The security sphere has grown to encompass a wide assortment issues and concerns. While businesses still need to be on the lookout for hackers and similar threats, corporate security postures must also address elements such as compliance, data privacy, and third-party risk management. And with more enterprises shifting workloads to the cloud, those security concerns are becoming even more nuanced—and important.

In some cases, on-prem environments grew organically, with little structure around security and a mishmash of tools and systems. Companies often relied on consultants to keep their traditional networks going, but those vendors don’t always have enough familiarity with cloud technology to maintain adequate security. Even skilled CISOs sometimes lack the experience to ensure compliance in the cloud.

As businesses increasingly look to the benefits of AWS, these long-standing gaps in security may not have presented immediate concern in the on-prem world, but they represent significant areas of risk in a cloud environment.

DIY security just can’t keep up

For many years, companies were able to manage security on their own. But in today’s highly dynamic threat environment, that’s no longer realistic (or prudent). Attack vectors change so quickly that it’s nearly impossible to stay ahead of vulnerabilities, whether they’re deliberate intrusions or exposures that result from negligence or oversight. The shift to cloud only increases the risks.

Not only is it difficult for internal employees to stay abreast of the latest threats, it’s also more challenging to staff a fully functional cloud security team. There are too many disciplines and areas of expertise needed to effectively protect even the simplest environments. But the dangers of trying to DIY a security strategy in the cloud don’t end there, because not only do inadequate security measures leave your business open to attack, they could also put you out of compliance.

The growing complexities of compliance

Companies migrating to AWS need visibility into a broad array of potential security concerns, and compliance is at the top of the list. From financial services to healthcare, retail to manufacturing, more types of businesses are subject to compliance guidelines than ever before.

• CMMC
• GDPR
• GxP
• HIPAA
• ISO
• PCI DSS
• SOC 2

Small companies—a segment that historically has been less impacted by compliance—are also under increasing regulatory oversight. And we’re seeing more businesses working within multiple frameworks rather than just one. This significantly elevates the complexity factor, particularly when migrating to AWS or scaling workloads on the platform. An inadequate security strategy could put your organization out of compliance, leading to a cascade of serious problems.

Uncover vulnerabilities with a deep-dive assessment

Because security and compliance issues are top priorities for businesses on AWS, Cloudnexa offers a comprehensive assessment to uncover gaps in your current measures and practices. If you’re already on AWS, our experts can help you bolster the protections around your AWS environment and enable you to scale your workloads securely. If your business is planning to migrate to AWS, we’ll work with you to develop a security roadmap that ensures continuity of compliance as your digital transformation unfolds.

As part of our assessment, we partner with Trend Micro and Alert Logic to scan your AWS environment, generate a Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmark report, and evaluate the findings. Widely recognized as the standard in security hardening and using industry best practices as its foundation, the CIS benchmark process empowers your business with insight into your security state. We’ll then work with you to analyze the results and identify areas of risk as well as opportunities to improve security.

Cloudnexa’s experts also work alongside your team to review your security posture against the compliance frameworks that apply to your business. Using our deep knowledge of AWS security and compliance practices and requirements, and we’re able to offer experienced guidance to help assess which measures will be most effective in moving you toward your ideal security state.

Set your AWS environment up for success with a security assessment

For businesses already working in an AWS environment, it’s important to identify any gaps that may be lurking so you can take steps to remediate them before an exposure occurs. And if you’ve experienced a breach, now is the time to review your security posture and implement improvement actions.

Connect with our team https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-iujkpqkzypcq2 to see how a security assessment can help you spot gaps, mitigate risk areas, take effective actions to improve security, and ensure you remain compliant as you reap the benefits of AWS.

The U.S. government’s pursuit of digital transformation initiatives creates valuable new opportunities for SaaS providers. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), for example, now leverages AWS GovCloud for workloads and data analytics to support Mars missions.

But ISVs that want to sell to government agencies, contractors, and other institutions through GovCloud must first meet a complex array of compliance requirements. Navigating these barriers to entry is its own challenge, with few resources available to explain the various steps and prerequisites. Fortunately, our team of experts offers an AWS GovCloud assessment to help you understand the mandates that apply to your business and the actions that will enable you to ensure compliance as you prepare to launch on GovCloud.

Compliance is front and center on AWS GovCloud

Numerous compliance stipulations may apply to GovCloud sellers depending on the type of technology and the intended customer(s). Without diligent preparation, your company might not have the necessary qualifications, credentials, or validated data to pass the platform’s audit process to provide products and services.

Simply understanding the various compliance frameworks can be tricky and many sellers need to follow more than one. Some of the programs supported on AWS GovCloud include:

• Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)
• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
• Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2

Identifying which you need to meet—and the processes involved in fulfilling the requirements of each—is often difficult without experienced guidance.

Before your business sets a strategy to launch on GovCloud, it’s important to know where you stand. Some sellers aren’t required to be FedRAMP compliant with a completed audit under their belt. It’s possible that you only need to be FedRAMP ready. However, mistakes and misunderstandings can sink your chances of entering the GovCloud market, and identifying the necessary action steps is key to success.

Know your AWS GovCloud boundaries

Deployments on GovCloud must also follow stringent rules on boundaries, a concept that largely doesn’t exist outside this unique and highly regulated platform. They aren’t always well understood and it’s easy to misinterpret what the boundaries mean for technology development. This can be particularly problematic for ISVs accustomed to the structure of the standard AWS Marketplace environment.

In GovCloud, your technology must remain within the boundaries of a compliant architecture. In addition, services (including all supporting services, which may encompass dozens of apps) generally need to be audited and accepted into the AWS FedRAMP framework before your technology can leverage them.

The boundaries in AWS GovCloud elevate the complexity of selling on the platform, since most commercial cloud services don’t meet FedRAMP requirements. This creates big hurdles for SaaS vendors that haven’t fully vetted their technologies to ensure compliance. Properly architecting your technology to abide by the boundary limitations can be among the riskiest and most problematic elements of deploying on GovCloud.

Prepare for the move with an AWS GovCloud assessment

Given the complex nature of GovCloud deployments and the sometimes intricate measures necessary for compliance—along with the high risk factor if your registration to sell on the platform should fail—it’s vital that you have the necessary pieces in place ahead of time. The Cloudnexa team has deep experience in GovCloud and its compliance requirements. We can help you understand which mandates apply, how they will influence your strategy, and the best actions to prepare.

From findings to action, we can help you make your AWS GovCloud strategy a success

An AWS GovCloud assessment, complete with a compliance and security analysis, will show you where gaps exist, and where your architecture may need adjustments to align with the applicable compliance frameworks. We will deliver the insights you need to proactively identify and mitigate these risks and remediate architecture missteps. Our assessment covers staffing, technology, operations, and financial vulnerabilities, too, all of which can represent significant hurdles to deployment. You’ll have the opportunity to address issues and reduce the risk of non-compliance, giving you confidence in your readiness to succeed on GovCloud.

Accelerate your journey to AWS GovCloud with a thorough pre-deployment assessment. The financial and reputational stakes are high, but the rewards of achieving compliance and connecting with GovCloud customers can be even higher. The Cloudnexa team has the experience and expertise to help you assess your operations, identify gaps and potential vulnerabilities, and craft a roadmap with the right actions to make your launch on GovCloud a success. Contact Cloudnexa https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-dm6sqlpxmn3vw for a tailored assessment today and put your business on solid ground for the move to GovCloud.