Have you leapt into serverless computing to slash costs and accelerate releases, my friend? If so, we need to talk security.
Protecting functions as a service (FaaS) requires a new playbook that blindsides teams trained on old models. Novel risks lurk as architects decompose monoliths into event-driven shards.
You cannot rely on dusty security tools tethered to infrastructure or networks. Instead, we must code cautiously while layering guards designed for ephemeral execution environments.
This transformation catches many off guard as serverless adoption accelerates. Research firm Gartner predicts that by 2025, 75% of enterprise applications will deploy functions as a service in some form. As innovative as serverless can be, its explosive growth obscures hazards.
Let‘s illuminate key threats while exploring purpose-built platforms to protect functions across AWS, Azure, Google and beyond. I will detail four leading options suited to this emerging discipline of “security less.”
Grab your favorite beverage; we have much to discuss, my friend!
Serverless Surge Accelerates, Alongside Risk
Before reviewing security solutions, we should ground ourselves in serverless adoption trends and associated risks. Developers choose functions as a service for the event-driven abstraction and op-ex model. Cloud platforms manage provisioning, scaling and more behind easy APIs.
Fewer operational concerns and faster deployments explain meteoric growth. MarketsAndMarkets forecasts the global serverless space to reach $14.93 billion by 2025, up from just $3.83 billion in 2020. That‘s a compound annual growth rate over 25% in five years!
With great innovation comes great risk, as the saying goes. Serverless introduces new considerations:
- Compromised third-party APIs or libraries lead to chain-reaction vulnerabilities
- Insecure function permissions enable denial-of-service conditions
- Business logic manipulation affects downstream consumers of events
- Weak identity and secrets management spawn data loss or injection issues
Research from PureSec suggests 97% of serverless deployments contain potentially serious misconfigurations. Their scary study should jolt us from ignorance as function usage grows!
Top 4 Security Platforms Purpose-Built for Serverless
Let‘s shift gears to explore tools purpose-built to address these modern challenges, shall we? I‘ve hand-picked four leading platforms standing out from the herd to protect serverless innovations.
Each brings differentiated capabilities for securing event-based, ephemeral environments like AWS Lambda and Azure Functions. Because needs vary between teams, I highlight strengths of each solution across several key dimensions:
| PureSec | Snyk | Aqua | Twistlock | |
| Function Protection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CI/CD Integration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source Scanning | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Now let‘s explore top contenders in further detail. Each takes a unique approach, but all deliver robust serverless-tailored security unmatched by traditional tools tethered to networks or operating systems…
PureSec Delivers Unified Serverless Protection
Singapore-based PureSec leads the pack with integrated security purpose-built for FaaS across public clouds. Rather than adapting existing methods, they designed a platform specifically for event-driven risks like injection attacks on triggers.
PureSec’s serverless firewall operates inline to intercept requests targeting functions before execution. This allows detecting and blocking threats targeting the event data layer without performance impact.
Support for diverse triggers like databases, file changes and third-party APIs powers context-rich analysis. As Gartner notes, “PureSec stands out with function-native capabilities unavailable in older Web Application Firewall (WAF) or API gateway tools.”
For teams struggling to secure business logic directly in functions, PureSec’s FunctionShield library is a game-changer. Injectable modules for Java, Node.js and Python enable directly embedding security guardrails without changing code.
For example, blocking child processes defends against crypto mining worms suddenly able to spawn from vulnerable dependencies. Sensitive call interception prevents accidental data leaks through poor coding.
With under 1 millisecond of overhead, FunctionShield empowers developers to bake in security. Integrations with CI/CD pipelines and tools like GitLab then enforce policies before deployment.
Snyk Brings Open Source Intelligence
England-based Snyk burst onto the scene by leveraging an industry-leading vulnerability database to scan open source application dependencies. Instead of playing “whack-a-mole” with risks, developers use Snyk to automatically detect and upgrade vulnerable libraries.
This valued capability recently expanded to serverless architectures, giving teams unified protection beyond just containers or VMs. Snyk’s function testing detects open source risks early in cloud-native pipelines. Configurable notifications ensure prompt attention to risks identified post-deployment.
For AWS-based teams already using Snyk, the serverless addition brings simplicity through a consolidated view.Azure shops can also employ it for function security. The focus on open source risks also complements other platforms handling business logic and configuration checks.
As noted by VentureBeat, “Organizations that aren’t testing functions for vulnerabilities are leaving themselves open to attack through what they thought was a relatively locked-down model.” Don’t let that be you, my friend!
Aqua Brings Serverless into CSPM
Aqua Security stands atop the cloud-native security platform (CNSP) market by securing Docker containers and now serverless environments. Traditionally focused on hosts and images, Aqua recently delivered purpose-built serverless coverage.
The platform scans functions across Azure, AWS and GCP to detect risks from hardened images alone cannot catch. Triggers, permissions, secrets and business logic all undergo assessment for drift or misuse.
Teams gain unified visibility connecting risks between serverless, containers, hosts and more. Automated remediation reduces toil when issues emerge, while extensive compliance report templates simplify audits.
The main downsides versus pure-play platforms come down to pricing and complexity. Aqua charges extra for the serverless module. The breadth also suits mature groups but may overwhelm others. Still, the unified perspective and automation justify consideration alongside more targeted picks.
Twistlock Offers Broad Cloud-Native Protection
Finally, Palo Alto Networks’ Twistlock platform takes a broad approach securing containers, VMs, hosts and function as a service under one roof. Buyers gain integrated capabilities spanning vulnerability management, compliance, incident response and runtime application self protection (RASP).
Twistlock’s serverless defender detects suspicious activity, vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in real time across functions. Integrations with Jenkins, TeamCity and other CI/CD pipelines enable baking in security early.
Machine learning combined with compliance guardrails for HIPAA, PCI DSS and other standards speed cloud deployments. Enterprise-grade features suit large organizations, although likely overkill for early serverless adopters.
As Gartner notes, “Twistlock leads with RASP capabilities detecting and blocking threats to running applications, which provides valuable runtime visibility as code moves rapidly from testing to production in serverless environments.”
Choose What Fits Your Serverless Security Maturity
I hope illuminating these four leading platforms sparks ideas on securing your own function as a service innovations! Each brings differentiated strengths to match varied needs across industries and team sizes.
For most readers, I suggest starting with either PureSec for robust function protection or Snyk for open source scans. Aqua and Twistlock suit larger orgs needing unified visibility and controls across cloud-native apps.
No matter your size, try before you buy! Every contender covered here offers free trials or open source options to experience first-hand. Why not test drive a few to see which you may wish to adopt?
I welcome your feedback on these or other tools you leverage. Please also reach out with any other serverless security questions arising along your journey! Security need not be the bane of serverless if we cultivate solutions purpose-built for this emerging discipline.
