Cloud
CNAPP is the Solution to Multi-cloud Flexibility
Cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) not only helps organizations protect, but offers the flexibility of multi-cloud.
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The more complex and sophisticated enterprise cloud use cases become, the more critical it is to have strong cloud security in place. Whether organizations want to reap the benefits of hybrid and multi-cloud environments or take AI adoption to the next level, security teams need more visibility, deeper insight, and more intelligent, proactive ways to protect cloud resources than traditional, siloed point solutions allow. That’s why leading analysts are advocating strongly for enterprises to adopt cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPPs).
Cloud use cases continue to multiply, with Gartner noting in November 2024 an increased focus on “distributed, hybrid, cloud-native, and multi-cloud environments.” In its estimation, the enterprise appetite for hybrid and multi-cloud flexibility is only going to grow as time goes by, driven in large part by uptake of AI models and applications, with 90% of organizations adopting hybrid clouds by the end of 2027. Not surprisingly, the more organizations depend on cloud native applications in their daily business, the keener they are to safeguard those cloud assets and data. While hybrid/multi-cloud infrastructure, AI, and a cloud security posture management (CSPM) solution may seem unrelated, enterprises need one foundational solution to implement them securely, efficiently, and at scale: a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP).
Fragmented security is failing. CNAPP is the fix.
As the name says, CNAPP is a cloud-native application protection platform. That means it consolidates and integrates cloud security functions within a single framework.
This has some significant advantages: fewer siloed security tools to manage, increased operational efficiencies, and accelerated incident response. Many organizations today may have 15 or more distinct security products to address different cloud security needs, with little or no interoperability between them.
CNAPP breaks down those silos, dramatically reducing complexity and, as a result, relieving significant strain on security teams that would otherwise have to manually toggle between dozens of tools to stitch together some semblance of a total security picture.
In reality, that total picture is unattainable for even the most accomplished multitaskers because traditional tools don’t have visibility across all cloud environments. Nor can they fully protect all the resources in those environments. Traditional approaches typically require a software-based security agent to be installed on every asset being managed. But not every cloud asset can take a security agent, for a whole variety of reasons, which can leave cloud resources unprotected.
Implementing a CNAPP, on the other hand, provides comprehensive security by virtue of its integrated nature, covering the full array of cloud resources, configurations, assets, permissions, code, and workloads.
Expanding on CSPM
CSPM was developed to address the persistent problem of misconfigurations that can unintentionally expose sensitive cloud resources and data to unauthorized or malicious actors. By continuously monitoring cloud environments, automating compliance checks, surfacing risks, and offering remediation guidance, CSPM provides visibility and control across increasingly complex hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures.
Yet misconfigurations are just one piece of the puzzle. CNAPPs expand on CSPM by integrating capabilities like external attack surface management (EASM), cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM), and more. This broader, unified approach empowers organizations to move beyond reactive threat response and toward proactive, strategic cloud risk management.
Why CNAPP is a must for hybrid and multi-cloud
According to a 2024 paper from the Canadian Forum for Digital Infrastructure Resilience Cloud Working Group , the “robust ecosystem of advanced capabilities” that has emerged across cloud service providers has spurred a desire in organizations of all sizes in all sectors to “tap into the power of multiple cloud providers to drive business and organizational benefits.”
That’s great for productivity and innovation but a headache for security teams because as noted above, traditional, siloed tools can’t give a complete or integrated view of the whole cloud environment. Limited, fragmented visibility makes it dramatically harder to detect, identify, track, and mitigate cyber threats. It also leaves security teams in perpetual reactive mode, able to respond only after an incident has already occurred.
To fully capitalize on the benefits of hybrid and multi-cloud environments, organizations need unified, end-to-end visibility across their cloud assets, something only a comprehensive CNAPP can deliver. This holistic view not only strengthens security posture but also lays a critical foundation for scaling enterprise AI initiatives with confidence.
CNAPP as an AI enabler
Almost all AI tools are cloud-based. As with cloud generally, AI use cases are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and it’s happening fast. According to the Boston Consulting Group, half of all companies, especially those in the financial services and technology sectors, are evolving AI use beyond “productivity plays” to start redesigning workflows, marking a maturation of cloud goals and strategies.
Going back to Gartner's assessment, AI use is speeding up business reliance on cloud computing and is likely to drive spending on infrastructure and operations to support generative AI deployments and genAI infrastructure at the edge.
Given the sensitivity of corporate information that may feed into AI tools to achieve increasingly complex business goals, the risk of data theft, data leaks, privacy and other regulatory violations, robust and integrated security capabilities are going to be essential.
Here again, CNAPP’s platform approach provides the unified visibility, responsiveness, and operational efficiency security teams need to effectively protect the organization, its users, customers, and data in this evolving context.
It should be noted, as well, that benefits flow in both directions. AI and machine learning are already revolutionizing CNAPP threat detection capabilities, helping push beyond reactive cybersecurity to enable predictive, proactive measures that identify potential risk patterns based on data analytics so teams can act before threats can do harm.
Beyond cloud security: CNAPP as a strategic business enabler
While CNAPP is widely recognized as a foundational element of modern cloud security, thanks to its broad scope, deep integration, and automation-driven platform approach, it delivers value far beyond protection alone. Its role in enabling hybrid and multi-cloud flexibility, accelerating AI adoption, and enhancing CSPM capabilities has made it a catalyst for business-critical initiatives, underscoring the evolving role of cybersecurity as a strategic driver of enterprise goals and a key component of risk management.
Explore what comprehensive, proactive cloud security can do for your organization with Trend Vision One™ Cloud Security.