With a vision to help clients simplify and extend security operations across AWS (Amazon Web Services) and hybrid cloud environments, IBM Security has introduced a new technology initiative. The initiative aims to integrate with AWS security services, kickstart deployment for key IBM Security technologies, and expert consulting and managed security services support.

Security teams may face issues protecting increasingly diverse and complex IT environments as businesses further progress in hybrid cloud operations. As security system complexity is considered a challenge, it was termed the top factor contributing to a spike in data breach costs amongst surveyed organizations in the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report from IBM and Ponemon Institute.

Companies aim to resolve it by streamlining and modernizing their security operations for the hybrid cloud era. Integrated offerings and collaboration between cloud service providers and security leaders help different companies to achieve it.

“IBM Security is focused on an open approach, allowing for deeper connections and visibility across the broader security, cloud and IT ecosystem,” said Aarti Borkar, Vice President, IBM Security. “Working with cloud providers like AWS is a critical part of this equation, helping provide a more seamless client experience in order to reduce security complexity for customers as they move further into the cloud.”

The unique combination of security technology and services that inculcates AWS services, IBM Security works to help clients securely move to AWS and modernize workloads as it forms part of their wider hybrid cloud strategy.

It helps:

  • Dealing with most critical issues across the AWS environment that extend visibility and insights – IBM Security QRadar (Security Information and Event Management solution) is available as a paid listing on the AWS Marketplace that lets customers deploy advanced security analytics within their environments swiftly.

    Along with AWS Technology Partner and QRadar, IBM Security is also a part of the newly announced AWS CloudTrail, AWS Network Firewall service, AWS Security Hub, and Amazon GuardDuty that provides an integration over a wide range of AWS security services.

  • Acceleration and simplification in threat investigation across AWS workloads – IBM’s Quick Start guide helps clients simplify and automate its purpose of deploying IBM’s flagship open security platform, IBM Cloud Pak, for security through AWS environments. Cloud Pak for Security works on containerized applications from Red Hat OpenShift and provides pre-built AWS connectors, enabling security teams to scan for threats across AWS and other environments without data migration from a single centralized security framework.
  • Reducing complexity by managing overall security posture through IBM Security Services – IBM Security Services is recognized as an AWS Premier Consulting Partner. It has achieved AWS Security Competency designation, which showcases consulting and managed security services (MSS) technical proficiency and proof of customer success across a broad set of AWS security services offerings.

    The IBM Security Services involve support for several AWS native security services, including AWS CloudTrail, AWS Network Firewall, Amazon Detective, Amazon Inspector, and Amazon GuardDuty.