Palo Alto Networks extends cloud native security platform with new modules

Palo Alto Networks has announced the availability of Prisma Cloud 2.0, including four new cloud security modules, thus extending its Cloud Native Security Platform (CNSP).

A CNSP is designed to secure multi- and hybrid-cloud environments and cloud native applications integrating security across the full DevOps lifecycle.

The announcement integrates Aporeto and builds on the November 2019 introduction of Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud. The new modules include the following.

Data Security delivers data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities, offering discovery, classification and malware detection for AWS S3.

Enterprises operating in regulated industries can leverage Data Security when adopting the cloud to help meet various compliance requirements.

When used in conjunction with Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) capabilities, Data Security provides customers important context about their true cloud risks around data exposure.

Web Application and API Security helps protect web applications against Layer 7 and OWASP Top 10 threats, integrated with the unified agent framework that enterprises already use today for Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP).

Identity-Based Microsegmentation integrates Cloud Network Security (CNS) capabilities, following the acquisition of Aporeto, to provide end-to-end visibility of network communications along with comprehensive security policy control and management.

Identity and Access Management (IAM) Security gives customers Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) capabilities and allows them to gain visibility into who has access to specific cloud resources and secure those resources by establishing automated least-privileged identity access.

Previously, Prisma Cloud was the only provider offering both Cloud Security Posture Management and Cloud Workload Protection on a single platform, with a single pane of glass, as a SaaS solution.

With the new addition of Cloud Network Security and Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management, Prisma Cloud now has industry-leading offerings in each of the four CNSP areas, making Prisma Cloud 2.0 the only true Cloud Native Security Platform, Palo Alto Networks states.

The Data Security, and Web Application and API Security modules are currently generally available. The other two modules are currently in limited preview and can be enabled upon request.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud senior vice president for product Varun Badhwar says, "Today, organisations are using multiple clouds in many different ways.

"This has brought many benefits such as quick deployment, increased agility and rapid feature rollout, but also has brought the potential for many different kinds of risk.

"Prisma Cloud 2.0 addresses these challenges with a unified solution that helps companies detect threats to their cloud resources, maintain compliance, secure cloud native applications, protect cloud networks and application communications, and enforce permissions and secure identities across workloads a true comprehensive cloud security solution.

Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) senior security analyst and group practice director Doug Cahill says, "Enterprises are adopting cloud native architectures, including containers and serverless, and embracing methodologies like DevOps to increase release velocity and achieve greater scale.

"This presents a requirement for security teams to integrate security across the full application lifecycle and deliver security through a platform-centric approach as markets converge. The innovation with Prisma Cloud 2.0 speaks to this approach.