Securing the future: Navigating hybrid cloud challenges

A new study conducted by the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) has highlighted the increasing challenges organisations face in securing applications within hybrid cloud environments. Commissioned by cybersecurity leader AlgoSec, the research points to the growing inadequacy of traditional network security strategies as applications become dispersed across on-premises data centres and various cloud platforms.

The report, entitled "The Case for Convergence in Hybrid Multi-cloud, Application-centric Networks," reveals that an overwhelming 89% of organisations are currently using different tools and policies to secure different segments of their infrastructure. This fragmentation is complicating efforts to maintain consistent security and control across networks.

1. Hybrid Adoption: The study shows an evident shift towards hybrid models, with 85% of companies engaging two or more cloud service providers, while 43% still keep applications on-premises. Many anticipate this distribution to persist long-term.
2. Security Siloes: Fragmentation in security tools is prominent, with nearly 80% utilising native cloud provider firewalls, alongside third-party and microsegmentation solutions. This disjointed approach compromises policy consistency and undermines visibility.
3. Increased Vulnerabilities: A significant 43% of the surveyed organisations reported experiencing a public cloud attack within the last two years, with prevalent issues such as malware propagation (44%), misconfigurations (32%), and open ports (26%).
4. Coordination Challenges: Despite some progress in integrating responsibilities for on-prem and cloud security, 55% of respondents cited insufficient collaboration among security, cloud, networking, and application teams as a key hurdle.
5. Operational Benefits: Beyond enhancing risk management, companies anticipate significant operational benefits from improved network security. The research highlights increased efficiency (63%), reduced costs (48%), and expedited cloud migrations (46%) as top advantages.

As organisations navigate these complexities, the need for a more unified and cohesive approach to security across sprawling hybrid environments becomes evident, emphasising the urgency for strategic alignment across teams.