Cloud misconfigurations, including gaps, errors and glitches, are on the rise. According to the U.S. National Security Agency, misconfiguration is the most prevalent cloud vulnerability. And the security implications can be significant, with cybercriminals exploiting access to data.
Swift migration to the cloud, which increasingly occurred as more teams moved to remote and hybrid work, can expose companies to an added layer of risk. In addition, cloud environments can be complex, and misconfigurations can be hard to detect and remediate. Despite these challenges, more users of Jira, Confluence and Atlassian’s other solutions are looking to migrate their applications from server or data center to Atlassian Cloud.
The good news is recent research found two out of three cloud breaches could have been prevented if the configurations of apps, databases and security policies were implemented correctly in the first place. While Atlassian has taken steps to reduce the complexity, one way organizations can ensure migrations are secure is by enlisting the help of an Atlassian Platinum Partner such as Contegix.
Contegix has performed hundreds of migrations and can make an organization’s transition seamless and cost-effective, while ensuring cloud set-up is secure across all phases of the migration. Read on to learn more about proper and secure cloud migration principles from Contegix’s certified Atlassian experts.
Planning and Preparing
Moving from a server or data center to cloud is a complicated process even for experienced teams, and creating a secure migration relies on proper planning and preparation. Even a migration that is considered “simple,” such as moving email servers to the cloud, can take as long as two months.
The process should start by creating a migration plan by application or site, first moving the least critical data. This allows an organization to identify and address any challenges before moving its most vital data. Preparation also includes addressing infrastructure compliance requirements to ensure adherence to regulations and avoid unnecessary downtimes.
Finally, the preparation process should include taking time to clean up data before migrating it. Skipping this step can be one of the most significant security risks of the process. While organizations can perform a cleanup once data is in the cloud, it’s more secure to remove dead users and pages before transferring them to a live cloud environment.
Executing a Phased Migration
With a plan in place, it’s time to move the data. Proper cloud configuration begins with a well-designed infrastructure. Ensure the configurations provide access to the correct databases, file sharing capabilities, directories, servers and load balancers. Also, verify that data is encrypted at rest and in transit and uses secure transport protocols.
As an organization starts to transfer its less critical data, it’s important to check the configuration and identify potential security gaps. A phased migration helps organizations avoid errors that can expose data to unauthorized access before transferring sensitive or confidential data. And since the process is done in slower stages, there are fewer chances to make mistakes, such as leaving storage buckets unsecured.
Testing, Updating and Optimizing
Misconfiguration can be introduced to an organization’s cloud infrastructure at any time. Once data is moved to the cloud, organizations need to continue monitoring for exposed systems that occur as a result of employee turnover or software updates and patches.
Organizations should test configurations frequently to identify any new issues that may arise. Also, make sure to update and optimize configurations when there are changes to services or when updating to new versions of software. Outdated applications or configurations provide hackers with opportunities to more easily access data.
How the Right Partner Can Ensure Configurations are Secure Out the Gate
Cloud environments are complex and can be challenging to configure correctly, and identifying gaps can be difficult for teams with no experience with cloud migration. A single oversight or misstep can open the door to breaches that cause severe damage to an organization and its brand reputation.
The good news is that misconfigurations are easily preventable with the right approach and the right support. While it’s possible for an organization to move data and applications to the cloud on its own, having a trusted partner such as Contegix that is experienced in cloud configuration and migration can provide the peace of mind needed to take advantage of all the benefits the cloud can provide.
Learn more about how Contegix’s Atlassian cloud migration services.