SINGAPORE, September 25, 2024 – More than half of Singaporean businesses believe that a cloud security breach would bring their operations to a standstill, according to the latest research from Illumio’s Cloud Security Index. The study, titled Redefine Cloud Security with Zero Trust Segmentation, underscores the growing risks posed by cloud vulnerabilities and highlights the urgent need for businesses to adopt stronger security measures.
Illumio, a leader in Zero Trust Segmentation (ZTS) technology, commissioned global research firm Vanson Bourne to conduct the study, surveying 1,600 IT and security decision-makers across nine countries, including 150 respondents from Singapore. The results show that nearly all Singaporean organizations (95%) recognize improving cloud security as a key priority over the next year, amid rising concerns that their current defenses may not be enough to prevent operational paralysis in the event of a cyberattack.
“The goal of cyberattacks has shifted from merely monetizing data to disrupting business operations,” said Andrew Kay, Director Systems Engineering APJ at Illumio. “The cloud has become a prime target, and more than half of Singaporean businesses admit they wouldn’t be able to function if a breach occurred. This is alarming and highlights the need for attack-tolerant infrastructure. Preventing lateral movement within networks has to be the top priority to contain breaches before they can disrupt critical operations.”
The Growing Threat of Lateral Movement in Cyberattacks
One of the key insights from the study is the danger posed by lateral movement—the ability of hackers to infiltrate one part of an IT network and move deeper to target high-value assets. Over a quarter (26%) of Singaporean IT and security leaders reported that attackers would find it relatively easy to exploit weaknesses in their environment and move laterally due to limited controls.
Although 35% of respondents said they had excellent preventative measures in place, the findings suggest that most organizations are still vulnerable. Attackers often target the weakest points in an organization’s cloud environment, and once inside, they can move freely across the network, escalating the risk of widespread damage.
Traditional Security Tools Lag Behind Cloud Adoption
The survey also revealed that many businesses are held back by outdated security tools that fail to keep pace with the rapid adoption of cloud technologies. A staggering 96% of Singaporean respondents believe they need security solutions that scale with the speed of cloud innovation. Additionally, three-quarters (74%) said the security function within their organization slows down cloud adoption, creating friction between IT and security teams.
“Cloud technology offers tremendous potential for scalability and innovation, but traditional security methods are preventing businesses from fully embracing it,” noted Kay. “To unlock the benefits of the cloud, companies must modernize their security approach to match the evolving threat landscape.”
Collaboration Between Security and Development Teams Needs Improvement
The study also pointed to a disconnect between security teams and developers, a gap that could leave organizations more exposed. Almost half (48%) of Singaporean respondents said their companies need to improve collaboration between security and application development teams. Moreover, 99% agreed that making it easier for DevOps teams to adopt cloud security best practices is critical, and 91% believe reducing the workload for SecOps teams would improve efficiency.
A Shift Toward Zero Trust Segmentation
Illumio’s research highlights the need for organizations to adopt Zero Trust Segmentation as a key defense strategy. By visualizing all traffic flows within a network and setting granular segmentation policies, Zero Trust Segmentation limits the ability of attackers to move laterally, preventing them from spreading across the network and compromising critical operations.
As businesses continue to face complex cyber threats, Illumio’s Zero Trust Segmentation platform offers a proactive solution to protect high-value assets and contain breaches. With the ability to isolate compromised systems and stop ransomware in its tracks, ZTS is emerging as a critical tool in the fight against cybercrime.
The Cloud Security Index surveyed IT and security professionals from the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The study focused on cloud security challenges, the limitations of traditional security tools, and the importance of adopting Zero Trust Segmentation to prevent lateral movement in the face of growing cyber threats.