Cloud Security requires focus on people, process and technology
The transition to cloud environments has become widely accepted as an alternative to on-premises data centers. Although this choice seems obvious today, companies often underestimate the significant challenges that come with this digital transformation.
There's an assumption among companies that moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud automatically creates a secure environment. The question is whether this assumption is realistic. "The cloud is quite complex," emphasizes Maximilian Ebenhoch, CCO of Digital Survival Group, a Dutch cloud-native service integration company. "Anyone can set up a cloud environment with just a few mouse clicks, but that doesn't mean you have adequate security."
A holistic process
Steven Klompenhouwer, CEO of Digital Survival Group, strongly agrees: "It's often thought that the technical quality of the environment provides sufficient security. That's only part of the story: humans remain the biggest weakness in any organization. Phishing, human error, and lack of security awareness are common causes of data breaches." Given this observation, it's crucial that companies invest not only in technology but also in employee training and improving internal processes. Security is therefore a holistic process, where people, processes, and technology are closely intertwined.
A common problem is that companies migrate outdated applications to the cloud, assuming this will improve security. Ebenhoch: "That's a misconception. Applications that aren't secure on-premises remain insecure in the cloud. Companies must keep their systems up-to-date and implement adequate security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, to better protect access points."
Transition
There are definitely positive developments, as the former hesitation towards cloud adoption is now a thing of the past. Klompenhouwer: "The transition to cloud environments is fully accepted, especially among larger organizations. The real challenge lies in underestimating its complexity. Managing a secure and efficient cloud landscape isn't easy. Many companies still forget the basics: implementing updates, installing patches, and securing accounts with multi-factor authentication." This is precisely where Digital Survival Group plays a crucial role. Using their self-developed security reference architecture, the Group helps companies assess security aspects before embracing the cloud. Companies working with this approach are better prepared and can significantly reduce risks. This in-house developed security blueprint consists of different security layers, allowing organizations to systematically secure their cloud environment layer by layer across all essential components.
Besides technology, human behavior remains a key concern. Ebenhoch: "Many companies lack awareness: both in the boardroom and among employees. Employees mindlessly click on phishing emails or ignore security protocols. This remains the biggest attack vector for hackers. Many security incidents can be prevented by training employees' security awareness and properly securing the modern workplace."
Trends
According to Ebenhoch, there aren't necessarily new trends in cybercrime. Phishing and 'CEO fraud' (where someone poses as the CEO in an email) remain common. Ebenhoch: "The forms of cybercrime remain more or less the same. What you do see is hackers using increasingly sophisticated, automated methods to gain access to corporate networks. This creates the possibility for large-scale attacks on companies, with hackers targeting not just large organizations but smaller businesses as well." Another noticeable trend is that more companies are realizing security goes beyond just technical solutions. Companies increasingly rely on experts like Digital Survival Group for monitoring services and automated incident response. Klompenhouwer: "A security monitoring service can help companies intervene when suspicious activities occur. Think of a login from the Netherlands followed by another attempt from Ghana two minutes later. That's a clear sign something's wrong. These types of incidents can be quickly identified and blocked with automated systems. This is precisely our specialty." Regarding cloud growth itself: for those who take security seriously, there's nothing stopping them from deciding to migrate to the cloud.
Clear examples of this are critical sectors like Healthcare, Government, and Energy, which are now also making the transition. This growing interest is also reflected in Digital Survival Group's growth. Klompenhouwer: "We're still young but growing rapidly. Our focus is on helping companies safely migrate to the cloud and ensuring they continue to meet the highest security standards. We want to play a leading role in the increasing demand for cloud services."
Digital Survival Group is a Dutch company that has focused on cloud-native service integration and cloud solutions since 2018. The company helps organizations accelerate digital transformation and secure their cloud environments, primarily serving large clients in food retail, transport and public transit, local government, finance, insurance, and housing corporation sectors. Using Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365, Digital Survival Group - with more than 200 specialists - offers integrated solutions for the modern workplace and cloud infrastructure. A key characteristic of the company is its focus on security, with every solution being secure by design. In addition to cloud services, Digital Survival Group acquired Product League in 2021, a software development company specializing in low-code OutSystems platforms.