Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
A security solution known as a cloud access security broker (CASB) is an intermediate between cloud service providers (such as Microsoft 365, Salesforce, etc.) and cloud service consumers (your organization's customers). It protects your data in the cloud by enforcing your company's security policies and offering extra security measures.
Here's a breakdown of the key terms:
Cloud: Refers to on-demand delivery of IT resources like servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence over the internet.
Cloud Service Consumers: The users within your organization who access and utilize cloud-based applications and services.
Cloud Service Providers (CSPs): Companies that offer cloud computing services like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).
What Does a CASB Do?
CASBs offer a variety of functionalities to secure your cloud environment, including:
Access Control: Enforces access policies to ensure only authorized users can access specific cloud resources and data based on their roles and permissions.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Prevents sensitive data from being accidentally or intentionally leaked or exfiltrated from the cloud environment.
Threat Detection and Prevention: Monitors cloud activity for suspicious behavior and potential security threats, such as malware or unauthorized access attempts.
Encryption: Encrypts data at rest and in transit to add an extra layer of security and make it unreadable for unauthorized users.
API Security: Secures cloud application and service communication through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).
Compliance Management: Helps ensure your cloud environment adheres to relevant security regulations and compliance standards.
Why is a CASB Important?
Organizations are increasingly relying on cloud-based applications and services. However, more than traditional security controls designed for on-premises data centers may be required to secure data in the cloud. A CASB helps bridge this gap by:
Extending Security Policies: Enforces your organization's security policies consistently across all cloud applications, even those beyond your control.
Visibility and Control: This feature provides greater visibility into cloud activity and empowers you to manage access and data security within cloud environments.
Reduced Risk: Mitigates security risks associated with unauthorized access, data breaches, and cloud-based malware threats.
Types of CASB Deployment:
There are two primary deployment models for CASBs:
Cloud-Based CASB: The CASB solution resides in the cloud and analyzes traffic between users and cloud service providers.
On-Premises CASB: The CASB solution is deployed within your organization's network and analyzes traffic before it reaches the cloud service provider.
A CASB is a critical security solution for organizations leveraging cloud computing. It enforces security policies, provides additional security measures, and offers greater visibility and control over your cloud environment, ultimately helping to safeguard your data in the cloud.
ThreatNG and a CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) offer complementary functionalities for securing your organization's cloud environment. Here's how they work together:
ThreatNG: Proactive External Threat Detection
External Attack Surface Management (EASM): ThreatNG scans the public internet to identify all externally facing cloud environments connected to the organization, its subsidiaries, and its known vendors (third-party connections). This includes:
Exposed Cloud Storage Buckets: ThreatNG can discover publicly accessible Amazon S3 buckets or similar storage containers containing sensitive data.
SaaS Implementations: It can identify external SaaS applications used by the organization, its partners, and suppliers.
Digital Risk Protection (DRP): ThreatNG monitors the internet for mentions of the organization or its connected entities concerning cloud environments. This helps identify potential data leaks or breaches involving exposed cloud data.
Security Ratings: ThreatNG can provide security ratings for identified cloud service providers to offer a baseline risk assessment.
CASB: Internal Cloud Security Enforcement
Access Control: Enforces access policies to ensure only authorized users can access cloud resources and data within the organization's subscribed cloud services.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Prevents sensitive data from being accidentally or intentionally leaked from the organization's cloud environment.
Threat Detection and Prevention: Monitors cloud activity for suspicious behavior and potential security threats within the subscribed cloud services.
Encryption: Encrypts data at rest and in transit within the organization's cloud environment.
API Security: Secures communication between the organization's different cloud applications and services.
Compliance Management: Helps ensure the organization's cloud environment adheres to relevant security regulations and compliance standards.
Complementary Approach and Workflow Example:
ThreatNG Discovers Public Cloud Storage: ThreatNG identifies a publicly accessible Amazon S3 bucket belonging to a critical supplier that contains sensitive customer order details.
DRP Detects Potential Breach: ThreatNG's DRP monitoring detects online discussions mentioning the exposed S3 bucket and potential data leakage.
CASB Integration and Internal Investigation: This information is fed into the CASB, which can investigate if a similar storage bucket exists within the organization's subscribed cloud environment with the same supplier. If so, the CASB can initiate internal investigations and data loss prevention measures.
Communication and Remediation: The security team reaches out to the supplier, notifying them of the exposed S3 bucket and requesting immediate action to secure it. They can also use ThreatNG's security ratings to assess the overall security posture of the supplier's cloud environment.
Benefits of Combined Approach:
Proactive Threat Detection: ThreatNG identifies external cloud security risks before exploiting them.
Comprehensive Visibility: ThreatNG and CASB provide a combined view of the entire cloud attack surface, both externally and internally.
Improved Third-Party Security: ThreatNG helps hold suppliers accountable for securing their cloud environments, ultimately enhancing the supply chain's overall security posture.
Streamlined Workflow: Integration between ThreatNG and CASB facilitates efficient communication and response to cloud security threats.
ThreatNG acts as the initial line of defense, uncovering external cloud security risks. The CASB then enforces security policies and provides additional security measures within the organization's subscribed cloud environments. This combined approach offers a comprehensive and proactive strategy for securing your cloud ecosystem.
