Secure Your Cloud With Google & Promevo

Securing your cloud environment is no longer just an IT concern, but a business imperative. Malware, spear phishing, session hijacking, and other threats are becoming more sophisticated by the day, underscoring the need for cutting-edge cloud security solutions. 

Let's explore the current landscape of cloud security risks and uncover how the strategic partnership between Google Cloud and Promevo equips your organization with the tools and insights needed to secure your cloud. 

Cloud Security in Practice

Consider a scenario where an organization's cloud-based systems are infiltrated due to compromised credentials, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data. Such a breach can have devastating consequences, including the loss of critical business data, financial penalties, and erosion of customer trust.

In 2023, Cloudflare reported a prime example of this sophisticated security incident linked to a compromise of Okta's systems. Attackers managed to exploit an authentication token compromised at Okta to access Cloudflare’s Okta instance.

This was not the first instance of such a breach; Cloudflare had previously reported on a similar incident in March 2022. The most recent episode was effectively mitigated by Cloudflare's Security Incident Response Team (SIRT), which utilized Cloudflare's Zero Trust architecture to detect the unauthorized access early and respond swiftly. 

Now, let’s imagine another scenario where a cloud service provider experiences a security loophole, potentially exposing the confidential information of numerous clients. Such an event occurred in late 2023, when BeyondTrust's security teams detected an identity-centric attack targeting an in-house Okta administrator account. 

The attacker attempted to use a valid session cookie stolen from Okta's support system. Despite the attacker's limited success in performing a few actions due to Okta's security model constraints, BeyondTrust's Identity Security tools, including their Identity Security Insights tool, were instrumental in thwarting the attack. 

Without adequate security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and zero-trust frameworks, the repercussions of such cloud vulnerabilities can be widespread, affecting not just the targeted organization, but also its partners and customers.

Google’s Approach to Cloud Security

Google's approach to cloud security is embedded within its architecture and operational practices. Security is not an afterthought — it's a fundamental aspect of all Google products, including Google Workspace. You can see this detailed throughout their whitepaper on Workspace security.

In terms of organizational culture, Google makes sure that all employees undergo rigorous security training and background checks to cultivate a workforce that's mindful of security practices. 

Along with these careful security measures, Google has dedicated security and privacy teams that focus on various aspects of data protection, compliance, and incident response, not to mention, they also collaborate with the security research community to stay ahead of potential threats.

From a technological standpoint, Google's data centers are designed with custom hardware and software that prioritize security. These state-of-the-art facilities are monitored around the clock and use advanced techniques for hardware tracking and disposal. 

Google's global network infrastructure provides unique security benefits, including data encryption in transit and at rest. This helps to maintain a low latency and highly available solution.

Compliance is also given top priority: Workspace supports various regulatory requirements and has received independent third-party certifications and attestations. 

Plus, Google's philosophy on data usage is transparent and customer-centric. This is most evident when you consider that they do not use Google Workspace data for advertising purposes and enforce strict controls on data access. 

Features such as two-step verification, security keys, single sign-on (SAML 2.0), and OAuth 2.0 are examples of how Google allows administrators to manage access and authentication effectively.

Solutions for Cloud Security

In a recent report, many companies named data loss, data privacy, and accidental exposure of credentials as the three biggest cloud security concerns. Couple this with the pertinent examples we mentioned earlier, and it becomes clear that if you’re doing business online in any capacity, you need to take cloud security seriously. 

Fortunately, Google has a variety of add-ons and accessories that can help you go the extra mile in the security department. Likewise, Promevo offers additional services designed to secure your cloud and maximize your Google investment. Let’s look at a few.

BeyondCorp Enterprise

BeyondCorp Enterprise is a security model and solution developed by Google and supported by Promevo. This service is based on the cloud security principle of zero trust, which means that no user is trusted by default from inside or outside an organization’s network, and verification is required from everyone trying to access resources in the network. 

An approach like this shifts access controls from the network perimeter to individual users and devices, and as a result it makes it easier to work securely from any location without the need for a traditional VPN. 

Promevo can assist in integrating BeyondCorp Enterprise into an organization’s cybersecurity strategy, enhancing your defense against threats by enforcing granular access controls based on a variety of factors such as user identity, location, device health, and more.

Security Keys 

Security keys — which are physical devices used to provide two-factor authentication for devices — are a powerful line of defense against cloud threats. By requiring a physical device in addition to a password, even if credentials are stolen, without the security key, an attacker cannot gain access.

The use of security keys could have potentially mitigated risks such as those seen in the Okta breach, where an employee’s credentials were compromised. 

Promevo doesn’t just supply these security accessories, including security keys — we also use them for our own personnel. Security keys help to secure your cloud by requiring the user to present the key as a form of verification and preventing unauthorized access to company devices and accounts.

Security keys work best when paired with ChromeOS devices, which come with built-in security features and automatic updates to ensure your devices stay protected.  

Promevo Cloud Health Check

The Promevo Cloud Health Check is designed to both optimize your Google Cloud Platform utilization and enhance security. It starts with certified Google Cloud Architects performing a comprehensive assessment of your cloud infrastructure, identifying areas for improvement in resource utilization, cost management, and your overall security posture. 

The service offers evaluations of budget alerts, project structure, Identity and Access Management (IAM) right-sizing, GCP service access, and the efficiency of data pipelines.

After the evaluation, Promevo provides a detailed report with an overview of the evaluated areas and specific recommendations for improvements. This service helps organizations to ensure that they are not only using their cloud resources efficiently but also maintaining a secure and well-managed cloud environment.

Secure Your Cloud with Promevo

The combination of Google Cloud's advanced security tools and Promevo's cloud services equips your organization with the capabilities to navigate the complexities of cloud security confidently. 

If you’re ready to improve your cloud security posture and explore how Google Cloud solutions can empower your business, contact Promevo today.