90% of security teams struggle to secure cloud-native apps: Venafi

Enterprises have begun to emphasize the adoption of cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, which provide flexibility and resilience at scale, according to Venafi, which released the results of a new research study today.

The study, called The Impact of Machine Identities on the State of Cloud Native Security in 2023, takes a look at the most significant cloud-native security threats and problems confronting enterprises.

Venafi found that 84% of IT leaders anticipate Kubernetes will be utilized to construct the vast majority of new apps. Their investigation, however, discovered that in order to maintain their competitive edge, many organizations have unwittingly established extra security risks that are specific to cloud-native models.

“It’s critical for security and platform teams to get cloud native security right – there is no perimeter, no pull-the-plug in the cloud,” noted Kevin Bocek, VP of ecosystem and community at Venafi in a press release about the findings. “The findings from Venafi’s new survey indicate that organizations are not prepared for the demands and risks that these modern architectures bring.”

The company's poll of 800 security and IT leaders in significant firms in the U.S. and Europe found that, despite 87% of organizations engaging on cloud migration, 59% did not completely understand the security concerns. As a result, 52% of firms are experiencing cloud sprawl and bill shock, and up to 77% are reconsidering cloud migration plans.

According to Venafi, 90% of respondents say security teams lack the knowledge necessary to secure cloud-native applications. Venafi claims that security is detached from the realities of cloud native development, citing 68% of respondents who say the cloud certification process takes too long to be a practical solution for legacy teams.

See the infographic below for more results from the survey.

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