Resilient Cyber - Episode 6 - Chris Hughes - Cloud Security, Adoption, and Automation

Overview:

In this episode of the Resilient Cyber podcast, co-hosts Chris Hughes and Dr. Nikki Robinson dive deep into the intricacies of cloud and cloud security. Chris shares his journey into cloud technology, starting from his early days in the Navy working with the Defense Health Agency, to becoming a leading expert in cloud security. The discussion covers essential topics like the importance of cloud in today's IT landscape, the challenges of hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and emerging trends in cloud security, such as DevSecOps and infrastructure as code. The episode emphasizes the critical role of cloud adoption in modern cybersecurity strategies and the need for proper training, architecture, and planning to ensure secure cloud environments.

Highlights:

1. Chris Hughes' Cloud Journey: Chris recounts his transition into cloud technology while working with the Navy, highlighting the importance of the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) credential and his focus on combining cloud with cybersecurity.

2. Training Recommendations: The episode provides valuable advice for those looking to enter the cloud security field, recommending training providers like A Cloud Guru, Pluralsight, and Udemy, and emphasizing the importance of hands-on experience through lab environments.

3. The Necessity of Cloud Knowledge: Chris and Nikki discuss the overwhelming adoption of cloud technology across industries and the importance of understanding cloud fundamentals for anyone in IT or cybersecurity.

4. Challenges of Hybrid Cloud Environments: The complexities of hybrid cloud environments are explored, with Chris noting the need for well-architected and documented plans before moving to the cloud, to avoid security pitfalls.

5. Emerging Trends in Cloud Security: The episode touches on the growing adoption of DevSecOps, the importance of automation in security, and the potential risks associated with cloud, such as customer misconfigurations and the use of cloud by malicious actors.

6. Cyber Resiliency in the Cloud: The discussion concludes with insights into how cloud technology, when done correctly, can enhance cyber resiliency, offering superior security capabilities compared to traditional on-premise systems.