers control and protection to any cloud application connected to your environment
- Machine learning to further detect anomalies based on pre-configured factors and policies
- Data loss prevention tools that monitor cloud environments
- Automate shadow IT visibility
- Extensive visibility supported with the ability to detect and control off-network cloud app usage without agents or proxies
- Cisco Cloudlock monitors applications connected to Google G Suite and Microsoft Office 365
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Cisco boasts a wealth of powerful and exceptional security tools across a range of categories and Cloudlock is no exception. It has enhanced data security, with the platform using data loss prevention capabilities to constantly monitor your cloud environments. It’s a highly customizable aspect of the solution, though it does come with standard out-of-the-box policies that can be further configured on. Reporting on data and behavioral risk is also robust, with admins receiving alerts to any abnormal or outright malicious activity. A powerful and advanced tool that works best in tandem with other Cisco products, we would recommend Cisco Secure Cloudlock for mid to large size enterprises that already have Cisco solutions in place or are considering making the move to Cisco.
Prisma Cloud is a cloud-native platform from Palo Alto Networks that seeks to consolidate and protect your data, applications, infrastructure, workloads and users in your cloud network. It’s essentially a CPSM multi-cloud solution that delivers robust container security. It offers intuitive and broad protection for your cloud stack throughout its stages, in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and whether your data is at rest or in transit. It enables overarching and heightened visibility into the network. Scanning is particularly robust, with capabilities within the solution include IaC security, secrets scanner, container image scanning, and repository scanning.
Prisma Cloud Features
- Automatic backups can be configured depending on time needed or desired
- Code security, threat detection and response, data security, container security, serverless security, and more
- Cloud security posture management, so admins can monitor posture and detect and respond to threats
- vulnerability management, run time security, compliance management, access control, and git repository scanning
- Single integrated platform that is easy to use and navigate
- Cloud security posture management allows for monitoring of posture, detection and response to threats, whilst also maintaining compliance
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Overall, Palo Alto’s Prisma Cloud is a highly effective and powerful cloud security solution that safeguards data and offers deep network insight. It boasts an integrated approach that allows for SOCs, DevOps, and other team members in your company to easily collaborate and troubleshoot. Some users have noted a learning curve with initial deployment of the solution, yet also noted that it gets easier after implementation. Juxtaposed against the learning curve, customers have also praised the solution for its responsive support team. It does, however, come with a steep learning curve and onboarding can be challenging. We would recommend the solution for enterprise-level organizations.
Symantec Enterprise Cloud by Broadcom is a strong cloud security platform that offers flexible hybrid security for large organizations. It delivers world-class security for devices, private data centers, and company clouds. It ensures strict compliance, with admins able to apply and manage compliance controls across the network and do so consistently. It also secures remote users, data, and assets, and enables data and threat protection across the network to detect, block, and mitigate targeted attacks. Protection also extends to unmanaged devices, which is particularly beneficial for organizations that have a BYOD policy. The platform consolidates email, endpoint, network, and information security to ensure your data stays safe both at rest and in transit, no matter who is accessing it or where it’s going.
Symantec Enterprise Cloud Features
- Strict control compliance suite (compliant with GDPR, HIPAA, NIST, PCI and SWIFT)
- Secure Access Cloud (a feature that enables software defined perimeter technology to block unauthorized access, lateral movement, and network based attacks)
- Data loss prevention and CloudSOC CASB tools
- Secure Access Cloud feature that enables software defined perimeter technology to block unauthorized access, lateral movement, and network based attacks
- Sandboxing and behavior analysis
- In-depth reporting and analytics, as well as extensive network and solution visibility
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Symantec Enterprise Cloud is a highly robust, powerful, and complex solution that is adept at blocking highly sophisticated and zero day threats. It takes advantage of an alert system that alerts admins to variations of file configurations, program uses, and real-time data integrity. The platform is highly customizable, with customizable policies, configurations, and groups. Admins, via the platform’s dashboards, can easily traverse events, alerts, and notifications. With the complexity and scale of the product, a few users have noted a learning curve with onboarding and deployment. As the platform is tailored for enterprise level organizations, this is who we would recommend it for.
From Trend Micro is Trend Micro Cloud One–a cloud data protection platform that provides wide and overarching protection and insight to your cloud network and subsequent security. It’s an in-depth platform with high levels of visibility, easy to navigate via a clean and intuitive dashboard. Users have praised the platform for its ease when it comes to installation and deployment, with updates and management also easy to do. It operates within strict compliance guidelines for storing data in the cloud, compliant with GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIST, FedRAMP, and more.
Trend Micro Cloud One Features
- Full life cycle container security and automated cloud security
- Host-based intrusion prevention, firewalls, vulnerability scanning, file-integrity monitoring, machine learning, log inspection and application control
- Behavioral analysis and in-depth reporting and analytics
- Trend Micro’s Workload Security delivers advanced protection through automatic policy management
- Protects servers and endpoints in your cloud network from a range of attacks, including ransomware, zero-day attacks, network-based attacks, crypto mining attacks and more
- Detects and blocks threats in real-time and deploys emergency patching
- Automatic security deployments, health checks, policy management, and compliance reporting with the feature’s REST APIs
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request. A free trial is available.
Expert Insights Comments: The solution prioritizes flexibility and automation, while delivering full cycle container security, ensuring that incidents are handled as quickly as possible. The automation is built-in to the program, and includes automated discovery and deployment, quick start templates, and more, ensuring your team can focus on more important matters and have certain processes streamlined. It offers flexible deployment and suits cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud networks. Admins can traverse the network from a single program that is composed of clean and intuitive dashboards. Compliance guidelines make Trend Micro’s Cloud One platform a smart option for organizations that require strict compliance, such as legal, healthcare, and finance. We would recommend the solution for SMBs and enterprises.
Virtru’s Google-tailored cloud encryption platform offers robust yet flexible protection that utilizes a zero-trust framework. It helps to protect databases, data lakes, and information within your company’s cloud infrastructure. As the name might imply, it’s compatible with Google only. The product provides security across both Google’s Workspace and Cloud Platform, where original security and oversight into the two programs may be lacking. It aims to provide security for your data, regardless of whether it’s at rest or in transit, or who happens to be accessing it. It offers file protection and granular control features.
Virtru Google Cloud Encryption Features
- Allows organizations to apply their own encryption keys to GCP services to protect databases and information
- Secure send for GMail by encrypting messages and applying access control
- Secure upload and sharing features to protect files and document
- Client-side encryption to meet strict compliance guidelines; allows for SaaS integration for further security solutions
- Extensive granular policy and access controls
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Admins are granted full visibility via a clean, consolidated dashboard that is easy to navigate. From there, they can see where data is going, and who has seen it and when. Dashboards provide full auditing and detailed reports for troubleshooting and the mitigation of data breaches. The solution is highly customizable, and some users have praised its ease when it comes to deployment and management. We would recommend Virtru’s Google cloud security add-on for any SMBs that utilize Google’s services and need to comply with strict compliance guidelines such as HIPAA, GDP, CCPA, and more.
A cloud-native platform, Zscaler’s Data Protection solution provides flexible yet robust protection for all users, apps, and, most importantly, data in your cloud network. The solution is highly scalable–a must for any cloud-native, cloud-friendly solution. It can protect users regardless of where they may be in the world, can control and safeguard data at rest in public clouds, and encrypts and secures while it’s in transit. On the level, the platform works as a conglomerate of data loss prevention capabilities, CASB, security posture management solution, and a cloud-native browser isolation solution. It’s an integrative solution, compatible with most networks and apps and does not interrupt existing workflows.
Zscaler Cloud DLP Features
- Protection across internet, endpoint, email, SaaS, private apps, and cloud posture
- Inspects all internet and SSL traffic, with a singular DLP policy in place to protect data as it travels
- Cloud security posture management (CSPM), which identifies misconfiguration problems and compliance risks in the cloud, and cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM), which manages cloud access risk via control
- Advanced data classification through EDM and IDM
- Cloud browser isolation feature to enhance security on unmanaged devices
- Streamlined workflows and operations through ML-powered data discovery
Pricing: Pricing is supplied via a quotation request.
Expert Insights Comments: Zscaler’s Cloud DLP solution offers advanced protection for all users, no matter where and how they access your network. Cloud data is kept secure through a zero-trust approach and heavily managed access. It offers strong data loss prevention capabilities while users in your network access the internet, ensuring nothing exits your organization when it shouldn’t. Admins have granular controls and extensive insights and analytics. Robust yet flexible and scalable, this solution from Zscaler is a suitable option for both SMBs and enterprises.
FAQs
Is Data In The Cloud Safe?
The recent mass migration to the cloud has opened a lot of existential questions as to whether or not having all your operations, network, and data in the cloud really is safe. Without thinking about potential dangers, moving to the cloud is certainly attractive, with flexibility, cost savings, and enhanced productivity all promised. About 99% of organisations worldwide are using the cloud at least in some capacity. However, for all its promises there are still very real and very pressing issues, such as the potential for data loss, threats to data privacy, and confidentiality breaches. Having the right tools in place to protect your data in the cloud is paramount to ensuring everything that’s precious stays where it’s supposed to be.
For more on the rise of the cloud and how to protect your data, head to our interview with Rich Lilly of Netrix LLC here: