Explaining Cloud Native Application Security

Securing applications on-premises and on the cloud are two entirely different processes. The cloud provides plenty of benefits to organizations that use it, though it can also complicate things when it comes to security, which is why cloud native application security is a topic of its own. Luckily, there are security tools that are built specifically for protecting cloud native applications.

Cloud Native – How Are Cloud Native Applications Different?

The idea of using the power of modern cloud computing to create applications that offer significantly more flexibility, scalability, and resilience is called cloud native. The latest cloud native methodologies such as DevOps, CI/CD, and cloud native tools like microservices and containers, allow developers to build highly scalable apps.

Regarding cloud native applications, the architecture of these apps is designed in a specific way that enables them to make the most of cloud environments. By using agile techniques, developers are capable of running applications on multiple microservices, instead of the traditional single server. There are several benefits to this approach, including:

• Quicker releases.
• Minimized cost of development.
• An overall more reliable system.
• Backup and recovery automation.

Cloud native architecture is very similar to microservices architecture, though they are not exactly the same. Using microservices is quite common for cloud native, but they are not absolutely necessary. The only purpose of cloud native is to provide resilience and horizontal scalability so that the applications can run on the cloud.

Namely, not all cloud solutions are cloud native. To better understand the differences between all cloud solutions, you can use the following list:

• Cloud computing – refers to the on-demand computing services over the internet, like storage, databases, and other online services.
• Cloud based apps – are all the applications that are accessible through the cloud regardless of the location of the computer that runs them.
• Cloud aware apps – these are applications that are deployed on a traditional server but have the necessary compatibility with cloud technology to be run on the cloud too.
• Cloud enabled apps – this term is used to describe applications that were initially created for a traditional server, but were later lifted and shifted to the cloud.
• Cloud hosted apps – are applications that were originally run on-premise but were moved to the cloud with the help of a cloud provider.
• Cloud agnostic apps – refer to applications that are easy to move from one cloud platform to another.

Cloud native is complemented by cloud agnostic and its portability so they are used in combinations to build scalable and portable apps.

Security In Cloud Native Applications

Although cloud native offers many benefits, securing these apps is not the easiest feat. The only way to do this is by implementing the security from the very start of the development life cycle. Additionally, there should be multiple layers of protection integrated into the whole SDLC model which will enforce continuous monitoring and identify security flaws all the way to production.

There are plenty of legacy tools that were used in the past and did a great job at protecting traditional applications, however, these tools are simply not up to the task when it comes to cloud native. Trying to secure a cloud native app with a traditional security tool will lead to missing critical vulnerabilities and a lot of false positives as well.

CNS solutions are tools that are specialized to provide the needed security for cloud native architecture. They rely on strict policies on granular identity management and provide robust authentication controls, driven by a zero-trust security model.

They can also add an extra layer of protection to all data and communication through encryption. Finally, cloud native security tools can be used to control traffic by setting up firewalls which will act as safeguards for the applications that need to be secured.

CNS Tools vs. Traditional Ones

The main difference between CNS and traditional tools is in the way they operate to secure your applications. For example, while legacy tools manage access through a perimeter security model, CNS tools take a more modern approach. They make use of encryption, authorization, and authentication to prevent unauthorized access.

Coupled with the zero-trust model, CNS tools can make it very difficult for attackers to gain access to a large amount of data. This is why they are more suitable for cloud native applications, whereas traditional tools fail to guarantee protection.

Conclusion

To summarize, cloud-native applications utilize the latest technology to create scalable and reliable applications. Software organizations know that the cloud is a necessary tool to stay relevant in today’s modern times and meet customer demands.

However, the cloud is still a somewhat unexplored territory when it comes to security and can be challenging to protect cloud-native architectures. While legacy tools are not suitable for securing cloud native applications, CNS tools can deliver significantly better results.

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Owais takes care of Hackread’s social media from the very first day. At the same time He is pursuing for chartered accountancy and doing part time freelance writing.