Today, cloud technology is not limited to only IT operations, but various business models have also adopted the staple technology. The use of cloud services will accelerate in the future as many businesses are shifting to digital platforms. As a result, the demand for workloads will increase to maintain data center operations and support remote operations.

Workloads in the cloud environment are databases, containers, virtual machines, and physical servers that consume cloud-based resources. In simple terms, these are programs and applications that run on a cloud and deliver the requested information to the users. 

Moving businesses to the cloud can improve your business, but there are also many challenges one must keep in mind. Remember, attackers in the cloud always look for opportunities to damage or breach data. In this case, missing out on adding protection to workloads when moving between different cloud environments can go against you.

Businesses must use various cloud workload protection platforms to save their crucial information from common cloud workload security threats, such as Misconfiguration, Malware Threats, Stolen Credentials, Container Escape, etc.

Here, we will discuss some popular cloud workload protection platforms, their features, and their benefits in detail.

What is a Cloud Workload Protection Platform?

The term Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP) was introduced by Gartner to protect and secure cloud workloads from various cybersecurity threats and challenges. The technology solution guarantees complete protection to the virtual machines, containers, physical servers, and other cloud infrastructures when moving through their domain or data to different cloud environments.

Ransomware attackers and cybercriminals are always looking for opportunities in the clouds. Thus, proper security strategies are essential that will limit access to endpoint devices and secure the workload level. 

With the CWPP, all your outgoing or incoming data into an application will remain secure. Also, the administrators can monitor the movement and performance of the workloads.

Remember, if the workloads or any part gets comprised, the application will stop functioning properly. Thus, if you want the smooth functioning of cloud services, it is best to implement Cloud workload protection platforms to keep workloads safe from unwanted threats. 

Another benefit of implementing these popular security tools for your organization is they will aid in keeping track of all misconfigurations and vulnerabilities.

Benefits of Cloud Workload Protection Platform

The purpose of introducing the CWPP is to provide a security tool to organizations that will protect workloads on a constant basis. Apart from addressing the security issues, the CWPP offers many more benefits to organizations, including:

• Minimizes Complexity Most businesses use legacy tools to protect endpoint and physical servers. However, the tools miss the features that could provide full protection to virtualization or containers. To fix it, CWPP was designed that target security for cloud conditions and provide full protection to all workloads that might be difficult to achieve using legacy tools.
• Adds More Consistency Another advantage of using the CWPP is it offers a more consistent view. It does not matter how many workloads your organization uses or where they are located, CWPP always offers consistency.
• Portability CWPP provides security to workloads regardless of their location. For instance, if today your workload is running in an on-premises hypervisor and later moved to a container running on an engine to Azure Container Instances, CWWP will ensure full security at all times.
• Cost-efficient CWPP provides built-in usage-based billing features. These features unlike other physical appliances in on-prem environments aid businesses to save on costs.
• Agility The security tools can easily integrate into DevOps CI/CD pipelines. The integration features allow automatic configuration and secure applications using workloads without any unnecessary overhead. Also, it allows quick and easy deployments of workloads.
• Better Security Cloud service providers often face various cybersecurity challenges. To overcome it, the CWPP was designed tailored with unique security controls, offering full visibility to cloud workloads. These security options for the workloads also fulfill the cloud security requirements and enable organizations to safeguard their data from unwanted threats.
• Full Visibility Earlier, the monitoring and management of multi-cloud deployments was a difficult task for developers. But with the introduction of CWPPs, organizations can easily keep a track of workloads running in different environments using a single console. It also supports network segmentation features that enable developers to get deeper visibility into their traffic flows. As a result, with the help of CWPP, developers can monitor and track all incoming threats coming from different cloud environments.
• Compliance CWPP offers data protection regulations that are mandatory to implement for the organization’s security. It also offers various security controls that enable business to protect their sensitive data. Using popular security tools, developers can auto-scan vulnerabilities and compliance violations.
• Flexibility Cloud often scales the resources up and down as per their requirement. CWPP, being a cloud-based security tool, provides similar features and the same level of flexibility to organizations when it comes to securing different applications and workload security.

The Best Cloud Workload Security Platforms

With the increasing demand for public cloud services, the threats have also increased. Thus, the need for security tools that offer optimal cloud protection has become a necessity. Cloud workload protection platforms aid businesses in managing and monitoring various critical workload security across all public and private clouds. 

Compare and choose from a wide range of CWPPs from the below list:

1. Datadog

Datadog’s Cloud Security Platform is one of the popular security platforms for cloud applications with deep observability capabilities. It helps detect, monitor, and respond to potential threats faster in comparison to other security tools and supports 600+ integrations. Developers can analyze all operational and security logs using its features. The security tool is scalable and hardly takes any time to set up. 

Key Features

• Data aggregation
• Custom Alert System
• Sensitive Data Scanner
• Allows monitoring end-to-end user experience
• Real-time threat detection
• Network Device and Container Monitoring
• Deep monitoring of workload activities
• Datadog takes only a few minutes to setup
• Reduces complexity
• Supports 600+ integrations
• Supports Datadog File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
• Scalable and offers deep visibility
• Network Performance Monitoring
• Distributed Tracing

With Datadog’s Cloud Workload Security, users can manage workloads, monitor files and kernel activities, make trade-offs between visibility, and track all incoming threats to production workloads in real-time. Also, it enables DevOps and Security teams to address different cybersecurity challenges using deeper insights and quality reports. 

Further, it has unified Datadog Agents, which eliminates the need or provisioning of additional resources or new agents. It is an ideal cloud security platform for detecting threats that already reside in cloud instances and containers.

Website Link: https://www.datadoghq.com/product/security-platform/cloud-workload-security/ 

2. Trend Micro Deep Security

Trend Micro Deep Security is another trusted CWPP with an advanced set of functions that help secure cloud workloads. The powerful tool identifies and protects crucial data from malware and other threats. It also prevents any unauthorized software changes with its deep security features and application control capabilities.

Key Features

• Behavioral and sandbox analysis
• Provides context-based proactive protection
• Regularly updated compliance
• Anti-malware and IPS capabilities
• Application control capabilities
• Faster detection and protection against vulnerabilities
• Virtual patching techniques
• Supports machine learning
• Seamless auto-scaling
• Unified security
• Seamless integration
• Automate security deployments
• Accelerates incident response
• Provides actionable insights
• Deep Security has a centralized web-based management console
• Web reputation service
• Integrity monitoring
• Perform health checks
• Log inspection and protection

Trend Micro Deep Security also supports integrity monitoring, web reputation service, firewall, behavioral analysis, and sandbox analysis. Another feature why developers recommend this tool is it seamlessly integrates into DevOps processes. The security tool also provides instance-based protection to new and existing workloads using machine learning and Virtual Patching techniques.

The intuitive dashboard of Deep Security accelerates incident response and provides actionable insights that aid in better decision-making. It also enforces consistent security across clouds and container environments that help prevent security gaps.

Website Link: https://www.trendmicro.com/en_in/business/products/hybrid-cloud/deep-security.html

3. Azure

Microsoft Azure Security Center is a trusted platform used by many high-profile companies for monitoring and managing the security of physical servers, virtual machines, and other cloud resources. The popular security tool helps improve the security posture, performs vulnerability scanning of workloads, and supports Access and Application Controls (AAC).

Key Features

• Discovers weak spots and vulnerabilities 
• Strengthens security posture
• Full threat protection to workloads across different environments
• Manage compliance and regulatory standards
• Regular workload monitoring
• Offers continuous security assessment of cloud resources
• Provides actionable insights
• Streamlines security administration from a single console
• Unified security management
• automated application controls
• Centralized security policy management
• Prioritize alerts and recommendations
• Policy configuration
• Supports regular scanning of Virtual machines
• Integrates log data for alerts
• Advanced cloud defenses

The main purpose of the Microsoft Azure Security Center is to protect data centers from various threats present in the cloud. It is also compatible with hybrid clouds and streamlines security administration from a single console.

If you are moving to the cloud environment, make sure to select Azure Security Center for workload security as it offers actionable insights, alerts in case of suspicious activities, and provides threat avoidance suggestions.

Website Link: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/security-management/search/ 

4. Illumio Core

As the data centers are extending and moving into clouds and containers, the need for a security framework like Illumio Core has become a necessity. Illumio Core is a robust cloud workload security solution that provides full protection to the assets stored within complex cloud-based IT infrastructures. The security tool maintains compliance throughout the organization and delivers threat detection features.

Key Features

• Illumio Core provides multi-cloud protection
• Streamlines procedure management using Policy Compute Engine (PCE) 
• Full visibility
• Application Programming Interface (API)
• Automated segmentation 
• Real-time application insights
• Data encryption tools support
• Historical traffic record analysis
• Delivers threat remediation capabilities
• Fast micro-segmentation solution
• Host-to-host traffic encryption 
• Real-time application dependency map.
• Generates quick segmentation policies
• Vulnerability maps
• Rest APIs and UI
• Roles-Based Access Control (RBAC) 
• Multi-dimensional labeling
• Workload security enforcement at a massive scale

It involves a security policy management toolkit with advanced features like application dependency maps, automated segmentation and enforcement, Policy Compute Engine (PCE), core service detector, and more. It also provides vulnerability insights to the enterprises that help locate the attackers and remediate issues.

Cyberattacks and ransomware are common in clouds and often left undetected. But, with the help of Illumio Core, administrators can monitor workloads coming in and out of applications and protect them from threats. Also, organizations can control and deploy automated policies using trusted security tools.

Website Link: https://www.illumio.com/products/core 

5. Prisma Cloud

Prisma Cloud is a comprehensive cloud-native security platform that delivers full protection across lifecycle development on any cloud, including Azure and Google Cloud. It has also added a new feature that allows access to container image sandboxing. With the help of this feature, developers can inspect all the files, processes, and pre-deployments of network activity.

Key Features

• Prisma Cloud provides unmatched visibility and protection
• API security
• Network Data Exfiltration Detection
• Allows scanning infrastructure-as-code (IaC) templates
• Offers container security
• Allows malware scanning on public cloud storage
• Provides full-stack runtime protection
• User and entity behavior monitoring
• Threat detection
• Automates risk prioritization
• Secure configurations
• Enforces governance policies
• Monitors security posture
• Network visibility
• Microsegmentation 
• Maintain compliance across cloud environments
• Offers full protection to the hosts, containers, and serverless functions
• Threat response
• Integrates with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) workflow

Another advantage of using Prisma cloud is it helps remove all the dangerous cloud blind spots and reduces the burden of alert fatigue. 

As more and more businesses are moving to the cloud, it is essential to invest in cloud workload Protection Platforms that offer full network visibility, container security, API security, full-stack runtime protection, user and entity behavior monitoring services, and more.

The leading CWPP leverage continuous vulnerability management and maintain compliance on multi and hybrid-cloud environments.

Website Link: https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/cloud 

6. Armor Anywhere

Security and compliance are the top challenges that most businesses face on moving workloads to the cloud. Armor Anywhere, however, has somewhat reduced the pressure with its advanced cloud security features. 

Key Features

• Intrusion detection
• File integrity monitoring
• Offers malware protection
• Supports patch monitoring 
• Log management
• Scans internal and external vulnerabilities
• FIM service status
• Quick deployment and scaling
• Monitors alert activity
• Offers unified visibility and control
• Data monitoring and protection
• Provides real-time insights
• Operational control 
• Risk management and compliance
• Workload protection for all environments
• Threat detection and response
• Policy recommendation scans

Armor Anywhere is a leading CWPP that offers threat detection, anti-virus, malware protection, and all-time incident response. It protects your data centers from cyber threats and monitors alert activity to instant respond and remediates the issue.

It also helps keep an account of agent logs for 30 days and provides in-depth system scans for better visibility. Access the robust Security Operations Center (SOC) to get help at any hour of the day. 

The dashboard provides an overview of the entire IT infrastructure streamlining data log history, vulnerabilities, threats, and health scores.

Some of the new features include Intrusion Prevention, Policy Recommendation Scans, and flexibility to turn security capabilities on and off. Armor Anywhere has been in practice by many organizations and enables them to meet their business security needs.

Website Link: https://www.armor.com/secure-cloud 

7. Lacework

The Lacework Cloud Security Platform offers both security and compliance to the cloud. It involves faster deployment and enables businesses to automate workload scaling. Developers can easily use machine learning analysis to identify, detect, and monitor incoming threats and vulnerabilities in the system.

Key Features

• Provides better insights 
• Vulnerability management
• Supports behavioral analytics
• Detects misconfigurations and unusual activity
• Offers deep end-to-end visibility
• Container and cloud workload analysis
• Faster deployment
• Auditing of security configuration
• Scalable architecture
• Threat detection
• Intrusion detection
• Alert System
• Automated AWS Security Monitoring
• Graphical investigation tools for all environments

Lacework is a widely used cloud workload protection platform with simple operational and maintenance rules. The security tool offers deep visibility, delivers contextual data covering the latest updates, problems, and changes made to the configuration. It also provides full support to computer hosts, containers, and various public clouds, including Azure, AWS, etc.  

Most vendors do not address multi and hybrid cloud workloads. As a result, Lacework was introduced for instant breach detection covering all the processes, workloads, users, applications, and data centers.

Website Link: https://www.lacework.com/platform/ 

8. Kaspersky

Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security was designed for virtual desktops and Windows, Linux servers. It provides the Next Gen protection to all physical machines, virtualized workloads, on-premise, in a data center or cloud against cyber-attacks. Today, the protection of cloud data is essential to maintain business sustainability. Thus, the concept of Kaspersky was introduced to protect company data and digital transformation.

Key Features

• Supports provisioning of VDI machines
• Next-Gen protection against threats
• Provides protection to physical machines and virtualized workloads in containers, data centers, and complex hybrid environment
• Supports regulatory compliance
• Flexible and agile
• Light Agent security for Linux and Windows Servers
• Provides logs inspection
• File Integrity Monitor (FIM)
• Offers multi-layered protection to all environments
• Anti-spam and anti-phishing features
• Borderless manageability
• It has a unified orchestration console to provide deep visibility
• Advanced protection for AWS and Microsoft Azure Infrastructures
• Meets Service Level Objectives (SLOs) to reduce risk
• Threat detection and response

Kaspersky is a leading CWPP that offers continuous security and multi-layered protection to all cloud environments. Add full protection to your workloads using Kaspersky. It does not matter if your workloads are running on IaaS or in-house infrastructures, the security tool offers guaranteed protection, flexibility, and visibility to users.

Website Link: https://www.kaspersky.co.in/enterprise-security/cloud-security 

Final Thoughts

Securing workloads is essential to maintain business sustainability in the clouds. There are various threats and cybersecurity challenges that various organizations face in the clouds. Thus, to protect your workloads, such as physical servers, virtual machines, containers, and databases, Gartner coined the term – Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP).

CWPP helps provide protection to all programs and applications that run on a cloud. There are various advantages of using these security tools apart from providing security. It also saves on cost, minimized complexities, offers flexibility, consistency, advanced security, compliance, and more. 

Keep track of all misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities and protect the workloads regardless of your location using the trusted CWPP.

We have also listed some of the top cloud workload protection platforms that enable businesses to easily manage and monitor workloads on various cloud environments and data centers.

Your cloud service provider might lack some of the features that will not provide overall cloud workload security. Later, you might have to invest in premium tools to unlock its advanced features. Thus, make sure to check their plans and pricing before installing.

Datadog, Trend Micro Deep Security, Microsoft Azure Security Center, Armor Anywhere, etc., are some of the popular security tools that help discover weak spots, threats, and vulnerabilities. Follow the above list to compare each security tool and its features before investing your time and money.