Q&A: Cloud Security

Q: What is cloud security?

A: Cloud security is a combination of technologies, policies, processes, and user education designed to protect data, applications, and systems operating in a cloud environment. Just as you wouldn’t leave your wallet or purse unattended in a busy public space, you should not leave your digital assets unattended. Effective cloud security involves choosing the right tools, understanding the risks, and having a strategy in place to manage those risks. It is an essential part of any modern IT setup.

Q: Why should an organisation prioritise cloud security?

A: Cloud services offer significant advantages in agility, scalability, and cost efficiency. However, they also introduce new risks that differ from traditional on-premises environments. Without proper safeguards, organisations face threats such as data breaches, compliance violations, and reputational harm. A strong cloud security posture protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and ensures business continuity. Security is not just a technical necessity but a critical component of strategic risk management.

Q: What are the main threats in the cloud?

A: The main threats include unauthorised access, data loss, and misconfigured cloud services. These often result from weak access controls, overly broad permissions, or a failure to monitor and secure assets. Insider threats, whether due to negligence or malicious intent, remain a significant concern. Organisations must also watch for insecure APIs, vulnerabilities in third-party services, and account hijacking. Importantly, moving to the cloud does not eliminate responsibility. Organisations retain a significant role in securing their environment.

Q: What is the Shared Responsibility Model?

A: The Shared Responsibility Model defines which aspects of cloud security are managed by the cloud provider and which remain the customer’s responsibility. Generally, the provider secures the physical infrastructure, including data centres, networks, and hardware. The customer is responsible for securing their own data, applications, identities, and access configurations. This division varies depending on the cloud service model in use:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Customers manage operating systems, storage, and applications.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Providers manage more of the stack, but customers still manage data and user access.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): The provider manages most aspects, but customers are still responsible for user access and data policies.

Understanding where your responsibilities begin and end is essential. A clear grasp of this model helps avoid assumptions that can lead to gaps in protection.

Q: What is Zero Trust?

A: Zero Trust is a security model based on the principle of never trust, always verify. It assumes that threats can come from inside or outside the network, so no user or device is automatically trusted. Every access request is authenticated, authorised, and continuously monitored. Every access request is authenticated, authorised, and continuously monitored based on identity, device health, location, and behaviour. The model enforces least privilege access, meaning individuals and systems are only given access to the resources they absolutely need. Zero Trust is not a single product but a set of principles that work together, often including network segmentation, conditional access, and very granular, specific permissions.

Q: What practical steps can be taken to secure a cloud setup?

A: A layered approach is recommended, combining technical controls, governance, and human awareness. Key steps include:

• Encryption: Data should be encrypted both at rest and in transit to prevent unauthorised access.
• Access control: Use role-based access controls and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of credential misuse.
• Patch management: Keep systems and applications up to date to minimise exposure to known vulnerabilities.
• Monitoring and auditing: Continuously monitor cloud activity and conduct regular audits to detect anomalies and ensure compliance.
• Employee training: Human error is still a leading cause of incidents. Staff should be trained to recognise phishing, use secure practices, and understand their responsibilities.
• Cloud-native tools: Make use of tools provided by cloud vendors, such as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), to automate compliance checks and detect misconfigurations.

Q: What about compliance and governance in the cloud?

A: Many industries are subject to regulatory frameworks that impact how cloud data must be handled. Organisations may need to comply with standards such as GDPR, ISO/IEC 27017, or sector-specific requirements like PCI-DSS. Cloud governance should include policies on data classification, lifecycle management, and vendor risk oversight. Using cloud environments does not reduce compliance obligations. It often makes them more complex.

Q: What is the cost-benefit of investing in cloud security?

A: Security spending may seem high initially, but it is significantly lower than the cost of responding to a serious breach. A data breach can lead to financial losses, legal penalties, operational downtime, and lasting reputational harm. According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach report, the global average cost of a breach was over $4.88 million. By comparison, proactive investment in security controls, staff training, and monitoring systems delivers resilience, preserves customer trust, and supports long-term business performance.

Q: How can an organisation balance agility with the need for robust security?

A: Security and agility are not mutually exclusive. In fact, effective security frameworks should enable innovation by creating a safe foundation. Use flexible controls that adapt as the business evolves. Automation helps reduce manual work and speeds up response times. For example, access rules can be set in advance, security checks can be built into new projects from the start, and systems can automatically flag when something breaks the rules. Most importantly, maintain regular collaboration between IT, security, compliance, and business teams. This ensures that controls are practical, proportionate, and aligned with both risk appetite and delivery speed.

Q: What's the bigger picture?

A: Security is not a one-off effort or a fixed checklist. Look at it as an ongoing, evolving discipline. Whether your organisation is just beginning its cloud journey or fine-tuning a mature setup, having a clear plan and a culture of shared responsibility makes all the difference. Periodic review, continuous learning, and strategic investment will help you stay ahead of threats and make the most of what the cloud can offer.

Choosing the right Cloud partner

At BMIT, we know that no two businesses are alike, and neither are their cloud journeys. That’s why our enterprise-grade cloud solutions are designed to adapt to your needs. Whether you’re building a private cloud, moving to a public platform, or managing a hybrid or multi-cloud environment, we provide the expertise and support to help you make the most of your technology investments. We work with growing businesses to unlock the full value of the cloud by driving innovation, enhancing agility, and delivering sustainable outcomes. Talk to our experts today.

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