Google Cloud Launches Volley of Security Tools as Cyberattacks Increase
MSSPs rank among the provider’s primary targets for the services.
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First up, Cloud IDS. Built with Palo Alto Networks’ threat detection technologies, this platform provides managed intrusion detection. It helps spot malware, spyware, command-and-control attacks and other problems. Cloud IDS protects all applications running in Google Cloud.
Users — and, in particular, MSSPs overseeing customers’ environments — can create custom workflows that determine remediation action based on alerts. MSSPs can combine Cloud IDS with many of the SIEM and SOAR solutions they have in place.
So far, Cloud IDS integrates with Splunk Cloud Platform, Splunk Enterprise Platform, Exabeam Advanced Analytics, the Devo Platform and Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR. Soon it will also work with Google Cloud’s new Chronicle platform and Security Command Center, too.
Google Cloud says Cloud IDS is ideal for regulated industries — financial services, retail, health care, etc. — that must adhere to compliance requirements for using IDS.
“As enterprises move applications and workloads in the cloud, security teams want to replicate their on-premises network security stack in the cloud,” said Jon Oltsik, senior principal analyst and fellow at Enterprise Strategy Group. “Google Cloud IDS provides network threat detection as a service, helping enterprises mature their security programs and align on-premises security with a cloud-native implementation.”
Speaking of Chronicle, Google Cloud has integrated Looker and BigQuery into its security analytics platform. That gives users more power when it comes to reporting, compliance, visual security workflows, data exploration, security-driven data science and more, Google Cloud said.
For example, Chronicle now features new Looker-driven dashboards. They contain five content categories: security overview; data ingestion and health; IOC matches; rule detection; and user sign-in data.
Chronicle also now lets users create their own dashboards.
Next, Google Cloud announced Autonomic Security Operations. It’s a guide that shows organizations how to take advantage of the company’s technology. This applies to companies that might want to reconfigure their security operations centers or add an MSSP.
In specific, Autonomic Security Operations combines products, integrations, blueprints, technical content, and an accelerator program. Google Cloud is leaning on longtime partners including Cyderes and SADA Systems to help end users modernize their security operations.
The need for cyber insurance is growing quickly. Just look at how many organizations are suffering attacks — 84%, according to Trend Micro. On a similar note, research firm MarketsandMarkets says the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly boosted projections for the cybersecurity insurance market. Demand will grow from $7.8 billion in 2020 to $20.4 billion by 2025, analysts say.
With that in mind, Google Cloud is expanding the availability of its Risk Protection Program to all customers in public preview.
The program connects Google Cloud customers with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) and Munich Re. These insurance companies designed a policy exclusively for Google Cloud customers; it’s called Cloud Protection +. The Google Cloud Risk Manager tool lets users measure and manage their risk, and get a report on their security posture. They then take those results and send them AGCS and Munich Re. The insurers subsequently determine underwriting eligibility for Cloud Protection +.
Cyber insurance isn’t just critical for your customers. It’s vital for MSSPs. One attorney who presented at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo two years ago told Channel Futures that MSSPs could be on the hook if their clients get hacked. Avoiding that possibility altogether seems best.
Google Cloud also launched new zero-trust services for the government sector. The Biden Administration has issued an executive order to improve national cybersecurity, and Google Cloud intends to be part of the solution.
The first installment in the zero-trust portfolio consists of assessment and planning. Google Cloud’s professional services organization delivers this evaluation and support. Any government organization — federal, state, local — may take advantage of the offering. Google Cloud’s advisers will share findings on how a zero-trust framework will affect culture, policies and technologies. They’ll then recommend implementing changes in phases; that’s more likely to lead to higher adoption and more effective spending.
“COVID-19 disruption has exposed, accelerated and introduced new threats to agencies and their digital assets,” said Adelaide O’Brien, research director, IDC Government Insights. “Enhanced reliance on virtual work and interactions created new threat surfaces and new vulnerabilities exploited by organized actors. Ransomware, cybercrime and nation-state attacks have caused significant disruptions and high costs. To mitigate this crisis, it is critical that … agencies take a sweeping approach to protect the security and privacy of digital assets and cultivate the ability to anticipate, identify, contain, measure and address cyber risks.”
The next zero-trust resource comes in the form Secure Application Access Anywhere. This is a new, container-based platform for secure application access and monitoring. Google Cloud says it provides a scalable alternative to government network boundary systems. Google Cloud is delivering Secure Application Access Anywhere through its professional services team, in tandem with Palo Alto Networks, and using Anthos for container management.
Active Cyber Threat Detection represents the final new piece in Google Cloud’s zero-trust product set. This capability lets government users determine if they’ve been hit by cyberattacks they’ve not yet detected. Google Cloud is delivering Active Cyber Threat Detection through channel partner Fishtech Cyderes. The platform also relies on Chronicle’s threat hunting, identification and investigation platform. All told, Active Cyber Threat Detection gives agencies the ability to analyze historic and current log data to pinpoint threats, Google Cloud said.
Google Cloud says it ramped up its zero-trust protection based on recent disruptions.
“From COVID-19 to recent ransomware attacks, the events of the past year have demonstrated that government agencies need to rethink security frameworks of the past,” said Mike Daniels, vice president of global public sector at Google Cloud. “Google Cloud has the deepest expertise in implementing zero trust. We’ve seen many of these threats on our network and implemented zero-trust architecture to defend against them more than a decade ago. We are prepared to share our experience operating in a zero-trust model, along with Google’s technologies that are secure by design, to help the U.S. government prevent, detect, assess and remediate cyber incidents.”
To be sure, the topic of zero trust has grown more critical. MSSPs may want to refer to this piece, discussing why zero trust outranks VPNs, as well as review Channel Futures’ new list of zero-trust providers you should know. Not only will zero trust help your clients achieve greater security, it stands to reap more revenue for channel partners who specialize in it.
Google Cloud says it ramped up its zero-trust protection based on recent disruptions.
“From COVID-19 to recent ransomware attacks, the events of the past year have demonstrated that government agencies need to rethink security frameworks of the past,” said Mike Daniels, vice president of global public sector at Google Cloud. “Google Cloud has the deepest expertise in implementing zero trust. We’ve seen many of these threats on our network and implemented zero-trust architecture to defend against them more than a decade ago. We are prepared to share our experience operating in a zero-trust model, along with Google’s technologies that are secure by design, to help the U.S. government prevent, detect, assess and remediate cyber incidents.”
To be sure, the topic of zero trust has grown more critical. MSSPs may want to refer to this piece, discussing why zero trust outranks VPNs, as well as review Channel Futures’ new list of zero-trust providers you should know. Not only will zero trust help your clients achieve greater security, it stands to reap more revenue for channel partners who specialize in it.
Providing security for everything in a customer’s IT environment – the cloud, the network, devices – might well rank as managed security service providers’ greatest mandate. Google Cloud is listening.
Cyberattacks have grown more numerous and damaging over the past year, mostly because of the exploitation opportunities presented by COVID-19. Many organizations discovered they weren’t protecting assets as well as they should have; as a result, hackers have taken advantage of those gaps.
Along the way, businesses and other firms essentially were forced to adopt cloud computing faster than they planned as the pandemic pushed employees into remote work. The speed and lack of preparation with which that happened left many an organization vulnerable. Even the most stalwart of companies – SolarWinds and Microsoft, as just two examples – fell victim to major breaches (and the attacks just keep on coming for Microsoft) amid all this unprecedented activity.
Cyberattacks Not Abating
Between COVID-19 and increasingly sophisticated hackers targeting increasingly sophisticated technologies, the need for security protocols will never abate. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, agrees.
Google Cloud’s Thomas Kurian
“Hackers are demonstrating that they are getting bolder, more sophisticated and more prevalent,” he said. The comments came Tuesday at Google Cloud’s Security Summit.
But, he added, becoming more cloud-native will help. To that end, the world’s third-largest cloud provider debuted a number of new platforms and capabilities. In large part, these additions will help Google Cloud-centric MSSPs to shore up clients’ assets. That’s important because, according to Hackmageddon, more than 2,000 known and significant cyberattacks had hit businesses by January of this year, Kurian said. And the pace, he added “continues to accelerate.” (Hackmageddon concurs, and tracks events each month.)
Google Cloud believes digital transformation will help organizations face these security problems. Indeed, said Sunil Potti, general manager and vice president of cloud security, “we want to meet you where you are.” He then introduced a number of advancements.
For MSSPs focused on safeguarding customers, and their own environments, Google Cloud’s announcements come at an opportune time. Now, MSSPs have access to more tools. Check out the slideshow above to learn what new security resources Google Cloud has to offer.
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