Migrating to the cloud strengthens organizations by powering remote work and increasing collaboration. However, with these advantages come additional challenges as companies work to balance data accessibility with data security. Microsoft Cloud App Security helps businesses harness the value of cloud computing while safeguarding critical digital resources.
Visibility, Protection, and Compliance with Microsoft Cloud App Security
As a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Microsoft Cloud App Security sits between cloud services providers and the users of those services. In this role, it acts to enforce the organization’s security policies. For instance, a CASB may enforce a policy that prohibits sharing of patient data outside the organization.
CASBs provide four essential services:
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- Visibility – Identify the cloud apps and services at use throughout the organization, as well as the users who access them.
- Data security – Identify and protect sensitive information in the cloud, wherever it resides.
- Threat protection – Protect the organization against cyber threats.
- Compliance – Support data governance in the cloud to achieve regulatory compliance.
In providing these services, Cloud App Security integrates natively with Microsoft 365. Consequently, it is easy to deploy and offers centralized management through a customizable dashboard. The dashboard provides an overview of open alerts, discovered apps, potentially risky users and more, with the ability to drill down for additional details.
Take Control of Shadow IT
Shadow IT includes cloud services that operate outside the control of IT. For instance, employees may use outside tools to share files or translate documents. In most cases, they use these unsanctioned services with good intent. However, the practice of using shadow IT introduces increased risk to both cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.
Microsoft Cloud App Security identifies all cloud apps and services in use at the organization. Using Microsoft’s continually expanding catalog that ranks more than 16,000 cloud apps, it assigns a risk score to each service. Organization security professionals can then sanction or unsanction specific apps, enabling real-time gatekeeping.
Leverage Policies to Protect Sensitive Data in the Cloud
Sensitive data requires careful handling. Cloud App Security facilities the process of classifying different types of information to allow more granular control. Leveraging automated policies and processes, the organization can detect and even remediate risky behavior.
For instance, organizations can implement data loss prevention (DLP) policies to monitor the using and sharing of sensitive data. Applied to Microsoft apps and non-Microsoft apps alike, the Cloud App Security controls identify possible policy violations. By halting a suspicious process for further analysis, the system protects data from malicious activity.
Strengthen Cybersecurity Posture
Cloud App Security also strengthens protections against malware and other cybersecurity threats. This includes continually monitoring cloud apps and services for threats and unusual behavior that could indicate ransomware or a compromised user or application.
With Cloud App Security Conditional Access App Control, organizations gain this visibility even into unmanaged devices and potentially risky IP addresses. For instance, they can monitor activity in these areas and block downloads or force encryption.
Improve Compliance
Cloud computing adds additional complexity to the already confusing landscape of regulatory compliance. To assist with managing the complexity, Microsoft has built robust compliance offerings to meet numerous international and industry-specific compliance standards. These include HIPAA, ISO 9001 and PCI DSS, among others.
Behind the scenes, Cloud App Security limits access to regulated data and prevents the leakage of sensitive data to non-compliant apps and services. Dashboards and reports assist in demonstrating compliance.
Regain Control of the Cloud with Microsoft Cloud App Security
With Microsoft Cloud App Security, organizations can protect the company and its data while enjoying the flexibility of the cloud. As a top Microsoft Partner, eMazzanti stands ready to help you optimize Cloud App Security deployment as part of a comprehensive cybersecurity and compliance strategy.
