What is CNAPP?

11
Jun

CNAPP stands for Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform. It is a term coined by Gartner in 2021 to describe a comprehensive and unified security solution, specifically designed to protect applications built and deployed in cloud computing environments (cloud-native applications).

Instead of using multiple separate security tools for different aspects of the cloud environment, CNAPP integrates and unifies many security functions into a single platform. This helps simplify security management and enhance visibility, detection, and response to threats throughout the application development and operation lifecycle (DevOps and DevSecOps).

 

Why is CNAPP important?

The modern cloud environment, especially cloud-native applications (using microservices, containers, serverless, Kubernetes), offers high flexibility and scalability but also creates unique security challenges:

  • Dynamism: Cloud resources are constantly changing, being created and deleted rapidly.
  • Complexity: Multi-cloud environments and distributed application architectures increase the attack surface.
  • Speed: Rapid development and deployment processes (CI/CD) require security to be integrated early, without slowing down the cycle.

CNAPP was created to address these challenges, providing a more holistic security approach compared to traditional tools.

 

Core functions of CNAPP

A CNAPP platform typically unifies many important security capabilities, including:

  1. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM):
    • Automatically detect and assess misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and compliance violations across the entire cloud infrastructure (virtual machines, containers, serverless services, databases, networks).
    • Provide an overview of risks and recommend prioritized remediation measures.
  2. Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP):
    • Protect applications and data running on cloud workloads such as virtual machines, containers, and serverless functions.
    • Includes features such as malware detection, behavior monitoring, application control, and file system protection.
  3. Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM):
    • Identify and manage user and service access rights in the cloud environment.
    • Ensure the principle of least privilege is enforced, preventing accounts from being over-privileged or compromised.
  4. Data Security Posture Management (DSPM):
    • Discover, classify, and protect sensitive data in the cloud.
    • Monitor data access and prevent data loss (DLP).
  5. Shift-Left Security Scanning:
    • Integrate security into the early stages of the software development lifecycle (DevSecOps).
    • Scan source code (IaC – Infrastructure as Code), container images, and other components to detect vulnerabilities as early as possible.
  6. Cloud Detection and Response (CDR):
    • Continuously monitor activities in the cloud to detect threats, abnormal behavior, and signs of intrusion in real-time.
    • Provide automatic or semi-automatic investigation and response capabilities.

 

Key Benefits of CNAPP

  • Comprehensive visibility: Provides a unified view of all assets, configurations, and security activities across public and private cloud environments.
  • Simplified management: Reduces complexity by unifying multiple security tools into a single platform, reducing the burden on the security team.
  • Improved security posture: Detects vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and threats early, helping to remediate quickly and continuously improve security status.
  • DevSecOps integration: Ensures security is embedded throughout the application development and operation process, promoting collaboration between teams.
  • Continuous compliance: Automates compliance monitoring and reporting according to standards and regulations (e.g., GDPR, ISO 27001).
  • Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO): Reduces costs associated with purchasing, deploying, and managing multiple separate security solutions.

CNAPP is becoming an essential solution for businesses building and operating applications in cloud environments, helping them protect data, applications, and infrastructure more effectively and automatically.