If you work on a product team, the word “audit” can raise some eyebrows within your organization. That’s why we’re here to put you at ease and to bust the myths around audits. In the process, we’ll explain why a security audit isn’t a bad thing.
A quick call out before we dive deeper into audits, AWS encourages and incentivizes companies to undergo what’s called an AWS well-architected framework audit, where your infrastructure is audited by an Amazon Web Services Partner Network consultant. In doing so, you’ll receive credits to be used on future hosting costs.
Whether you consider an audit with cloud expert like Uplancer or another APN provider, one thing is for certain; there are always oversights, ranging from billing to security that can prevent headaches now and save you money in the long run. Let’s take a look at five misconceptions about an AWS audit.
An AWS Audit Isn’t Needed Because I Follow Industry Best Practices
Many industries and organizations are subject to regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and more. An AWS audit can help you be compliant with these regulations and take corrective actions if necessary. More often than not, an AWS Audit costs a fraction of the certified compliance audits and fees associated with resolving any violations faced. Therefore, it’s a good idea to be preemptive and plan for compliance beforehand.
I’m leveraging the cloud so risk mitigation is not needed
An AWS audit identifies vulnerabilities and security weaknesses in your AWS environment. By addressing these issues, you can reduce the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and other security incidents.
An AWS Audit is going to cost my organization too much money
Security breaches and data leaks can be extremely costly in fines, legal fees, and reputation damage. An audit can help you identify and mitigate these risks, saving your organization from future financial losses. Similarly, an audit can also optimize your billing. It will identify instances of overpaying for resources and opportunities to reduce the monthly bill by switching to lower-priced options for your services. Investing more upfront is well worth it when dealing with the cloud.
Security best practices mean it can’t get any better
Audits verify that you are following security best practices recommended by AWS, including regular security patching, secure coding, and proper use of AWS security features. One of the biggest takeaways of an AWS audit is that you can learn the best security practices and benchmark them against your own practices.
Security is one-and done for the infrastructure
Security is an ongoing process, and an audit provides a baseline for continuous improvement. Regular audits and assessments help you stay ahead of emerging threats and maintain a strong security posture. Undergoing an annual audit helps companies stay current with the latest cloud practices, thereby ensuring that each subsequent audit is more streamlined and cheaper than the original audit.
The Bottom Line / TLDR
To perform an effective AWS security audit, it’s often advisable to engage with an APN partner like Uplancer. We have the expertise and experience to thoroughly assess your AWS environment and make recommendations for improvements. Contact Uplancer for a free consultation about conducting an AWS audit of your cloud infrastructure.
