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Cloud computing has become a boon to organizations due to its flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, without proper oversight, it evolves into an untidy collection of cloud instances, platforms, and resources cascading through the enterprise environment. While this growth typically aligns with increasing operational needs, it leads to a phenomenon dubbed cloud sprawl, a situation that presents both economic and security risks.

In many companies, departments independently deploy cloud services or virtual machines to streamline tasks. Employees can also opt for unauthorized cloud instances (shadow IT) to boost convenience. According to a Netskope research, an eyebrow-raising 97% of cloud applications used in the enterprise are unmanaged and freely adopted by employees and organizational units.

This may seem like minor foul play for the sake of higher productivity, but the downside soon becomes evident. IT teams lose visibility over the “snowballing” cloud ecosystem that suddenly lacks centralized control and potentially opens up a Pandora’s box.

Walking a Security Tightrope

When cloud sprawl takes over, security problems surface. Without unified oversight, applying consistent security measures across the board becomes an arduous task. This lack of control can impact the company’s security in several ways:

• Data security gaps: Shadow IT, coupled with too many isolated cloud environments, makes it difficult for IT and security teams to keep a record of sensitive data effectively. This leads to potential data leak or loss.
• IAM challenges: Cloud accounts that are no longer maintained tend to have weak access controls. This condition complicates identity and access management (IAM), making it harder to protect credentials like API keys and tokens.
• Expanded attack surface: Each unused or poorly managed cloud resource can become a blind spot, making the environment more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Outdated software, misconfigured settings, and unauthorized access points give malefactors more avenues to exploit.
• Compliance repercussions: When it comes to regulatory compliance, fragmented data across multiple clouds throws a spanner in the works. Standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS require clear control over data integrity and traceability, but when data storage and security practices aren’t unified, demonstrating compliance becomes a tall order.

These risks entail operational difficulties as IT teams juggle vulnerability management, access controls, and security monitoring. Letting the situation slide creates loopholes for cyber threats. A centralized cloud management approach ensures that growth doesn’t outpace oversight.

Operational and Financial Fallout

Cloud sprawl doesn’t just affect security; it also strains budgets and resources. Orphaned or underused cloud instances add to operational costs and make it hard for organizations to track and optimize their cloud spending. The result is an inflated cloud bill, driven by inefficiencies that could otherwise be avoided.

The proliferation of duplicate resources and data across platforms drains processing power, slowing down business-critical applications and affecting user experiences. Decentralized management practices can also create silos, where teams work independently using fragmented tools and data. This undermines collaboration, swamps innovation, and leads to redundant efforts across departments.

What to Do About It

Addressing cloud sprawl starts with a comprehensive strategy that gives organizations sufficient visibility and control over the entire cloud territory. While there’s no universal solution, the following best practices can pave the way toward taming it:

• Centralized governance: Establish clear rules for selecting, deploying, and managing cloud resources. IT teams should enforce policies around data encryption, access management, vulnerability scanning, and compliance to ensure consistency across the organization. Regular audits help keep the infrastructure in check.
• Increased visibility: Consider leveraging a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) that offers centralized management, real-time threat detection, and incident response. Not only do these solutions help identify and address cyberattacks, but they also streamline cloud resource management and thereby reduce unnecessary spending.
• Access control prioritization: Use a tried-and-tested AIM service to manage user roles and permissions effectively. Implement multi-factor authentication and adhere to the principle of least privilege to minimize risks from potential unauthorized access.
• Cross-department collaboration: Encourage better interoperability between IT, security, and business units to align cloud usage with organizational goals. Open communication can reduce the risks associated with shadow IT and create a catch-all approach to handling cloud resources.
• Employee training: Educating employees about potential risks of cloud misuse and the ways to avoid them can beef up the entire organization’s security posture. This training is only effective if it’s conducted regularly enough to cover emerging threats along with new cybersecurity trends.

A holistic approach combining human expertise with specialized tools for automation and governance is essential to declutter cloud environments and prevent sprawl from resurfacing. This has to be a process rather than a one-stop action, so IT leaders must continuously enforce policies and controls to ensure the company’s cloud infrastructure remains healthy and secure for the long haul.

Endnote

Cloud management can make or break. When done right, it becomes fertile ground for smooth enterprise operations. However, if too many cloud resources slip below IT’s radar and stay that way, everything turns on its head. Ultimately, a proactive management strategy ensures that cloud technology remains a business asset rather than a costly vulnerability.