Max Heinemeyer, Chief Product Officer at Darktrace delves into the reasons why robust security is vital when it comes to cloud migration.

Cloud migration is continuing to sweep across enterprises in 2024, ushering in a new era of scalability, agility and cost efficiency.

It serves as the foundational technology supporting e-commerce websites, facilitating effortless remote teamwork and fuelling the data analysis tools that inform crucial strategic decisions.

However, this shift to the cloud brings unprecedented cybersecurity challenges that demand robust countermeasures.

77% of businesses are adopting a hybrid cloud approach, according to a recent IBM survey.

Combining on-premises infrastructure with public and private cloud environments has meant cloud ecosystems have become a hotbed of sensitive data that cybercriminals are all too eager to exploit.

These expansive, multi-layered cloud architectures are posing a challenge for IT and security teams, who are tasked with protecting complex cloud environments, monitoring for vulnerabilities and attacks at scale.

Mounting security pressures as cyber threats rise

There are considerable risks looming over cloud migration, which span security concerns, lack of contextual understanding, gaps in threat detection and response and the need for an integrated, platform approach.

Traditional security measures fall short in this dynamic landscape where data, applications, and IT resources are constantly in flux.

A recent Forrester report highlights that even Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools alone are insufficient, stating: “No matter how good it is, using a CSPM solution alone will not provide you with full visibility, detection, and effective remediation capabilities for all threats.”

Effective cloud security demands a nuanced understanding of an organisation’s business processes, data contexts and the interplay between cloud and on-premises environments.

Threats can originate from misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, third-party connections and a myriad of other sources – all of which must be continuously monitored and addressed.

The consequences of a security breach in the cloud era are severe – financial losses, reputational damage, regulatory fines and operational disruptions.

Yet, the stakes have never been higher as cloud adoption soars, driven by the promise of agility and innovation.

Enter malicious AI: hackers’ powerful new accomplice

In recent months, we’ve also seen cyber attacks become even more sophisticated and we’re witnessing the early signs of bad actors beginning to take advantage of AI.

The rise of AI capabilities being leveraged for cyber attacks represents a concerning threat for cloud security.

Darktrace’s research revealed a staggering 135% increase in novel social engineering attacks in just the first two months after ChatGPT’s release.

This trend has only accelerated, with a 35% average quarterly growth in phishing using advanced social engineering across their customer base from September to December 2023.

As enterprises continue adopting cloud computing, AI-powered attacks that convincingly mimic legitimate sources could compromise user credentials and enable breaches in cloud environments.

The trajectory of sophistication of attacks means that 89% of IT security leaders now believe that AI-powered cyber threats will likely have a significant impact on their organisation in the next 1-2 years.

The rise of AI enabled attacks on vulnerable cloud infrastructure, coupled with the cloud skills gap, is proving to be a headache for IT leaders and security teams alike.

Cloud service providers and their customers must shift to a proactive security mindset to fight against these evolving AI-augmented threats that can rapidly craft exceptionally convincing phishing campaign.

Safeguarding in a new age of attacks

To fortify defences, a proactive approach is crucial.

Organisations must focus on investing in cloud-savvy cybersecurity talent, foster a culture of security awareness and harness the power of AI and machine learning.

These technologies can adapt in real-time, identifying anomalies and threats with speed and accuracy, bridging the gap between the ever-evolving cloud landscape and traditional security measures.

Businesses need experts to help them build and secure cloud environments, with solutions that can help to provide visibility and centralised management.

These should be cloud native and real-time, enabling a 360-degree view of known and novel threats within the cloud and potential weak spots – no matter where a business is in its cloud migration journey.

What’s key to protecting cloud is also having unified coverage across the business’s digital footprint through adopting a cloud platform approach.

New research from our latest State of Cyber AI report found that 85% of security professionals agree that a platform approach is more effective at stopping threats.

The time for complacency has passed.

As cloud migration and sophisticated cyber attacks reach an inflection point, the imperative for robust security measures is paramount.

Failure to prioritise cloud security will leave organisations vulnerable to the escalating cyber threats that loom on the horizon.

In this new frontier, security is no longer an afterthought – it is the very foundation upon which digital transformation rests.

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