As organizations started migrating to the cloud, the significance of cloud security has never been more critical. The cloud offers flexibility and scalability, allowing companies to respond to market demands swiftly. However, this agility comes with its own set of security challenges. Traditional security models designed for on-premises environments often fall short in addressing the dynamic and distributed nature of cloud infrastructure.
According to Harvard Business Review, over 80% of data breaches involved data stores in the cloud. In cloud environments, over-permission identities, misconfigured permissions, and unmanaged or orphaned accounts are common issues that can lead to unauthorized access and potential data breaches. This is where Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) becomes essential. CIEM security solutions provide a comprehensive framework for managing identities and permissions, ensuring that only authorized users have the necessary access to cloud resources.
Understanding CIEM
Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) is a security solution developed to manage and control access to cloud resources. Its primary purpose is to ensure that only authorized users have access to specific cloud resources, thereby minimizing security risks associated with improper access.
The key components of CIEM include identity governance, role management, and entitlement auditing. Identity governance encompasses the processes and policies that establish and oversee the roles and access permissions of individual users within the cloud infrastructure. Role management is another crucial component, which entails defining and administering roles and the associated permissions. Entitlement auditing involves continuous monitoring and reviewing granted permissions to detect and rectify anomalies, ensuring compliance with security policies and regulations.
CIEM is critical in cloud security because it addresses several fundamental issues in cloud environments. As organizations scale their cloud usage, the number of identities and permissions can grow exponentially, leading to complexities in access management. By implementing CIEM, organizations can enforce stricter access controls, reduce their attack surface, and maintain a more secure and compliant cloud environment.
Cloud security risks mitigated by CIEM
Over-permissioned identities
One of the primary risks in cloud environments is the identity over-permission. When users have more permissions than necessary, the attack surface increases, and the potential for data breaches increases. CIEM addresses this issue by enforcing the principle of least privilege, ensuring users have only the permissions they need to perform their duties. This data entitlement management solution reduces the risk of unauthorized access and the potential impact of compromised accounts.
Misconfigured permissions
Misconfigured permissions can lead to unintended access to sensitive data and systems. CIEM detects and corrects these misconfigurations by continuously monitoring permission settings and comparing them against established policies. This proactive approach helps prevent security breaches caused by human error or oversight.
Unmanaged and orphaned identities
Unmanaged and orphaned identities, accounts that are not properly monitored, and accounts belonging to former employees pose significant security risks. Malicious threats can exploit these accounts to gain unauthorized access to cloud resources. CIEM helps manage these identities by identifying and deactivating unused or orphaned accounts, ensuring that only actively managed accounts have access to the cloud environment.
Insider threats
Insider threats, where individuals within the organization misuse their access, are a growing concern in cloud security. CIEM mitigates these threats by enforcing strict access controls and continuously monitoring user activities. By applying the principle of least privilege and regularly auditing permissions, CIEM reduces the risk of insider attacks, ensuring data protection.
Detailed explanation of CheckRed’s extended CIEM functions
CheckRed has introduced several enhancements to its CIEM functions, providing comprehensive solutions to modern cloud security challenges.
Enhanced identity governance
CheckRed’s improvements in identity governance include advanced role management and streamlined user provisioning. These enhancements allow organizations to define roles more precisely, ensuring that users receive appropriate permissions based on their job functions. Streamlined user provisioning simplifies the process of granting and revoking access, reducing the administrative burden and improving security.
Advanced entitlement auditing
CheckRed’s advanced entitlement auditing features offer real-time monitoring and historical analysis of permissions. Real-time monitoring provides immediate insights into any changes in permissions, allowing for quick responses to potential security incidents. Historical analysis helps identify trends and patterns in access, facilitating better decision-making and policy adjustments.
Comprehensive role management
The role management functions in CheckRed’s CIEM allow for granular control over permissions. Organizations can define specific roles with tailored permissions, ensuring that users have only the access they need. This level of control helps prevent unauthorized access and improves overall security posture.
Integration with CNAPP
CheckRed’s CIEM integrates seamlessly with its broader Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP), enhancing overall cloud security. This integration provides a unified security approach, combining CIEM with other critical functions such as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and Cloud Workload Protection (CWPP). The result is a comprehensive security solution that addresses all aspects of cloud security.
How CIEM fits into comprehensive cloud security
CIEM plays a vital role within the broader framework of a Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP), which is an all-encompassing solution that includes CIEM, CSPM and CWPP. CSPM identifies and remediates misconfigurations and compliance violations, while CWPP protects workloads like virtual machines and containers against threats. By integrating CIEM with these functions, CheckRed offers a holistic approach to cloud security, ensuring access to cloud resources is tightly controlled and continuously monitored. This integration supports the other components in maintaining a secure cloud posture.
CIEM complements other security functions by automating identity governance, role management, and entitlement auditing. This ensures that access controls are strictly managed, reducing the risk of unauthorized access, a critical concern in cloud environments. Continuous oversight of permissions aligns with organizational policies and regulatory requirements, enhancing the effectiveness of CSPM, CWPP, and other security measures. CheckRed’s comprehensive CNAPP with robust CIEM capabilities ensures a well-rounded and integrated cloud security strategy, addressing various threat vectors and operational challenges in a unified manner.
Benefits of CheckRed’s CIEM enhancements
The extended CIEM functions provided by CheckRed offer several significant benefits.
Improved security posture
Enhanced identity governance and advanced entitlement auditing ensure robust and effective access controls. Comprehensive role management provides granular permission settings. These features collectively strengthen the organization’s overall security posture.
Regulatory compliance
CIEM facilitates meeting regulatory requirements by providing detailed audit trails. It ensures proper management and documentation of access controls. This helps organizations avoid fines and maintain compliance with standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC.
Operational efficiencies
Automated entitlement management and auditing reduce the administrative burden on IT teams. This automation keeps permissions up-to-date without manual intervention, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives and improving overall efficiency.
CIEM is essential for managing cloud identities and permissions and mitigating security risks. CheckRed’s comprehensive CIEM enhancements provide organizations with robust tools to improve their cloud security posture, ensure regulatory compliance, and achieve operational efficiencies. By integrating CIEM with its broader CNAPP, CheckRed offers an ideal solution for organizations seeking complete cloud security solutions.
