When choosing a cloud-native application protection platform, there’s a lot to take into account. In today’s increasingly plugged-in and networked world, cloud computing has emerged as a new standard across a wide range of industries and businesses.
However, the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of cloud-native security can necessitate some careful considerations. It’s for this reason that comprehensive solutions like Checkmarx, which offers end-to-end protection at every step, from code creation to cloud deployment, can be so important for the security of your cloud environment.
So, what is a cloud-native application security platform? A cloud-native application security platform aims to offer holistic cloud security solutions — through a comprehensive approach that addresses a wide range of security needs that can arise anywhere from code creation to deployment.
The importance of a cloud-native security platform can be difficult to overstate. In today’s increasingly cloud-driven ecosystem, in which scalability, offprem management, and accessibility are crucial considerations, so too is that of cloud native security.
When development environments are becoming increasingly cloud-based, a holistic security solution that can secure applications from threats from the moment the first line of code is entered to the moment the application is deployed, can become crucial. These systems assist in creating a cohesive security environment across a range of traditionally siloed cloud environments, which can be vital as companies shift to integrate various cloud systems more seamlessly. CNAPPs (cloud native application protection platforms) are often employed with the goal of addressing common and vital security considerations such as those outlined in OWASP’s Cloud-Native Application Security Top 10.
To better understand the roles of these platforms, particularly when selecting between CNAPP vendors, we’ll review some of the vital considerations you might take when choosing the right platform.
Consideration 1: Holistic Application Security Approach
One of the most important considerations may be seeking a solution that offers a holistic approach to application security. Since cloud environments have become increasingly diverse and prolific, finding a solution that addresses a wide range of distinct security needs across a range of integrated cloud systems and environments can be crucial.
Holistic application security means considering all potential vulnerabilities in various systems an organization depends on for protection. It also typically necessitates internal policies designed to mitigate a wide range of threats through training, education, and proactive security practices.
To improve cloud-native security, it’s useful to use a unified security platform that combines different security features in one place. This helps organizations manage security more efficiently and respond to threats faster.
This approach can help organizations better ensure that they’re protected from a wide range of threats, even across a wide range of interconnected systems. A consolidated platform can also enable more diverse threat detection, and help create a more holistic picture in security audits.
Checkmarx One is one such solution — a unified cloud platform that combines security tools and components in a single platform. Through this unified approach, Checkmarx One is able to consolidate a diverse range of security functionalities, including software composition analysis, software supply chain security, API security, container security, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security, dynamic application security testing, and static application security testing runtime security, into a singular management interface designed to streamline cloud security.
This holistic approach enables users to manage their security considerations all from a single vantage point that offers them an unobstructed and comprehensive view of potential threats and vulnerabilities, enabling a cohesive approach to security processes across the entire development lifecycle. This centralized security management approach enables proactive threat detection and swift remediation when vulnerabilities are detected.
Consideration 2: Integration Capabilities
Another vital consideration is the integration capabilities of various security frameworks and systems. Since cloud computing can be so diverse, it’s important to find solutions that enable integrations across a wide range of systems — especially across the development lifecycle.
In cloud development environments, seamless integration can be crucial, enabling the alignment of development and IT security practices, for a safer overall ecosystem, where each step of development is protected, and developers have access to safeguarded development tools.
Checkmarx One offers robust integration capabilities designed to ensure that businesses can protect what matters most across a wide range of cloud services and systems. This can enable businesses and other organizations to better safeguard their integrated development environment. Checkmarx One supports integrations with some of the top IDEs (integrated development environments) , and with optional command line interfaces, businesses can create custom integrations even with unlisted development environments.
Consideration 3: Code-To-Cloud Visibility
In development environments, security is crucial. That’s why an application protection platform that offers you code-to-cloud security can be equally vital. But what exactly does code-to-cloud visibility mean? This involves being able to monitor and manage security considerations across every single step of the development lifecycle, from the first few lines being written to final full deployment.
This enables organizations to achieve comprehensive ability, vital to securing each step of the development process and safeguarding their data across a range of cloud systems and services.
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Consideration 4: DevSecOps Collaboration
Many companies use DevSecOps to improve communication between security, development, and operations teams for secure and fast development.
It’s to that end that developer-centric security solutions can be so vital. These solutions are aimed at enabling closer collaboration between teams that may have been traditionally siloed, allowing development to be more closely aligned with operational and security concerns, empowering developers to make informed decisions.
Consideration 5: Remediation And Risk Mitigation
Finding vulnerabilities can be thought of as half the battle, but rapid remediation and mitigation are crucial. That’s why consideration 5 hinges on remediation and risk management; security platforms that allow for identifying risks at the source, and that foster effective remediation can be vital for enabling companies to accurately and effectively mitigate those risks.
Code level risk identification and mitigation can be vital in ensuring that vulnerabilities are identified at the code level — allowing for development environments that enable developers to build code securely at every level. This often involves the use of security tools that can achieve a high level of granularity in their monitoring, allowing for the identification of vulnerabilities at the code level.
Conclusion
Finding the right security platform can be a vital task, and one that necessitates numerous considerations. AMong these, some of the most important include ensuring that a system takes a holistic security approach, offers ease of integrations, enables code-to-cloud visibility, offers DevSecOps collaboration capabilities, and features strong remediation and risk mitigation capabilities.
By understanding and considering these factors, organizations will be able to position themselves to make data-informed choices about the right cloud security native application security platform for their needs.
If you’re ready to take the next step and get started with robust, collaboration-focused, security features, in a comprehensive platform that allows for user role segmentation, holistic security monitoring and rapid mitigation and remediation, get in touch today. At Checkmarx, we’re dedicated to enabling organizations to take control of their cloud security. To learn more or get started, request your demo today.