Watch for suspicious activity and system issues in real time.
Make sure only the right people/systems have access.
Use tools (like SIEMs) to identify and respond to attacks.
Ensure security rules are followed (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.).
Use scripts and tools to apply security at scale and speed.
Cloud SecOps is the practice of integrating security operations into cloud environments. It combines the principles of DevOps (agile operations) and SecOps (security operations) to provide a proactive, automated, and scalable approach to securing cloud workloads, infrastructure, and data. Think of it as the security layer that ensures everything in the cloud runs securely, efficiently, and in compliance.
Traditional | Cloud SecOps |
Static infrastructure | Dynamic, scalable environments |
Manual response | Automated response workflows |
Perimeter-based security | Zero trust, identity-based access |
Siloed teams | Integrated DevSecOps model |
Limited scalability | Highly scalable with APIs and automation |
Category | Examples |
CSPM | Prisma Cloud, Wiz, Orca Security, AWS Security Hub |
SIEM | Splunk, Azure Sentinel, IBM QRadar |
CWPP | CrowdStrike, Trend Micro, SentinelOne |
DLP | Microsoft Purview, Symantec DLP |
IaC | Scanning Checkov, Terraform Sentinel |
Challenge | Example |
Shadow IT | Unapproved cloud apps being used |
Misconfigurations | Open S3 buckets, exposed APIs |
Skills Gap | Need for specialized cloud security skills |
Alert Fatigue | Too many noisy, non-actionable alerts |
Multi-Cloud Complexity | Securing resources across AWS, Azure, GCP |