Automate compute protection

The security of compute resources is vital, requiring a multi-layered defense approach against external and internal threats. Automated protective mechanisms enhance the responsiveness and efficiency of security measures, reducing the likelihood of human error and allowing teams to allocate focus on securing other critical aspects of the workload.

Best Practices

Implement Automated Vulnerability Scanning

• Use tools like AWS Inspector, AWS Shield, or third-party solutions to automatically scan EC2 instances and container images for vulnerabilities. Automating these scans helps identify and remediate issues before they can be exploited. Regularly schedule scans and ensure they run as part of the CI/CD pipeline for continuous protection.

Enable Security Automation through AWS Config

• Utilize AWS Config to assess, audit, and evaluate the configurations of your cloud resources. Automate alerts for compliance violations and remediate them using AWS Lambda functions which can revert resource configurations to a desired state. This helps maintain security compliance without the need for manual checks.

Adopt Continuous Monitoring Solutions

• Implement AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch to continuously monitor API calls and resource usage across your AWS accounts. Automate alert features to notify your security team of anomalies and potential threats. Establish automated remediation workflows using AWS Step Functions and Lambda for immediate incident response.

Utilize Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

• Incorporate IaC tools like AWS CloudFormation or Terraform for deployment processes. Automate security controls within your infrastructure templates to ensure that security best practices are applied every time you spin up resources, thereby reducing the risk of misconfiguration. Conduct regular code reviews to assure compliance with security standards.

Questions to ask your team

• What automated tools or services do you use to manage vulnerabilities in your compute resources?
• How do you ensure that your automated processes for resource management are consistently applied across all compute resources?
• Can you describe your incident response automation for detecting and mitigating threats to your compute resources?
• How do you monitor the effectiveness of your automated protective mechanisms?
• What processes do you have in place to regularly review and update your automation practices to adapt to new security threats?

Who should be doing this?

Cloud Security Engineer

• Design and implement automated security controls for compute resources.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments and manage vulnerability remediation processes.
• Automate incident response mechanisms to detect and respond to threats in real-time.
• Monitor and analyze security logs for unusual activity across compute resources.
• Ensure compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements.

DevOps Engineer

• Integrate security tools into CI/CD pipelines to ensure secure application deployment.
• Automate the configuration and management of compute resources for security best practices.
• Collaborate with security teams to improve attack surface reduction techniques.
• Continuously evaluate and optimize resource management processes to reduce risks.

Security Operations Analyst

• Monitor automated security alerts and escalations related to compute resources.
• Perform regular audits of automated protective mechanisms and recommend improvements.
• Develop and update incident response playbooks for automated protection scenarios.
• Assist in training teams on the importance of automated protection layers.

Cloud Architect

• Design the overall architecture considering security automation in compute resources.
• Evaluate and select appropriate automation tools for vulnerability management and resource protection.
• Ensure scalability and resilience of automated security measures within the cloud environment.
• Liaise with stakeholders to ensure alignment between business goals and security automation strategies.

What evidence shows this is happening in your organization?

• Compute Protection Automation Policy: A comprehensive policy that outlines the organization’s approach to automating the protection of compute resources, including guidelines on vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, and overall resource management strategies.
• Vulnerability Management Checklist: A checklist designed to ensure that all EC2 instances, containers, and Lambda functions are regularly scanned for vulnerabilities and that automated remediation processes are in place.
• Automated Security Response Playbook: A detailed playbook that outlines the steps for automated incident response when threats are detected in compute resources, including procedures for notification, remediation, and reporting.
• Security Automation Dashboard: An interactive dashboard that provides real-time insights into the security posture of compute resources, showcasing automated vulnerabilities, status of protective measures, and incident metrics.
• Resource Management Plan: A strategic plan that details how the organization utilizes automation for resource management, ensuring optimal configuration and compliance of compute resources while minimizing human error.

Cloud Services

AWS

• AWS Inspector: Automates security assessments to help improve the security and compliance of applications deployed on AWS.
• AWS Shield: A managed DDoS protection service that safeguards applications running on AWS.
• AWS Systems Manager: Provides visibility and control of your infrastructure on AWS, allowing you to automate operational tasks across AWS resources.
• Amazon GuardDuty: A threat detection service that continuously monitors for malicious or unauthorized behavior to help protect your AWS accounts and workloads.

Azure

• Azure Security Center: Provides unified security management and advanced threat protection across hybrid cloud workloads.
• Azure Automation: Helps automate repetitive tasks and manage resources effectively, reducing the risk of human error.
• Microsoft Defender for Cloud: Identifies and helps mitigate threats against your Azure resources, enhancing security posture.

Google Cloud Platform

• Google Cloud Security Command Center: Provides visibility into your security posture and allows for threat detection in real-time.
• Google Cloud Armor: Provides DDoS protection and web application firewall capabilities to protect your applications.
• Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) Security: Offers integrated security features to help automate security policies and protect containerized workloads.

Question: How do you protect your compute resources?
Pillar: Security (Code: SEC)