The rapid evolution toward cloud computing has revolutionized the operational landscape for businesses, fundamentally reshaping their approaches to technology and data management. According to a recent report, within the past couple of years, 82 percent of organizations had adopted hybrid cloud, while 92 percent reported using multiple public clouds. Undoubtedly those numbers have only continued to rise as the adoption of cloud infrastructure has become paramount for organizations striving for growth and agility. This transformation has also brought about a myriad of new security challenges, with 69 percent of organizations saying multi-cloud security configuration challenges have led to data breaches or security exposures. As organizations embrace hybrid and multi-cloud environments to stay agile and competitive, they must also fortify their defenses against an escalating threat landscape. Distribution partners can help their customers safeguard these environments with Cisco’s comprehensive Cloud Protection Suite.
In the third part of a three-part educational series covering the Cisco Security Suites, James McGregor, U.S. GTM Strategist for Cisco Security, TD SYNNEX; Brent Gardner, CCIE, CISSP and Solutions Architect, TD SYNNEX; John Wallace, Cyber Security – Partner Business Development Specialist, Cisco; and Greg Cooney, Systems Engineer, Cisco discussed the Cisco Cloud Protection Suite.
With the exponential growth of cloud usage comes an expanded attack surface, which, according to McGregor, has given “rise to an increased number of attacks using lateral movements. It’s created a loss of visibility, vulnerabilities from misconfigurations, and new gaps, as well as rising costs when a breach does ultimately occur from security complexities.” Traditional data center security measures no longer suffice in mitigating these sophisticated threats targeting cloud environments. Gardner explained, “There’s no question overall that the rush to the cloud has left a lot of gaps in security.” Sixty percent of recent attacks involve some kind of lateral movement, while 73 percent of organizations struggle with insufficient visibility into threats, hampering the implementation of Zero Trust capabilities.
Designed to tackle critical security threats holistically, Cisco’s Cloud Protection Suite offers unparalleled protection across three essential domains: NetOps, SecOps, and IT leadership. By safeguarding applications and data regardless of location, it simplifies operational complexity and enables businesses to thrive amidst cloud complexities. The Cloud Protection Suite’s goals are clear: better efficacy, better experience, and better economics. It achieves better efficacy by reducing attack surfaces and stopping lateral movements, while simplifying hybrid and multi-cloud operations for a better user experience. Moreover, it offers flexible security frameworks that scale with organizations’ cloud maturity stages, ensuring better economics over time.
Key features of the Cloud Protection Suite include Cisco multi-cloud defense, which secures all avenues between private and public clouds and virtual private clouds (VPCs) against threats. Cisco vulnerability management provides pervasive visibility into assets, networks, and applications, facilitating risk validation and prioritization. The suite seamlessly integrates with various cloud environments, including AWS, Google, Oracle, and private clouds. Its cloud-agnostic nature enables organizations to scale security measures according to their evolving needs.
McGregor emphasized that the Cloud Protection Suite is more than just security; it’s about creating better IT experiences. The main purpose he said is “simplifying the operational complexity for protecting the hybrid and multi cloud environments and enabling a business to grow while empowering security teams to achieve their ultimate objectives with the right resources.” By consolidating security tools and leveraging automation, it streamlines operations for security teams, empowering them to tackle emerging threats efficiently. This is crucial as attack surfaces expand exponentially in comparison to traditional data centers, leading to a surge in attacks leveraging lateral movements.
Distribution partners play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and end-users. With Cisco’s Cloud Protection Suite, partners can offer their clients security solutions that not only protect against threats but also enhance operational efficiency. Through flexible pricing models and robust support, Cisco empowers partners to navigate the complexities of cloud security and drive success for their clients. Cisco brings years of expertise and intelligence to the table, boasting a robust security infrastructure worth $3.4 billion and serving more than 300,000 customers. Talos, the largest non-government threat intelligence agency globally, powers Cisco’s security products. Talos processes 2.8 million new malware samples daily, observes 550 billion security events, and uncovers 200+ vulnerabilities annually, ensuring customers have access to the latest insights at no extra cost.
As organizations continue to embrace cloud technologies, the need for comprehensive security measures has never been greater. The Cloud Protection Suite is not just a security solution but a strategic investment in safeguarding the future of businesses in the cloud era. By partnering with distribution partners, Cisco aims to empower organizations to navigate the complexities of hybrid and multi-cloud environments with confidence, resilience, and peace of mind.
To learn more about Cisco’s Cloud Protection Suite, reach out James McGregor at james.mcgregor@tdsynnex.com or watch the webinar here.
