The transition from traditional data centers to cloud-native computing has been a complex yet necessary shift, driven by the need for greater agility, efficiency, and security. Today, most companies find themselves somewhere along this journey, with many embracing multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, but the evolution of cloud-native computing brings with it new challenges, particularly in security.

The Shift from Data Centers to Cloud

In the early 2000s, most businesses operated out of traditional data centers. These physical environments were the backbone of enterprise operations, where all data and applications resided on hardware you owned and controlled. As virtualization took off, companies began moving away from strictly hardware-based systems, consolidating operations and improving efficiencies.

Around 2010, businesses started shifting from on-premises systems to the cloud. Cloud providers opened up new possibilities, allowing organizations to “lift and shift” applications to the cloud for faster innovation and competitive advantages. This shift accelerated digital transformation and changed how organizations approached infrastructure management.

Over time, companies started not only migrating their workloads, but developing cloud-native applications. Now, organizations are embracing multi-cloud environments, using multiple providers to ensure flexibility, reduce risk, and improve performance.

The Emergence of AI and Security Complexities

Fast forward to today, and artificial intelligence (AI) is making its mark in cloud-native computing. As companies start to develop AI-powered applications, the need for enhanced security becomes more pronounced. AI is no longer just a buzzword; it’s becoming an integral part of business strategy, but integrating AI into your workflows increases security risks. AI is also being leveraged by adversaries to launch more sophisticated, automated cyberattacks on your systems.

With multi-cloud environments and AI applications in play, securing your infrastructure is more complex than ever. You’re not just protecting a traditional data center anymore. You must manage multiple clouds, hybrid environments, and potentially AI-powered systems—all while ensuring they work together seamlessly.

Addressing the Growing Attack Surface

One of the main challenges with cloud-native computing is the growing attack surface. As businesses expand into multi-cloud and hybrid environments, the potential entry points for attacks increase. Cyber adversaries are not just targeting inbound traffic anymore, they’re exploiting lateral or “east-west” traffic—internal communications between applications—and outbound traffic, such as interactions with APIs and third-party services.

The complexity of your environment can also lead to tool sprawl, where you end up with dozens of different security tools across various clouds and data centers. This increases the likelihood of misconfigurations, creating vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. Managing these environments and keeping them secure requires a new approach—one that prioritizes comprehensive, granular control.

The Role of Software Firewalls in Cloud-Native Security

To combat these challenges, many organizations are turning to software firewalls. Unlike traditional hardware firewalls, software firewalls offer the flexibility and control necessary for modern cloud environments. They can be deployed in hybrid scenarios to help protect workloads across different clouds and data centers.

Software firewalls allow for granular security policies, ensuring that even if a threat penetrates one part of your environment, it can’t move laterally to other workloads. This approach is particularly effective for protecting east-west traffic and stopping threats before they can cause significant damage.

Additionally, software firewalls are designed to adapt to the changing needs of cloud-native applications. Whether your workloads are spread across different virtual networks or hybrid environments, software firewalls offer consistent protection without the limitations of physical devices.

Leveraging Next-Generation Firewalls and Machine Learning

Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) are the latest evolution in cloud-native security. These firewalls go beyond traditional security measures by incorporating machine learning (ML) to detect unknown threats, including zero-day attacks. Traditional firewalls often rely on predefined lists of known threats, which can leave you vulnerable to new, sophisticated attacks that haven’t been cataloged yet.

With ML, NGFWs can identify anomalies in network traffic that may indicate a threat, even if it’s not on a known list. This is especially critical in today’s environment, where zero-day attacks—exploits that target previously unknown vulnerabilities—are becoming more common.

By integrating NGFWs with your cloud strategy, you can better secure inbound, outbound, and east-west traffic, ensuring that both known and unknown threats are detected and mitigated before they can compromise your systems.

Staying Ahead of Cloud-Native Security Challenges

As cloud-native computing continues to evolve, staying ahead of security challenges is crucial. The shift to cloud-native, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments has changed the threat landscape, requiring new tools and strategies to keep your data and applications secure.

By embracing software firewalls and NGFWs with machine learning capabilities, you can help protect your organization from advanced threats, ensuring that your cloud-native applications operate securely and efficiently. The evolution of cloud-native computing may present challenges, but with the right approach, you can safeguard your business and continue driving innovation.

Choice Solutions can help explore cloud-native solutions for your business, Contact us today to learn more about how to help secure your evolving digital environment.