10 Foundational Principles for Securing Data in the Public Cloud

Securing data in the public cloud is a multivariate problem, particularly for multi-cloud deployments. Problem-solving prioritization is key, and some universal principles can guide the process across all major platforms.

As use of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) has exploded, securing data in public clouds has become complex. Traditional security methods and avenues, like networking controls, remain essential but insufficient in the public cloud. In a collaboration with cloud & security pros, we put together this list of 10 Public Cloud Security Principles as a foundational guide for teams looking to protect sensitive data. These principles are particularly important for those with:

• Multi-cloud environments with two or more cloud providers,
• Many roles and identities within the cloud, or
• Healthy us of serverless functions (or “non-people identities”)

The goals of this guide are:

• Examine the essential principles to consider when shifting to the public cloud.
• Determine the cloud security principles that are important to your organization.
• Gain insight into top data security challenges and data loss considerations from the cloud.