Cloud applications comprise an ever-growing component of the market, as evidenced by statistics (Statista 2013-2025). A comprehensive study published by LS Vailshery (March 24, 2023) sheds light on this topic: In 2021, the worldwide cloud app market was valued at $133.6 billion, with forecasts of reaching $168.6 billion by 2025.
The cloud app market’s expected CAGR (compound annual growth rate) is 4.8%. By Q4 2020, the worldwide number of cloud applications per organization (500 – 2000 employees per organization) found that a median of 690 unique cloud apps were in use. During 2020 alone, the utilization of cloud apps rose by 20%*.
The information above serves as an essential backdrop to our discussion, given that enterprise pipeline security is sacrosanct on so many levels. Recall that businesses interact with stakeholders across the spectrum. Software developers, designers, programmers, security consultants, customers, clients, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other vested interests exist.
The Stakes of Enterprise Security
Enterprise security is a priority for businesses. Whenever stakeholders interact with businesses, a variety of sensitive personal information is entrusted into the care of the business. These companies are expected to safeguard the integrity of that information.
Potential data leaks, corrupt files, human error, software that is not up-to-date, and incompatible programs can lead to massive and unprecedented disaster financially, legally, and in terms of business credibility. Enterprise security broadly refers to the series of actions, processes, and procedures by which an SME safeguards the information on its servers.
All of this falls within an ironclad risk management program to help SMEs implement various safety and security strategies. This is done by identifying vulnerabilities and threats. Code-to-cloud security is foremost among enterprise-level priorities to ensure broad protection.
AppSec Comes into Focus
The ever-changing nature of the business landscape is a natural offshoot of technological development, innovation, and dynamism. Businesses are facing a multitude of threats daily. The focus has shifted mainly towards application security, known as AppSec, where cloud-native apps exist. If improperly maintained, they can interrupt, interfere, and infect otherwise healthy systems with destructive capabilities.
Such is the significance of protecting the code that SSL (secure socket layer) encryption technology and firewall protection are insufficient to safeguard enterprises from source code threats in the cloud. This is problematic mainly with open-source software and less with App Store and Play Store applications.
Owing to these potentially catastrophic threats, businesses are constantly attempting to mitigate damage caused by fallible source code. A parallel security industry has evolved due to the pace of innovative technological development. A new IT safety and security infrastructure exists, where it is imperative to identify weak points early on, as well as every single step of the software development life-cycle.
The SDLC encompasses the network superhighway of code progression. The cloud – the virtual computing realm of the Internet beyond physical servers and systems – poses significant challenges to enterprises. This is particularly true in the case of deployment & integration, anomalous with continuous integration and continuous deployment.
Tackling Threats with Powerful Security Solutions
Cloud-native applications already dominate the market. Businesses are under threat, particularly with gaps emerging between the development and deployment phases. Distributed systems and the dynamism of the cloud environment facilitate a broad attack surface for cybercriminals. Bad actors are more adept at targeting source code vulnerabilities than ever before.
This extends to IT infrastructure and cloud configurations. It’s essential to address these ever-evolving challenges. That’s why experts recommend a proactive, multi-layered security approach. It begins with safeguarding the development phase of the process. All source code must be regularly scanned for weaknesses using automated tools such as SAST and DAST.
During the cloud deployment phase of operations, ongoing compliance is sacrosanct. Many industries implement stringent security regulations, including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR. These mandate that SMEs maintain compliant and secure business environments. Businesses can work within the confines of the regulatory environment, IT security infrastructure systems, and the latest technology to ensure cloud configurations meet industry standards.
This, in turn, limits the possibility of data breaches. As we progress through the IT security pipeline, container security comes into focus. This ensures the integrity of applications. Containers are lightweight, portable units that bundle coding dependencies. It is a popular selection for cloud-native applications.
Another approach is the adoption of zero-trust architecture. It’s a critical component of cloud-to-cloud security. As its namesake suggests, code-to-cloud assumes that every request, regardless of where it originated, is a potential threat to the network. Verification is required throughout. By adopting such practices, businesses can guard against insider threats, including lateral movement across networks. This prevents sensitive data from getting into the hands of unauthorized users.
A Long-Term Strategy for Code-to-Cloud Security
The protection of the code-to-cloud pipeline is essential. It is no longer an optional undertaking. Various security measures can be integrated across every single stage of the development life-cycle. Cloud environments must be continually monitored, and adapted to meet regulatory requirements, enterprise security needs, and end-user trust.
The evolution of the digital landscape requires organizations to invest in robust security strategies to mitigate any potential downsides of corrupt source code infiltrating an otherwise healthy network, system, or computing arena.
