Cloud access security brokers have advanced a great deal in the past few years. Cloud Computing is a shared environment, and hence data security on the cloud is an important concern. This is where CASB steps in. It provides an important service to secure the sensitive data that is available in the cloud space.
Cloud computing is becoming an important part of the IT sector. CASB vendors have assumed an important position in the marketplace. CASB provides an efficient solution to manage the authentication and encryption of data across the cloud. They have effectively filled the inherent cloud computing security gaps in the marketplace.
CASB solution providers help to secure, monitor, manage the encrypted data in cloud applications. In many instances, some malicious activity takes place in accessing the data on the cloud across different servers. Often the system administrators are unaware that the data on the system is exposed, and how the breach has occurred is not identified.
CASB providers add an extra layer of security to manage the data stored in cloud applications. From protection against malware to the prevention of any loss of data, monitoring of account, and also controlling the capabilities that are inherent in the cloud software are some of the security features extended by the CASB providers.
If your enterprise is looking forward to selecting a CASB provider, here are a few factors you need to consider.
1) Malware & Phishing Threat Protection
Most of the IT sectors are exposed to the common threat of data phishing. As public Cloud Computing is a shared environment, cybercriminals often engage in a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information or data which is available on the cloud. They pose serious threats to file sharing, browser extensions, and most applications. Cybercriminals often introduce malware and other grave threats into the cloud system.
Cloud access security brokers will allow the admins of the system to identify the potential risks inherent to the cloud environment. Good identification of the threat vectors will prepare the system admins in advance for future risks. If the threats are recognised at an early stage, the admins will provide the function, manually or automatically to quickly isolate or delete the risks from the system.
2) Account Management & Security
All of the threat vectors discussed above can compromise the user’s account. This threat can either be external or internal. The internal threats which weaken the system can be accidental or malicious. Any user account that is compromised will give indicators of suspicious activity about the timing of login and its locations, massive sharing or downloading of mostly the sensitive files.
Cloud access security brokers will quickly help in the detection of these suspicious activities. They will alert the system administrators as soon as they recognize the threat. They will also encode a set of functions and guidelines to exterminate such risky threats.
3) Data Security
This is the central concern of any enterprise. Huge organisations are mostly exposed to it, as the customer records are always at risk of data theft. However, these days even the smaller companies are not immune to it, which is leading to a loss of a huge sum of money amounting to billions of dollars because of data theft.
Hence it becomes crucial for these organisations to protect sensitive data from such breaches. The CASB providers should have an effective data loss prevention engine. The management and protocols of data security should be robust.
4) Unsanctioned Cloud App Discovery
The CASB vendors should extend the system administrators the visibility into the information about the cloud applications linkages to the various accounts to prevent “shadow IT”.
Web-based cloud software is exposed to many potential threats because of the major security gaps. Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for these gaps to infiltrate the customer account. Many of these web applications are sometimes cloned by cybercriminals to gather customer data. If an unsuspecting user begins to use these applications, it opens up the path for the cybercriminals to access their sensitive data on the system.
A CASB vendor should be able to red flag such applications. The right CASB vendor will help to distinguish the loopholes in any application which can potentially lead it to the threat of data breach, from granting permissions to sanction/unsanction the application to third party vendors and allowing the malicious AI and ML to gain access to the app.
5) Impact On Network Performance
A proxy-based CASB will slow down your network. It places a proxy, agent, or broker in the cloud traffic to check and scan every request on it. This method is mostly used in the healthcare and finance sector, which favors such solutions to regulate cloud data.
An API CASB vendor extends similar security benefits without hampering the network speed. The employees, clients, or authorised members can access the cloud information without any delay.
6) Affordability & Ease Of Use
If you want to select a CASB vendor, you do not have to worry about the price. It will fit into your budget rightly. A CASB vendor, however, incurs some ancillary charges beyond the license agreement. So, you need to consider how much time will it take to implement a CASB system into your organisation, and how quickly your employees will get accustomed to it. This will determine the efficiency of starting up the CASB platform in your organisation.
7) Ferpa, Coppa, Cspc Certifications
A certified CASB vendor complies suitably with the regulations in federal and student data privacy. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) outlines how children’s data needs to be handled and secured by any organisation.
A CASB vendor with an independent certification can be partnered easily by a school that is concerned about the student’s data privacy. This will robustly meet the high standard of data security.
8) Customer Support
The CASB platform you are planning to partner with should have a suitable customer support system. A CASB vendor should be efficient in providing services and should be able to deliver them on time. Before you select a CASB vendor, make sure they assure the financial future of your organisation.
To Conclude:
Cloud Access Security Providers provide an active solution to manage your organisation’s authentication and encryption hubs, on the cloud and the on-premise systems. The vendors give deeper visibility to the flow and access of data on the cloud, and source out the breach of data which can expose your organisation to various risks.
