Cloud Network Security Challenges and How to Solve Them

As more businesses have migrated to the cloud, the question of how to protect digital assets in these dynamic, distributed environments has become critical. Cloud network security is no longer just an IT concern—it’s a strategic imperative.  

While cloud providers offer built-in security tools, relying on native solutions alone can leave gaps in protection, especially in complex multi-cloud or hybrid environments. From data breaches to misconfigurations, organizations face a wide array of threats that demand a more holistic, proactive approach.  

Are Native Security Tools from Cloud Providers Enough? 

Cloud-native security tools are often the first line of defense for organizations moving to the cloud. These tools offer deep integration, ease of use, and are usually available by default, which makes them attractive for quick deployment within a single provider’s environment. They are specifically designed to address threats unique to the provider’s infrastructure and often include built-in policies and reporting features. 

But there are limitations. Native tools may not provide advanced guidance for vulnerability management or remediation. Often, they simply flag issues without offering the context or prioritization needed to take meaningful action. Their coverage is also typically non-holistic, which means that parts of your cloud environment could remain unsecured unless you supplement these tools with additional solutions or configurations. 

In multi-cloud or hybrid environments, relying solely on native tools can create blind spots and a false sense of security due to a lack of centralized visibility. Third-party tools can help bridge these gaps by offering more comprehensive, cross-platform coverage and deeper analytics. 

Is the Cloud More Secure Than On-Premises? 

The cloud can be as secure, or even more secure, than traditional on-premises infrastructure if best practices are followed. Cloud providers invest heavily in security technologies and personnel, but customers are responsible for configuring and managing these tools properly.  

While on-premises environments give organizations more direct control, they also require more resources and internal expertise to maintain a secure environment. 

Cloud vs. Traditional Network Security 

Cloud security differs significantly from traditional network security. In the cloud, protection extends beyond just networks to include servers, containers, applications, and data, all within highly distributed environments. 

Cloud security is built on software-defined controls like identity and access management (IAM), encryption, and web application firewalls (WAFs). It’s known for being flexible, scalable, and cost-effective. It also supports rapid deployment and continuous adaptation to evolving threats. However, cloud environments demand a strong grasp of the shared responsibility model (see below) and present new risks such as multi-tenancy vulnerabilities and insecure APIs. 

Traditional network security, in contrast, focuses on on-premises infrastructure. It uses a combination of hardware and software to manage access and monitor traffic across various layers of the network. While it offers direct control over infrastructure, it tends to be more expensive to maintain and less agile in responding to changing security needs. 

Overall, cloud security is more adaptable but requires a different approach to risk management and compliance. 

Shared Responsibility Model 

In cloud network security, the shared responsibility model outlines the distinct roles that cloud service providers (CSPs) and customers must play to maintain a secure environment. 

The CSP is responsible for securing the physical infrastructure, including hardware and foundational software such as hypervisors and networking components. This foundational layer ensures that the cloud platform itself is secure and reliable. 

On the other hand, customers are responsible for securing everything they deploy or configure within the cloud. This includes data protection, application security, user access controls, and configuration management.

To effectively manage their part of the shared responsibility, customers should begin by carefully reviewing service-level agreements to fully understand their security obligations. They must prioritize strong data protection measures, enforce identity and access management protocols, and implement continuous monitoring practices. Regular audits of the cloud environment are also important, along with maintaining clear, open communication with the CSP. 

It’s worth noting that misconfigurations by customers are among the leading causes of cloud security failures, underscoring the importance of meticulous configuration, access control, and adherence to best practices. 

Common Cloud Network Security Risks and Challenges 

Organizations face a variety of security risks in the cloud: 

• Data breaches often occur due to weak authentication mechanisms or misconfigured storage services
• IAM issues can lead to unauthorized access if access controls are poorly implemented
• Insecure APIs present opportunities for attackers to exploit weaknesses in exposed interfaces
• Misconfigurations, such as open storage buckets, inadvertently expose resources to the internet
• Shared infrastructure vulnerabilities in multi-tenant environments can increase exposure
• Shadow IT—unauthorized cloud services—can expand the organization’s attack surface
• Human error in access management or configuration continues to be a leading cause of incidents

To mitigate these threats, organizations should focus on enforcing strong authentication, encrypting data both in transit and at rest, automating configuration management, and conducting regular audits. 

How to Avoid Cloud Security Misconfigurations

Misconfigurations are among the most common—and most preventable—cloud security failures. Examples include publicly accessible storage buckets, excessive permissions, exposed APIs, and unpatched systems. 

These can be avoided by employing automated tools for configuration management and monitoring, enforcing least-privilege access, regularly reviewing permissions, conducting vulnerability assessments, and maintaining strong change control and patching processes. 

Best Practices for Securing Cloud Networks 

Securing your cloud environment involves several core practices. Start with implementing robust IAM using least-privilege principles and multi-factor authentication. Make sure that all data, whether stored or moving, is encrypted. 

Keep software and services updated with regular patching. Apply network segmentation and microsegmentation to limit the spread of potential breaches. Use continuous monitoring to detect threats, misconfigurations, and violations of security policies. 

Also, ensure that APIs and other interfaces are secured with proper authentication and input validation. Regular security assessments and audits will help maintain a strong security posture over time. 

Enhancing Cloud Security with Network Observability 

Network observability plays a key role in modern cloud security. By offering deep and comprehensive visibility into cloud environments, observability enables organizations to detect small anomalies and suspicious behaviors before they escalate. Unlike traditional monitoring, which focuses on predefined metrics, observability examines a wide range of telemetry data—such as logs, traces, and metrics—from all endpoints, applications, and services. 

This richer, context-driven insight helps security teams identify vulnerabilities and unusual activity that may otherwise go unnoticed. Observability tools also support rapid incident response by correlating events and helping teams quickly trace the root cause of issues. This leads to faster containment and remediation, reducing the overall impact of breaches. 

In complex, distributed cloud environments, an observability platform provides a system-wide view of how components interact, which is essential for identifying security gaps and understanding how changes might affect other parts of the system. 

From a compliance perspective, observability simplifies auditing by tracking data flows and user actions. It also supports intelligent automation, enabling security systems to detect threats, and initiate responses. 

Zero Trust Architecture in the Cloud 

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is based on the principle that no user or device should be inherently trusted, regardless of their location. In cloud environments, this means every access request must undergo strict identity verification, and access should be limited to only what is necessary for the task at hand. 

Zero Trust also involves continuous monitoring of user and device behavior and segmenting network resources to prevent attackers from moving laterally if a breach does occur. Given the dynamic and distributed nature of the cloud, Zero Trust is particularly well-suited for modern environments. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Cloud network security is not a one-size-fits-all solution—it requires a layered, informed approach that combines cloud-native tools, third-party technologies, and strategic best practices. As organizations embrace the agility and scalability of cloud environments, they must also adapt to the new risks and responsibilities that come with them. From implementing Zero Trust principles to leveraging observability for deeper visibility and faster incident response, the key to effective security lies in staying vigilant, proactive, and well-informed.  

To see how a network observability platform could help you secure your cloud environment, schedule a Plixer One demo with one of our engineers.