Cloud environments are dynamic by nature, with frequent changes to resources, configurations, and access controls. This complexity makes it difficult for security teams to maintain visibility and enforce consistent security practices. In addition, as organizations adopt multi-cloud strategies, the complexity of managing cloud configurations increases. CSPM addresses this challenge by providing:

CSPM tools, such as those offered by Wiz and Orca Security, empower security teams to maintain secure and compliant cloud environments.

CSPM tools integrate via APIs with cloud service providers to monitor configurations and activity. They use predefined rules and policies to:

1. Identify and inventory cloud resources while monitoring changes in multi-cloud environments
2. Detect misconfigurations in compute instances, storage buckets, and networking settings that could expose vulnerabilities
3. Automate compliance checks against industry standards like PCI DSS, GDPR, and CIS benchmarks
4. Provide continuous visibility into risks, prioritizing them based on severity and impact.
5. Facilitate automated or manual remediation to address identified issues efficiently

These capabilities ensure consistent configuration management, reduced risk, and compliance adherence across complex cloud environments.

1. Agentless Scanning: Enables quick visibility into workloads by taking snapshots of running instances and scanning them via cloud provider APIs. This approach helps detect misconfigurations without requiring agents.
2. Real-Time Visibility: Provides instant insights into the security posture of cloud environments, helping teams address risks as they arise and detect threats like fileless malware.
3. Unified Inventory of Cloud Resources: Centralizes visibility into resources like containers, virtual machines, and Kubernetes clusters across multi-cloud setups for efficient management and compliance reporting.
4. Context-Based Insights: Prioritizes risks by correlating issues based on severity and potential impact, reducing noise and enabling actionable remediation.
5. Cloud-to-Code Tracing: Traces security issues back to their source code and the developers responsible, facilitating faster root-cause analysis and remediation.

CSPM is a foundational component of modern cloud security strategies, but it’s most effective when paired with other tools, such as SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) and Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP). By addressing configuration risks in cloud infrastructure, CSPM provides a strong baseline for securing cloud-native environments and ensuring compliance.

While CSPM focuses on securing IaaS environments, SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) addresses risks specific to SaaS applications like Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. Together, CSPM and SSPM form a comprehensive approach to securing cloud ecosystems:

• CSPM: Monitors and remediates misconfigurations in IaaS environments such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. It ensures compliance and provides visibility into virtual machines, storage, and other cloud resources.
• SSPM: Manages configuration and permission risks within SaaS applications, including overprivileged accounts, data sharing, and SaaS-to-SaaS interconnectivity.

Both solutions operate within the shared responsibility model, where organizations secure their data and configurations while providers manage the underlying infrastructure. For businesses looking to secure SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS environments, CSPM and SSPM are complementary tools.