Introduction

A cloud-native application is specifically created to operate seamlessly within a cloud environment, taking advantage of cloud infrastructure and services to achieve top-notch performance, adaptability, and reliability. They use microservices instead of monolithic structures, allowing independent development and deployment. Microservices are hosted in containers, providing a lightweight and portable runtime environment. Serverless computing, which enables code execution in response to events without managing underlying infrastructure, is another key element of cloud-native architecture. While this approach is embraced by 94% of all enterprises, it also opens a world of potential security risks which must be addressed. In this article, we will cover the current threat landscape and then investigate six most effective strategies for safeguarding cloud-native applications along with some real examples demonstrating their successful implementation by leading organizations.

Threat Landscape

The threat landscape for cloud-native applications is constantly evolving, with new types of attacks and vulnerabilities emerging all the time. Some common types of attacks on cloud-native applications include:

• Container breakout: This occurs when a malicious actor gains access to a container and can access other containers or the underlying host.
• API attacks: APIs are a common attack surface for cloud-native applications, as they are often publicly exposed and can be targeted by attackers.
• Serverless function attacks: Serverless functions can be vulnerable to injection attacks, where an attacker injects malicious code into the function.
• Data breaches: Data breaches are a major concern for cloud-native applications, as they can result in the exposure of sensitive data.

Understanding cloud native security and implementing the best practices mentioned below for secure cloud-native applications is crucial to address these challenges.

Six Best Practices for Securing Cloud-Native Applications

• Embrace the Principle of Least Privilege: Limit users' and applications' permissions to the minimum necessary for their tasks, reducing potential damage from security breaches or compromised accounts. For example, Target experienced a data breach that exposed millions of customers' credit card information when an attacker exploited a vulnerability in their HVAC vendor's system. Following the principle of least privilege, the company could have restricted the vendor's network access, limiting potential damage.
• Implement Role-Based Access Control: Grant user permissions based on their roles within an organization, ensuring they only have access to required resources. All major banks, for instance, implement RBAC to improve their security postures. By assigning users specific roles and granting access based on those roles, the banks reduce unauthorized access attempts and better controlled access to sensitive data.
• Use Encryption and Key Management Best Practices: Protect sensitive information with data encryption at rest and in transit and manage encryption keys properly to prevent unauthorized access. Multiple healthcare providers have experienced data breaches when an unencrypted laptop containing patient records was stolen. By encrypting data at rest and in transit and implementing proper key management, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches.
• Adopt a Zero-Trust Architecture: Assume no user, device, or network is inherently trustworthy. Continuously validate and verify the identity and permissions of users and devices requesting access to resources. Many big techs, including Google, Coinbase etc. have a zero-trust architecture implemented to protect its cloud-native applications. By enforcing identity and access management policies and using network segmentation, these companies minimize the attack surface and protect critical assets.
• Monitor and Update Infrastructure Continuously: Proactively detect vulnerabilities and apply patches to maintain a strong security posture. Maersk, a global shipping company fell victim to a ransomware attack that exploited a known vulnerability in its IT infrastructure. The company could have prevented the attack by continuously monitoring for vulnerabilities and applying patches in a timely manner.
• Practice Security by Design: Integrate security considerations throughout the software development lifecycle, including threat modeling, security controls implementation and regular security testing. The recent Twitter data breach exposing email and phone numbers of over 400 million people showcases security flaws in Twitters architecture. By implementing security by design, the platform could have identified vulnerabilities earlier and avoided costly breaches.

Conclusion

To conclude, the path to safeguarding cloud-native apps rests in taking a proactive stance on security, incorporating it into the development cycle and cultivating an environment of ongoing learning with collaborative efforts. This will enable organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats and safeguard their valuable data and resources.