More and more legacy brands are looking at digital transformation and saying ‘yes’ to Cloud. Startups begin their journey with cloud. With increased adoption comes the question of safety. Cloud Security Alliance researchers reported that only 4% of organizations surveyed have sufficient security for 100% of their data in the cloud. 

What are cloud security tools? 

Cloud security tools are software applications that protect cloud-based systems, data, and infrastructure. These are designed to address the unique security challenges posed by the cloud, such as data breaches, data loss, and account hijacking. They offer a range of features such as vulnerability scanning, asset mapping, threat detection and protection, email and web application security, and backup and recovery. They can help you strengthen your cloud security posture and protect against potential threats.

6 Types of cloud security tools  

1. Cloud Access Security (CASB): They are on-premise or cloud security tools. If SaaS application usage and access is a priority, CASB is the ideal choice.  They consolidate multiple types of security policy enforcement such as authentication, single sign-on, encryption, malware detection and protection, and device profiling among many other use cases. 
2. Static Application Security Testing tools (SAST):  SAST tools examine the source code to find possible security flaws. They test code in real-time and prevent the loss of time and potential data security issues. Their biggest advantage is that they monitor and detect well-known vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows and SQL injection flaws. 
3. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE):  Also known as secure service edge (SSE), this combines VPN and SD-WAN capabilities with CASB, firewalls, zero-trust network access (ZTNA), and secure web gateways (SWG). They secure access to corporate applications, SaaS, and the web regardless of location or device. 
4. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM): Cloud security tools automate the identification and remediation of risks across cloud security management for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. It is used for risk visualization and assessment, misconfiguration management, and remediation, DevSecOps integrations, incident response, and compliance monitoring. 
5. Cloud Workflow Protection Platforms (CWPP): They provide a low-friction cloud security solution. They are used in the DevOps process with rapid development cycles. Cloud security tools can discover workloads running in multiple cloud environments. 
6. Continuous Security Monitoring tools (CSM): They offer visibility, real-time threat detection, and continuous configuration. They collect and analyze data for suspicious activities from multiple sources including network traffic, system event logs, and user activity. As soon as a threat is identified, it alerts your IT/DevSec team.

10 Best cloud security software for 2023 

#1. Astra Security

As one of the best penetration testing suites, Astra Security specializes in combining Astra Vulnerability Scanner with manual pentesting capabilities. You can visualize, navigate, and remediate vulnerabilities over the self-serve cloud security software to uncover every loophole in their cloud infrastructure. 

Key features: 

Comprehensive scanner 

Benchmark cloud security against industry standards including OWASP and CIS benchmarks using Astra’s vulnerability scanner. The scanner runs authenticated scans behind the login pages without the need to manually re-authenticate them using Astra’s login recorder plugin. 

Actionable steps to patch every issue 

The centralized dashboard shows details about every vulnerability. Developers and security experts can collaborate and test the issues. 

Industry-recognized certification 

Astra’s publicly verifiable security certificate allows organizations to win their customer’s trust. 

24/7 real-time expert support 

Certified security engineers review each vulnerability and give direct support to fix them, right within the Astra dashboard. Third-party integrations with team and workflow channels such as JIRA and Slack facilitate easier tracking and collaboration. 

Pros 

• Tests your cloud system for 3000+ different vulnerabilities and hacks. 
• Secures systems to achieve GDPR, HIPAA, SOC-2, and ISO 27001 compliance. 
• Offers unlimited continuous scans and zero false positives. 
• Collaborative remediation with 24/7 human support from security experts. 
• Automated scanning behind log-in pages. 

Cons 

• No free trial.

#2. Commvault

Commvault is one of the automated cloud security tools to actively secure, defend, and recover your data, applications, and workload across cloud, SaaS, on-premise, and hybrid cloud environments.

The cloud secure software allows businesses to respond to security needs while delivering fast data recovery during breaches. 

Key features:

• Threat monitoring – Advanced ML differentiates between actual threats and false positives and deploys honeypot technology. 
• File anomaly detection – Alerts admins on threshold breaches. 
• Focused views – Monitors surface critical events using advanced pattern-identifying algorithms. 

Pros 

• Offers data security and availability across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. 
• Broad network coverage with software, appliance, and SaaS offerings. 
• Quick recovery across workloads deliver the highest level of business continuity across enterprise data. 

Cons 

• The interface can be challenging for first-time and non-technical users. 
• File anomaly alert algorithm is not highly accurate. 

#3. HCL AppScan 360

One of the best cloud security tools in the market is AppScan 360 by HCL is a SAST tool designed for security tests on web applications and services. The company claims to be the most powerful scanning engine which runs automatic scans that explore and test web applications. 

Key features: 

• Static analysis (SAST) – Analyzes source code in applications and APIs in real-time for the entire development lifecycle. 
• Integration with CI/CD and IDEs – For SAST automation. 
• DTS integration – For customized automation.  

Pros 

• Built on modern unified architecture it can be deployed as self-service on-premise, private and public cloud, and as a service. 
• Centralized dashboard customizes the views of testing results, testing status, and remediation process. 
• Actionable fixes for each vulnerability reduce the time for triage and remediation. 

Cons 

• Delays in scanning large applications.
• Shows false-positives.

#4. Fortinet

Fortinet Cloud Security platform empowers organizations to secure any application on the cloud for all users, devices, and applications across all network edges. By using the Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA), the cloud security system reduces operational complexity, facilitates interoperability and analytics, centralizes management, and integrates with all major public cloud providers. 

Key features:

• Hybrid security – Protects and connects applications across all points of deployment across multiple clouds and both physical and virtual data centers. 
• Advanced application layer security controls – Secures and protects web applications and API against threats including bots and OWASP Top 10. 
• Cloud-native protection – Protects workloads and cloud-first application lifecycles. 

Pros 

• Comprehensive protection for all application journeys deployed on any cloud or virtual data center using consistent policies, centralized management, and security automation. 
• Complete visibility and control for all cloud environments and applications. 

Cons 

• Initial configuration can be complex, particularly for those without prior experience.
• False positives.
• Technical support and GUI need improvements.

#5. Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks

Trusted by more than 1,900 leading organizations, Prisma Cloud secures over seven billion cloud resources daily. One of the best cloud security tools for 2023, it reduces the complexity of securing multi-cloud environments, eliminates cloud blind spots, and detects threats that other tools miss. 

Key features: 

• Visibility, compliance, and governance – Cloud asset inventory, configuration assessment, compliance management, and automated remediation. 
• Threat detection – Network threat detection, user entity behavior analytics, and integrated threat detection dashboards. 
• Data security – Multi-cloud data visibility and classification, data governance,  malware detection, and alerting teams for investigation and remediation. 

Pros 

• Continuously monitor all cloud resources for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and threats. 
• ML-powered and threat-intelligence-based detection pinpoints the highest risk security issues. 
• Proactively monitor cloud storage for security threats and mitigate malware attacks. 

Cons 

• Lack of proper documentation and support.
• Expensive along with the high cost of support. 

#6. Singularity Complete by SentinelOne

Singularity Complete by SentinelOne is one of the best cloud security tools that allows modern enterprises to gain visibility into known and unknown threats without human intervention. Regardless of the location or connectivity, organizations remediate endpoints with powerful static and behavioral AI. 

Key features: 

• Patented Storyline technology tracks OS relationships giving in-depth visibility.
• Reduces alert fatigue and manual triage for IT analysts by automated correlated telemetry. 
• Patented one-click remediation reverses unauthorized changes, eliminating time-consuming scripting work. 

Pros 

• Patented technology gives complete visibility of an attack. 
• Eliminates tedious scripting work. 
• Native network attack surface protection. 

Cons 

• The initial setup and deployment can be complex and time-consuming.
• Limited integration options with certain third-party tools.

#7. Forcepoint ONE

One of the best all-in-one cloud security tools, Forcepoint ONE allows organizations to quickly adopt Zero Trust and Security Service Edge (SSE component of SASE). The data-first platform unifies Secure Web Gateway (SWG), CASB, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). 

Key features: 

• Identity-based access control for SWG, CASB, and ZTNA. 
• Agentless DSP security to keep sensitive data secure across cloud and private apps.
• Dynamic scalability, low-latency connectivity, and 99.99% uptime regardless of the user’s location. 

Pros 

• Supports offices and remote sites for secure access to SaaS and private apps. 
• Identity-based access control enables the adoption of Zero Trust Principles. 
• Tracks the overall security posture and measures the value of your security program for web, cloud, and private app channels. 

Cons 

• The deployment process can be lengthy and complex.

#8. Cisco Cloudlock

One of the best cloud security tools, Cisco Cloudlock monitors user activity, detects and prevents threats, and upholds security standards across cloud environments. The cloud-native CASB platform protects your cloud users, data, and apps while meeting compliance regulations. 

Key features:

• Advanced machine learning algorithms – To detect anomalies and spot actions. 
• Data loss prevention technology – Continuously monitors cloud environments and provides custom policies for data security. 
• App firewalls – Discover and control cloud apps connected to your organization’s corporate environment.

Pros 

• Provides data loss prevention (DLP), access restrictions, and anomaly detection. 
• Protects users whether they’re on or off the network to secure hybrid and multi-cloud environments against complicated security threats.

Cons 

• It is not an all-in-one cloud security solution and users would need to implement other Cisco products. 

#9. Orca Security

Orca Security brings core cloud security capabilities to identify, prioritize, and remediate security risks and compliance issues on a single purpose-built solution. Organizations can leverage vulnerability management, posture management, workload protection, and container security across AWS, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, Azure, and Alibaba Cloud.   

Key features:

• Orca CSPM – Automated remediation, pre-deployment IaC scanning, reporting, and continuously monitoring, identifying, and remediating misconfigurations across the cloud. 
• API Security – Get frictionless API security and visibility into the cloud within minutes. 
• Vulnerability and patch management – Agentless vulnerability management across your entire cloud infrastructure. 
• Container and Kubernetes security – Secure containers and Kubernetes applications and integrate security from pipeline to protection. 

Pros 

• Activate API security, Shift left security, and cloud detection for unified cloud security. 
• Identify risks by tracing them back to the line of code that caused the issue, ensuring quick remediation, and making security and DevSecOps teams productive. 

Cons 

• Slower loading times and a clunky user interface.
• Room for improvement in scanning capabilities.
• Lack of integration for auto-remediation.

#10. Datadog 

Simplify cloud-native security management for DevOps and security teams with one of the best cloud security tools – Datadog. Users can view the number of misconfigured resources over a centralized dashboard without having to wait for the InfoSec team to notify them. 

Key features:

• Scans cloud environments to catalog and map out relationships between cloud resources. 
• Automatically identifies the owner of the asset and environment variables using observability data. 
• 600+ native integrations reduce the cost of ownership. 

Pros 

• Streamlines collaboration during investigations and implements incident response processes in existing workflows. 

Cons 

• Costly logs analytics workflow. 
• At scale, Datadog can become expensive and complex to use. 
• Gives false positives.
• No vulnerability management. 

Conclusion 

Securing your data is crucial. We’ve handpicked 10 of the best cloud security tools for you in this article. 

The 10 cloud security tools mentioned are: 

1. Astra Security 
2. Commvault
3. HCL AppScan 360
4. Fortinet
5. Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks
6. Singularity Complete by SentinelOne
7. Forcepoint ONE
8. Cisco Cloudlock
9. Orca Security
10. Datadog

When choosing cloud security tools, you should look for the following features: 

• Vulnerability management 
• Unified visibility across public, hybrid, and private cloud environments 
• Cloud workload protection 
• Threat intelligence with real-time threat detection and remediation 
• Zero false positives 

Still confused? Don’t worry! We’re here to help you secure your data. Contact our Cybersecurity experts to understand how cloud security tools like Astra protect your data. 

Book a call now!

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