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Google’s $32 billion acquisition of Wiz marks a significant development in the cloud security landscape. This move raises important considerations for organizations securing their cloud environments. When a cloud provider owns a cloud security vendor, it introduces questions about neutrality, competitive dynamics, and the broader impact on cloud security strategies.
As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud and hybrid environments, the security ecosystem continues to evolve. One key consideration is whether security solutions maintain independence and transparency. Organizations should evaluate how an acquisition of this scale might shape product roadmaps, security priorities, and interoperability across different cloud platforms.
The shared responsibility model in cloud security ensures that cloud providers secure the infrastructure, while organizations are responsible for protecting their data and applications. When cloud providers also offer security solutions, it can create potential conflicts of interest. Maintaining independent security measures ensures a broader system of checks and balances.
For example, cloud environments often build services on top of one another like a Jenga® tower, sometimes inheriting security risks across layers. Independent security solutions can provide an objective assessment of these risks without being influenced by cloud provider strategies. Organizations should evaluate how security solutions fit into their overall risk management framework and ensure that they offer comprehensive visibility across different cloud ecosystems.
Selecting the right security vendor requires careful assessment of how vendors operate and what their broader business interests entail. Security providers have access to system configurations, vulnerabilities, and cloud telemetry, making trust and transparency critical factors in vendor selection. Organizations should ask key questions, such as:
Does the security vendor have business lines beyond cybersecurity, such as cloud infrastructure, AI, or data services, that might create competing priorities?
Does the vendor’s product roadmap align with the organization's long-term cloud strategy?
Does the vendor support multi-cloud security without favoring a particular cloud provider?
While vendors with broad business portfolios may offer advanced security features, organizations must assess how these additional interests impact data usage, security decision-making, and product development.
Many security vendors promise multi-cloud support, but their focus may shift over time. Organizations should consider whether a vendor’s future product development aligns with their preferred cloud environments. For instance, if a security provider strengthens its partnership with one cloud vendor, it may lead to prioritization of features and integrations for that specific platform, potentially impacting support for others.
A proactive approach to security vendor selection includes evaluating long-term compatibility, understanding product roadmaps, and ensuring that security investments remain aligned with organizational priorities.
Cloud environments are dynamic, and transitioning between cloud platforms can be complex and costly. To maintain flexibility, organizations should select security vendors that integrate seamlessly across different cloud environments and support scalable, adaptable security strategies.
A strong security program should align with an overarching exposure management strategy, providing visibility across the entire attack surface—from cloud environments to operational technology (OT). Organizations should prioritize security vendors that:
Offer deep and contextual risk insights across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Maintain transparency in product development and decision-making.
Provide security capabilities that are independent of cloud provider ownership or influence.
The cloud is no longer just an infrastructure solution. It is the foundation of modern business operations, innovation, and service delivery. As security risks evolve, organizations must prioritize security solutions that align with their long-term strategy, provide transparency, and enable agility in an ever-changing cloud environment.
Selecting security vendors that prioritize protection, adaptability, and a neutral approach to cloud environments can help organizations build resilient, future-ready cloud security programs.
