Cybersecurity and Scam Prevention
What is cloud information security? Navigating the digital frontier securely
30 January 2026
How do we keep our digital assets safe in the cloud? Discover the essential strategies for cloud security—from implementing layered defense controls and Zero Trust models to how GovTech’s CloudSCAPE platform ensures a secure and resilient public sector cloud environment.
In today's digital world, many organisations are embracing the flexibility and scalability that cloud computing offers. But as more of our valuable data and applications move to the cloud, a crucial question arises: how do we keep it safe?
Cloud information security refers to the policies, practices, and technologies used to protect applications, data, and infrastructure within cloud environments. It’s like setting up a robust security system for your digital assets, ensuring they are shielded from unauthorised access, cyber threats, and potential breaches.
Key takeaways
Cloud security is essential for protecting sensitive data and maintaining operational integrity in cloud environments.
A blend of different control types—deterrent, preventive, detective, and corrective—is crucial for comprehensive protection.
Identity management, network security, and endpoint protection form the bedrock of a secure strategy.
Misconfigurations and insider threats are among the top challenges, highlighting the need for vigilance and automation.
Adopting practices like a Zero Trust model, continuous compliance, and strong encryption are vital for a secure cloud journey.
Why cloud security is critical
Cloud security is a pressing need for an organisation's well-being. According to the 2025 Thales Cloud Security Study, 64% of enterprises rank cloud security as a top priority. This is well-founded, as 54% of data residing in the cloud is now classified as sensitive. Furthermore, 54% of organisations have experienced an increase in direct attacks aimed at compromising cloud infrastructure.
To address these rising threats, organisations must implement a layered defence strategy. This is achieved by categorising security measures into specific functional types.
Types of cloud security controls
Securing the cloud requires more than a single solution; it takes a multi-layered defence. By using different types of security controls together, you ensure that every layer plays a specific part in protecting your data and infrastructure.
Examples of control types and their functions:
Control Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Deterrent | Discourages potential attackers by making the security posture visible. | Security warning banners, visible audits, and public security policies. |
Preventive | Stop unauthorised access or data breaches before they occur. | Multi-factor authentication (MFA), data encryption, and network segmentation. |
Detective | Identifies security incidents or suspicious activities in progress. | Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), and Intrusion detection systems (IDS). |
Corrective | Mitigates the impact of an incident and restores data integrity. | Incident response plans, automated remediation, and backup recovery. |
While these functional controls provide the framework, the actual strength of your defence depends on the specific technical solutions you deploy across your environment.
Specialised Cloud Security Solutions
Building a truly secure environment relies on several foundational elements and specialised solutions working together seamlessly to protect your digital landscape:
Identity and Access Management (IAM): These solutions are critical for managing and controlling who has access to your cloud resources. They allow organisations to define roles and permissions, ensuring a principle of least privilege where users only have the access they absolutely need.
Network and Endpoint Security: Protecting the "digital highways" that connect cloud services is paramount. Tools like firewalls and VPNs act as guards against threats, while endpoint protection secures individual devices like laptops to prevent them from becoming entry points.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): These tools are designed to prevent sensitive information from leaving your control. They monitor data "in motion" (like emails) and "at rest" (in storage) to block unauthorised transmissions.
Monitoring and Resilience: Systems like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) act as a central intelligence hub, analysing logs to provide real-time alerts. For long-term security, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery strategies ensure critical data is backed up, and operations can be restored quickly.
Top cloud security challenges
Even with the right tools, organisations must remain vigilant against these common hurdles that can undermine even the most robust security setups.
Misconfigurations: Many incidents stem from simple setup errors. For instance, the 2019 Capital One breach, affecting 106 million individuals, was largely attributed to a misconfigured web application firewall.
Lack of visibility: Organisations often struggle with a lack of comprehensive visibility into their cloud assets and user activities. These “blind spots” make it difficult to detect suspicious behaviour in real-time.
Insider threats: The 2024 Insider Threat Report revealed that 83% of organisations reported at least one insider attack last year, highlighting the need for strict identity controls.
Insecure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs): As vital connectors for software systems, poorly designed or unsecured APIs can act as open doors for attackers to compromise systems or access sensitive data.
Best practices for cloud security in Singapore
Here are some of the best practices that can help your organisation in Singapore build a strong and resilient cloud security posture.
Explore the following strategies to enhance your cloud security:
Best Practice | Description | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
Adopt a Zero Trust model | Every user and device, whether inside or outside the network, must be verified before granting access. | Minimises unauthorised access and limits lateral threat movement. |
Leverage automated tools | Use automation to detect misconfigurations and monitor activity in real-time. | Allows teams to focus on strategy and respond faster to emerging threats. |
Ensure comprehensive data encryption | Encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit. | Ensures that even if data is intercepted, it remains unreadable. |
Prioritise continuous compliance | Use automated tools to assess configurations against frameworks like the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). | Proactively identifies compliance gaps, reduces penalty risks, and maintains organisational trust. |
Implement robust authentication and strictly enforce the principle of least privilege. | Ensures users only have the minimum permissions required, mitigating the risk of insider threats. |
For public sector agencies looking to implement these practices efficiently, GovTech Singapore offers specialised platforms to automate and simplify the security journey.
Learn more about GovTech Singapore’s cloud information security services
At GovTech Singapore, we are committed to ensuring that the public sector’s transition to the cloud is fundamentally secure. A key pillar is the Cloud Security and Compliance Automation Platform Ecosystem (CloudSCAPE).
As government agencies rapidly modernise their operations, over 75 agencies with nearly 4,000 cloud accounts have adopted services through the Government Commercial Cloud (GCC). This digital transformation brings unprecedented opportunities, but also new security challenges. In cloud environments where infrastructure changes happen in minutes rather than months, traditional periodic security assessments are no longer sufficient.
CloudSCAPE bridges this gap by providing continuous security monitoring tailored specifically for agencies on GCC. Acting as an intelligent guardrail, it delivers automated scans that proactively alert administrators when systems drift from established security baselines, enabling agencies to maintain robust security posture while embracing the agility of cloud technology.
With 99.9% service uptime, CloudSCAPE ensures critical security tools are consistently available when agencies need them most. By combining secure cloud environments with automated cybersecurity services and expert guidance, we empower the public service to innovate confidently in the cloud while safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining the public trust that underpins our digital economy.
Frequently asked questions
How does cloud information security differ from traditional IT security?
Cloud information security fundamentally differs by sharing security responsibilities with the cloud provider, unlike traditional IT, where an organisation manages everything. It focuses on securing dynamic, virtualised environments with distributed data, often relying on specialised cloud-native tools to protect against threats unique to shared infrastructure.
What are the key cloud security challenges in Singapore?
In Singapore, key cloud security challenges often revolve around managing data sovereignty and compliance with local regulations, along with addressing misconfigurations in dynamic cloud environments. Concerns also include achieving comprehensive visibility across various cloud services and effectively mitigating both external cyber threats and insider risks.
What is the role of hybrid and multi-cloud security in modern environments?
In today's complex landscape, hybrid and multi-cloud security focuses on providing consistent protection across diverse cloud environments, whether they are private, public, or a mix. It involves unified security policies, centralised visibility, and integrated tools to manage risks and compliance seamlessly across all your cloud deployments.
What is the difference between private, public, and hybrid cloud environments?
A public cloud involves services offered over the internet by third-party providers, shared among multiple users. A private cloud is dedicated to a single organisation, offering greater control and customisation. A hybrid cloud combines elements of both, allowing data and applications to move between public and private clouds, balancing flexibility with security and control.
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