Cloud & application security

Modern cloud and application security focuses on embedding protection into how platforms and applications are designed, built, and operated. Rather than relying on perimeter controls alone, organisations use secure architectures, identity-driven access, and automation to manage risk across dynamic, distributed environments.

Cloud security operates under a shared responsibility model and relies heavily on configuration, identity, and automation rather than fixed network boundaries. This requires different controls, operating models, and skills compared to traditional on-prem environments.

Many organisations move quickly to the cloud without fully redesigning security architecture and governance. Over time, inconsistent configurations, excessive permissions, and unmanaged services accumulate, increasing risk despite the initial migration being successful.

The balance comes from designing guardrails rather than gates. By embedding security controls into platforms, pipelines, and architecture patterns, organisations enable teams to move quickly while maintaining consistency and compliance.

Common issues include misconfigured cloud services, over-privileged identities, lack of visibility into workloads, inconsistent security controls across teams, and security processes that don’t scale with delivery speed.

A cloud security posture assessment evaluates configuration, identity, and control effectiveness across cloud environments. Organisations typically conduct these after migration, during platform expansion, or when preparing for audits or regulatory reviews.

CSPM is used to continuously identify misconfigurations, policy violations, and compliance gaps across cloud environments. It supports ongoing visibility and prioritisation rather than one-off reviews.

CWPP focuses on protecting workloads such as virtual machines, containers, and serverless functions. It complements CSPM by addressing runtime risks rather than configuration alone.

Secure cloud landing zones provide a standardised, secure foundation for deploying workloads. They establish identity, networking, logging, and guardrails upfront, reducing risk and preventing inconsistency as environments scale.

Effective security combines secure configuration, controlled access, image hygiene, and integration with platform and pipeline controls. Security must be designed into orchestration and deployment models rather than added after deployment.

In cloud environments, identity often replaces the network perimeter. Strong identity and access controls reduce lateral movement, limit blast radius, and enforce least-privilege access across users, services, and workloads.