Runtime Context in CWPP: An Evolution in How Next-Gen CNAPPs Secure the Cloud

Runtime Context in CWPP: An Evolution in How Next-Gen CNAPPs Secure the Cloud
September 12, 2023
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In an age where digital real estate expands every millisecond, understanding the ramifications and scope of Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) within the vibrant ecosystem of Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) is not just a necessity, but a pivotal stepping stone to securing the future of our digital infrastructure. For too long, the focus on CNAPP’s has been on expanding the security scanning and risk prioritization (i.e. attack surface mapping) features and not on neutralizing threats and protecting workloads within the infrastructure once they’re identified. As the cloudscape continues to evolve, it’s the opportune moment to shift our focus from the traditional aspects of cloud security to a more robust, real-time runtime protection. Deepfence is spearheading this revolutionary shift, providing a lucid, yet intricate layer of security that integrates application context directly into the cloud security conversation with our platform, ThreatStryker.

The zeitgeist is shifting, and the call for a revolution in cloud security is loud and clear. Let's unravel how embracing Deepfence’s approach to adding runtime context to cloud security can usher in a new era of precision, accuracy, and proactivity in safeguarding cloud applications.

Shifting the Paradigm: From Static Security to Dynamic Runtime Protection

The cloud security panorama is dynamic, with the intricacies of threats becoming more sophisticated by the day. It isn't just about identifying potential loopholes anymore; it's about understanding the attack surface in real time, where every nanosecond counts. Static, point-in-time scans are not only commoditized but don’t account for critical application context that clues SecOps teams into key information about the true exploitability of a particular risk item. Runtime protection stands as a formidable frontier, battling threats as they materialize. Deepfence has taken a quantum leap in this realm, crafting solutions that not only identify but also neutralize threats as they happen, transforming the conventional CWPP into an agile, real-time threat mitigation powerhouse.

Deepfence: A New Dawn in CWPP

When it comes to cloud workload protection, Deepfence is a game-changer, offering a fresh perspective and innovative solutions that redefine the boundaries of cloud application security. The integration of runtime context into the security strategy empowers organizations to move beyond the confines of point-time snapshots to a vibrant, live feed of their cloud’s health status. The result is unparalleled precision, minimized false alerts, and a robust security posture that evolves with the threat landscape.

Mapping the Attack Surface: A Dynamic Endeavour

In the realm of cloud security, understanding your attack surface is vital. Deepfence elevates this understanding to a whole new level by facilitating real-time insights into the attack surface at runtime. This dynamic approach ensures that you are not just viewing a snapshot of a moment but a continually evolving picture that captures every nuance and change, offering a detailed, live map of potential vulnerabilities and threats. Because we are able to overlay this runtime context on static scans such as malware, secret, and CSPM, we can present a picture of not just what is severe risk within your environment, but truly exploitable risk based on a number of factors such as how that piece of infrastructure is communicating within the cloud, threat intelligence about exploits in the wild, compounding risk and sensitive data on that infrastructure, etc. 

Decoding the Benefits: Less Noise, More Action

By emphasizing runtime context, Deepfence significantly reduces alert fatigue (by up to 97% for some organizations compared to their typical vulnerability and cloud security scans), a persistent challenge in cloud security. The dynamic analysis ensures that the alerts generated are precise and actionable, allowing security teams to focus their energies on neutralizing real threats instead of sifting through a plethora of false alarms or risks that while severe are not exploitable based on the runtime application context in that environment. This proactive approach paves the way for a more streamlined and effective security strategy, enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of security operations.

Now, let's delve deeper to understand how embedding runtime context into cloud security can revolutionize the way organizations safeguard their cloud infrastructure.

The CNAPP Frontier: Redefining Cloud Application Security

As we venture further into the CNAPP ecosystem, it becomes apparent that cloud application security is not a stationary target, but a dynamic entity that requires constant vigilance and adaptation. It is constantly evolving due to a number of factors such as the evolving threat landscape, the evolving compliance and regulatory landscape, the evolving technology landscape, and of course the evolving nature of the Cloud itself. The change and rate of growth in the industry is exponential and dynamic in nature. Deepfence has harnessed the transformative power of CNAPP to forge a new path in cloud application security, integrating runtime protection seamlessly into the CNAPP framework to offer a security solution that is both robust and agile.

The Power of Application Context

Application context stands as a cornerstone in Deepfence's approach to cloud security. By focusing on the application context, we ensure that security strategies are not only reactive but also proactive, adapting to the changing contours of the threat landscape with grace and agility. This contextual approach allows security organizations to neutralize threats in real time, enhancing the security posture of the cloud infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted business operations. This is because by integrating application context, they are able to better answer questions such as what was the active attack vector, what TTPs were potentially exploitable, which ones were exploited in real-time and where do I need to lay down protection to neutralize risk and eliminate the threat to my multi or hybrid cloud environment.

A Revolutionary Approach to Cloud Security

Deepfence is at the forefront of integrating application context into cloud security, offering an innovative and efficient solution. This approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of the threat landscape, enabling organizations to tailor their security strategies to the unique requirements of their cloud infrastructure. By focusing on application context, Deepfence empowers organizations to adopt a more proactive approach to cloud security, identifying and neutralizing threats before they can escalate into full-blown attacks.

Proactive Threat Neutralization: A New Standard

Deepfence has raised the bar in cloud security, fostering a proactive approach to threat neutralization. By integrating application context into the security strategy, Deepfence enables organizations to respond to threats in real-time, minimizing potential damage and ensuring the integrity of the cloud infrastructure. Organizations can do this both by next-gen traffic filtering capabilities which allow you to interrupt, disrupt and block malicious traffic patterns and by quarantining assets that may already be affected, further preventing damage and lateral spread within the environment. This proactive approach not only enhances the efficiency of security operations but also fosters a culture of vigilance and responsiveness, setting a new standard in cloud security.

The key to this proactive approach? Deepfence’s agent-based technology, which not only gives it the necessary visibility at the application level to enhance the accuracy and precision of their agentless CSPM & vulnerability scans by orders of magnitude but also allows it to intervene to stop the threat no matter where it is in the infrastructure. And this itself, is a critical point. The reality of most organizations today is that they run multi-cloud or hybrid environments. Your security risk posture analysis and protection mechanisms must correspondingly run across those environments as well. CNAPP’s that overly rely on agentless scanning and cloud APIs won’t be able to provide comprehensive security in these use cases.

As we traverse this digital revolution, it becomes evidently clear that the fusion of CNAPP and runtime protection spearheaded by Deepfence is not just a strategy, but a necessity. A pathway to a safer, secure, and resilient digital infrastructure, where accuracy and precision are not mere words but a tangible reality. Remember, the future is not just about adapting to changes; it's about anticipating them. With Deepfence, step into a future where cloud security is not just a mechanism but a dynamic shield, constantly evolving, adapting, and protecting your digital assets from the ever-changing threat landscape.

Join the revolution with Deepfence, and embark on a journey towards a safer, secure, and prosperous digital future. Because with Deepfence, the future is not just secure; it's dynamic, resilient, and ready to face the challenges of tomorrow, today.