Key Challenges in AI Security

AI security is a growing concern in today’s cyber landscape, and companies are looking for ways to protect their AI applications and data from various threats. According to Marcel Meyer, service delivery director for Africa at Huawei Cloud, a secure cloud environment with AI-enabled, proactive threat detection and response becomes crucial for developing trusted AI.

• Backdoors in code
• Data integrity
• Model confidentiality
• Model robustness
• Data privacy

These security challenges can be addressed by implementing a robust security framework that includes AI-enabled threat detection and response capabilities. Huawei Cloud is committed to building secure, reliable environments and tools to strengthen cloud resiliency and provide a secure AI application development environment for customers.

Huawei Cloud’s Approach to AI Security

Huawei Cloud has a rigorous cyber security standards that ensure data, systems, and development environments are always secure and compliant. The company has over 130 international security certifications and is compliant with regulations around the world.

Key Security Features	Security Protocols
Data classification	Data masking
Risk identification	Watermark-based source tracking

Huawei Cloud’s approach to AI security includes:

1. A cloud-native security operations centre (SecMaster) that delivers integrated and automated security operations to safeguard cloud resources
2. Seven layers of defence to protect cloud resources
3. Data Security Center (DSC) – a latest-generation cloud data security management platform that protects data assets

These solutions enable one-stop cloud asset management, security posture management, security orchestration and automatic response, cloud security configuration, threat detection and response, and incident management.

Benefits of Huawei Cloud’s AI Security Solutions

Huawei Cloud’s AI security solutions offer several benefits, including:

• Proactive threat detection and response capabilities
• Integration with AI and DeepSeek solutions
• Backup and disaster recovery services
• Governance and compliance solutions

These solutions provide a secure environment for developing trusted AI, enabling companies to protect their data and applications from various threats.

Speaking Engagement

Lunga Zonke, chief technical officer at Huawei Cloud’s regional office, will present a talk on ‘Building Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Strategies for Sustainable Security’ at the ITWeb Security Summit 2025 in Johannesburg. The Johannesburg ITWeb Security Summit will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 3-5 June.

Exhibition Highlights

Huawei Cloud’s exhibition area will showcase its key cloud security capabilities, including:

• AI and DeepSeek solutions
• Backup and disaster recovery services
• Governance and compliance solutions

The company’s AI and DeepSeek solutions will be on display, as well as backup and disaster recovery services, governance and compliance solutions, and proactive threat detection and prevention solutions.

“Attackers are using AI, so you need to level the playing field,” says Marcel Meyer, service delivery director for Africa at Huawei Cloud. “This is why AI is becoming a key tool to help defenders analyse trends and proactively improve cyber resilience – faster.”

Conclusion

A secure cloud environment with AI-enabled, proactive threat detection and response becomes crucial for developing trusted AI. Huawei Cloud’s rigorous cyber security standards, seven layers of defence, and cloud-native security operations centre (SecMaster) provide a secure environment for developing trusted AI. The company’s AI security solutions offer several benefits, including proactive threat detection and response capabilities, integration with AI and DeepSeek solutions, backup and disaster recovery services, governance and compliance solutions. Huawei Cloud is a Platinum sponsor of the ITWeb Security Summit 2025 in Johannesburg, and the company’s exhibition area will showcase its key cloud security capabilities.

The Challenges of Compliance

With the March 2025 deadline for PCI DSS 4.0.1 compliance, organizations are facing numerous challenges in meeting the new requirements. According to Simon Wijckmans, CEO at web security platform c/side, organizations are often late in noticing and understanding the new PCI DSS compliance requirements than they ought to be. This is due to the need for thorough due diligence and multi-stakeholder approval processes, as well as the complexity of client-side security, which is a relatively new domain for many organizations. The lack of education and awareness-building across teams is also a significant challenge. Despite this, the c/side team is encouraged to see an increasing flow of information and educational resources in this space. Additionally, there’s a big shift between the new PCI DSS mandates and the previous PCI DSS v4.0 scope that’s been out for three years now. This requires organizations to monitor their client-side security and security headers, even if they use a third-party payment provider for online transactions in an iframe.

Overlapping Requirements

For enterprises that operate globally with multiple payment systems and regulatory frameworks, PCI DSS 4.0.1 requirements overlap or potentially conflict with other data security standards like GDPR or regional privacy laws. According to Simon Wijckmans, each site needs to be independently compliant, and the lines become blurry when third-party partners are involved. Both enterprise and smaller companies need to be aware of this and take the best practice of taking the reins themselves. Unlike other frameworks that talk about ‘third-party dependencies’ more generally, PCI DSS calls out client-side security explicitly. This removes doubt whether client-side executed dependencies are in scope, and highlights the importance of understanding how website dependencies behave in a user’s browser.

A Critical Security Focus

The new requirements 6.4.3 and 11.6.1 specifically target browser-side web scripts, which has become a critical security focus for the PCI Security Standards Council. Companies and the cyber security industry have increasingly invested in cloud security, open source dependency security, etc. However, the cyber security space is a leaky bucket, and once one hole is patched, another leak faster. Browser-side web scripts are increasingly used to carry out attacks, and the PCI community has rightly taken steps to mitigate this problem. The majority of credit card theft nowadays happens in the browser, and the wider scale attack surface with session tokens, sensitive information, crypto mining, and DDoS attacks originating from third-party web scripts is a concern.

Legacy Security Strategies

Many enterprises are still using legacy security strategies for script monitoring, which creates potential blind spots and vulnerabilities. A widely popular one is the use of a Content Security Policy (CSP), which manually sets rules that allow or restrict a script from fetching if it is not originating from an allowed source. However, the payload of a script is not verified, making it vulnerable to attacks. The Polyfill attack, for example, saw nearly half a million websites compromised because of just one domain changing ownership. This highlights the importance of monitoring the exact payload of the script that loads, rather than just relying on a CSP header.

A Shift to Continuous Monitoring

The new requirements in PCI DSS 4.0.1 shift from annual audits to continuous monitoring, which changes the way organizations need to approach their security infrastructure. In the client-side security space, annual audits are too slow, and JavaScript is designed to be dynamic, making it easy for attackers to load malicious scripts. Time zones, user agents, other scripts, and other factors can be used to circumvent security systems. With continuous monitoring, organizations can detect and respond to security threats in real-time, rather than just during an annual audit.

Prioritizing Compliance

With potential penalties including six-figure monthly fines and suspension of card acceptance capabilities, organizations need to prioritize the new requirements against other cybersecurity initiatives in their 2025 planning. Fines from non-compliance with PCI DSS and other regulations can be disastrous for an organization’s revenue stream. Organizations should also be aware of the potential impact on cyber insurance rates, as some insurers already require PCI DSS compliance. Ticking the box on compliance without implementing proper security measures can lead to both compliance violations and insurance complications.

A Broader Cybersecurity Landscape

The new PCI requirements are likely to influence the broader cybersecurity landscape, and organizations will need to securely handle payment data. The regulations are tightening, and it’s essential to remember the core idea behind them: keeping site visitors and buyers safe on the web. This ultimately benefits the companies bolstering their security, as an extra line of defense in a space that sees increasingly more attacks. The c/side team is proud to be a member of the PCI SSC Associate Participating Organization program, working to inform the council on changes in the client-side security space.

Simon Wijckmans, CEO at c/side, emphasizes the importance of understanding the new PCI DSS compliance requirements and the challenges they pose. By prioritizing these requirements and investing in proper security measures, organizations can protect their clients and secure their payment data.

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, organizations will need to stay vigilant and adapt to the changing requirements. The new PCI DSS 4.0.1 regulations are a significant step towards a safer browsing experience, and organizations can play a crucial role in shaping this future.

The c/side team is committed to providing education and resources to help organizations navigate the new requirements and stay ahead of emerging threats.

Embracing the Journey

In a sweeping cybersecurity transformation, National Oilwell Varco (NOV) is rewriting its security playbook under the guidance of CIO Alex Philips. Philips’ ambitious initiative has yielded dramatic results – a 35-fold drop in security events, the elimination of malware-related PC reimaging, and millions saved by scrapping legacy hardware. VentureBeat recently sat down (virtually) with Philips to explore how NOV achieved these breakthroughs with Zscaler’s Zero Trust platform, aggressive identity protections, and a generative AI “co-worker” for its security team.

A New Castle-and-Moat Model

When NOV began its Zero Trust journey, it was a traditional castle-and-moat model that wasn’t keeping up. The company didn’t know what Zero Trust was, but it knew it needed identity and conditional access at the core of everything. Philips says their approach was simple: “We started by adopting an identity-driven architecture on Zscaler’s Zero Trust Exchange and it changed everything.” With visibility and protection coverage dramatically increased, the team experienced a 35x reduction in security incidents. The shift also eliminated malware-related PC reimaging, saving considerable time and money.

Before Zero Trust	After Zero Trust
35x reduction in security incidents	35x reduction in security incidents
100 malware-infected machines per month	virtually zero malware-related PC reimaging
Reimaging time and money	Annualized savings over $6.5M

A Cloud-Based Zero Trust Experience

The new Zero Trust approach gives 27,500 NOV users and third parties policy-based access to thousands of internal applications, all without exposing those apps directly to the internet. Philips notes that the solution is cloud-based, eliminating “appliance hell” and freeing up resources.

• 27,500 users and third parties have policy-based access to internal applications
• The solution is cloud-based, eliminating legacy hardware
• Appliance hell is gone, freeing up resources

Reducing Security Noise

Philips attributes the massive reduction in security incidents to the Zero Trust approach, which provides full SSL inspection, sandboxing, and data loss prevention. The security service edge (SSE) peers directly with Microsoft, improving Office 365 performance and security.

• Full SSL inspection, sandboxing, and data loss prevention
• Security service edge (SSE) peers directly with Microsoft
• Office 365 performance and security improved

Enhancing Identity Protections

NOV has strengthened identity defenses by integrating its Zscaler platform with Okta for identity and conditional access checks. Conditional access policies verify devices have SentinelOne antivirus running before granting access, adding an extra posture check. The company has also limited who can perform password or MFA resets, separating duties to prevent insider threats.

• Integrated Zscaler platform with Okta for identity and conditional access checks
• Conditional access policies verify devices have SentinelOne antivirus running
• Separation of duties to prevent insider threats

A Generative AI “Co-worker”

Philips highlights the success of a generative AI “co-worker” in the security operations center (SOC). The AI assistant is used to perform threat hunts, providing insights and automating tasks. Philips notes that the AI tool has reduced mean time to respond by 30% and has increased team efficiency.

• Generative AI “co-worker” in the SOC
• Threat hunts performed up to 80% faster using AI assistants
• Mean time to respond reduced by 30%

Engaging the Board on Cyber Risk

Philips emphasizes the importance of engaging NOV’s board of directors on cyber risk. He briefs them on the risk posture and aligns them on why certain controls are necessary. Philips notes that the board views cybersecurity as a core business risk and has increased top-down support.

• Board of directors engaged on cyber risk
• Increased top-down support for cybersecurity
• Cybersecurity viewed as a core business risk

A Final Word

Philips offers several pieces of advice for other CIOs and CISOs:

• Recognize the importance of security transformation and digital transformation
• Focus on separation of duties in identity and access
• Embrace AI carefully but proactively

A Fighting Chance

With Zero Trust, strong identity security, and AI on its side, NOV is well-equipped to take on the evolving threat landscape.

As the tech industry continues to push the boundaries of innovation, it’s no surprise that it’s also facing some of the most sophisticated and impactful cybersecurity challenges. The rapid evolution of threats targeting tech is being accelerated by recent technological developments, making it essential for IT teams to stay ahead of the curve.

1. AI-Assisted Phishing Campaigns: A Growing Concern

The emergence of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT has led to a significant increase in phishing emails. These emails are now more convincing and well-written than ever before, making them more likely to trick victims into clicking on malicious links or downloading malware. To combat this threat, IT teams must adopt a two-pronged approach: leveraging AI-powered recognition and filtration tools to block access to known malicious sites, and providing training to employees on how to recognize and report emerging threats.

• Employ AI-powered tools to reduce phishing effectiveness
• Train employees on recognizing and reporting emerging threats

2. Ransomware as a Service (RaaS): A New Era of Cybercrime

Ransomware has become a staple of cybercrime, but the recent development of RaaS has introduced a new level of sophistication. This business model allows hackers to sell ransomware to affiliate customers, who then carry out attacks. RaaS is challenging to combat due to its decentralized nature, making it harder to track down the creators and users. To mitigate this threat, IT teams can focus on creating multiple secure backups, encrypting crucial data, and network segmentation.

1. Create multiple secure backups
2. Encrypt crucial data
3. Network segmentation

3. Deepfake Social Engineering Scams: The Uncanny Threat

Deepfake scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using AI-generated voice, image, and video to deceive victims. These scams can target anyone, from concerned family members to employees who think they’re talking to their company’s C-suite. To combat this threat, IT teams can use independent identity verification to expose deepfakes and ask victims detailed questions to determine their authenticity.

4. Supply Chain Attacks: A Hidden Vulnerability

Despite having sophisticated cyber defenses, businesses still need to contend with third-party vendors and services whose cybersecurity posture they can’t control. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access or introduce malware into systems. To mitigate this threat, IT teams can vet new tools and services before implementation, limit access to core infrastructure via zero-trust principles, and actively monitor third-party tools for unusual behavior. Evolving Insider Threats: A Growing Concern

Insider threats are becoming increasingly common, driven by a range of motivations, including financial gain and ideological disagreements. Remote employees can be particularly vulnerable to insider threats, as they’re not subject to the same level of monitoring. To mitigate this threat, IT teams can focus on robust access management, including password managers, to ensure centralized password control, granular access permissions, and audit trails.

6. Advanced Persistent Threats via Cloud Infrastructure

Advanced persistent threats are among the most serious and sophisticated threats facing companies today. These threats exploit cloud infrastructure misconfiguration and use the cloud environment to escalate privileges. To mitigate this threat, IT teams can implement cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools to detect and correct misconfigured cloud services, as well as role-based access controls to limit attacker movement.

Conclusion

The tech industry is facing some of the most sophisticated and severe cyber threats, making it essential for companies and IT teams to stay vigilant and take swift action when necessary. By understanding and addressing these emerging threats, IT teams can revolutionize cybersecurity and protect their organizations from the ever-evolving threat landscape.

Cybersecurity has become a global conversation, with threats no longer limited to corporations but now affecting individuals on a personal level. Wiz, an Israeli cybersecurity startup, was acquired by Google for $32 billion, showcasing the importance of identifying a pressing need in the market and mastering the art of winning. Co-founder Assaf Rappaport notes that the “cloud security buzz” began nearly a decade before Wiz was founded, and learning from others’ failures helped the founding team understand how to leverage the cloud’s native capabilities to solve security challenges.

• Mastering the art of cloud security
• Leveraging the cloud’s native capabilities
• Identifying a pressing need in the market

Wiz’s success is a case study in identifying an urgent need in the market and mastering the art of how to win. The company’s founders deeply understood the cloud’s native capabilities, which enabled them to solve security challenges in ways few others could. By focusing on cloud security, Wiz was able to capitalize on the growing demand for cloud security solutions.

Key Takeaways
• Focus on cloud security	• Leverage the cloud’s native capabilities	• Identify a pressing need in the market

A well-executed strategy, combined with flawless execution and brilliant marketing, is essential for any startup looking to achieve long-term success. Wiz’s story is a powerful reminder that breakthrough technology alone is not enough, and that marketing plays a crucial role in turning a product into a game-changing company. The marketing lessons from Wiz can be applied from day one by any startup aiming for long-term impact. By contributing real value to the security community, Wiz built trust at every stage. This is the foundation of what could be called bottom-up marketing. By investing in brand early, Wiz created a strong brand voice, look and tone that made their business evolution clear and compelling. https://www.wiz.ai/about/wiz

Wiz’s Key Features
• Built by security practitioners for security practitioners	• Fast deployment and quick insights	• Original security research	• Strong brand voice, look and tone

The security community’s engagement with Wiz was crucial in building trust and credibility. The company’s message, “built by security practitioners for security practitioners,” resonated deeply with the audience. Wiz’s use of original security research as a primary marketing engine positioned them as thought leaders and educators, not just vendors. A well-executed marketing strategy is essential for any startup looking to achieve long-term success. By emphasizing speed and introducing the “Wiz Security Graph,” Wiz differentiated itself from the competition and forced others to respond. “We didn’t just build a product, we built a blueprint for the future of security,” said Assaf Rappaport. The journey of Wiz is a powerful reminder that when vision, technology, and marketing come together, the result is not magic, but mastery. Real-World Application
While Wiz’s success may seem daunting, the marketing lessons from the company can be applied from day one by any startup aiming for long-term impact. By focusing on cloud security, leveraging the cloud’s native capabilities, and identifying a pressing need in the market, any startup can turn cutting-edge technology into a game-changing company. “When you’re starting a new business, you don’t need a $32 billion acquisition to be successful,” said Assaf Rappaport. The key to success lies in identifying the right people to hear about your product and making them care about it. This requires a well-executed marketing strategy, combined with flawless execution and brilliant marketing. Conclusion
In conclusion, Wiz’s success is a powerful reminder that when vision, technology, and marketing come together, the result is not magic, but mastery. With a well-executed marketing strategy, combined with flawless execution and brilliant marketing, any startup can achieve long-term success. Highlights
* Wiz’s success is a powerful reminder that when vision, technology, and marketing come together, the result is not magic, but mastery. * Focusing on cloud security, leveraging the cloud’s native capabilities, and identifying a pressing need in the market are key to success. * Wiz’s story serves as a blueprint for any cybersecurity startup founder looking to build a powerhouse startup.

I’m Darwin Salazar, Head of Growth and Marketing at Monad and former Detection Engineer in big tech. Each week, I dig through all the major headlines to bring you the latest security product innovation and industry news. Subscribe below for weekly updates!

Google just acquired Wiz for $32B, 5 years after its founding.

If you haven’t been watching closely, you may be asking yourself “How on earth did they achieve that?”. It’s an unprecedented, historic feat that will be talked about and studied for decades.

The X-Factor: Wiz’s Go-To-Market Strategy

I’d argue that they’ve had a greater Go-To-Market run than any other B2B company in recent history, except for maybe Salesforce. As a former competitor to Wiz, a current tech partner through Monad, a market analyst with TCP, and a friend to several Wizards, I’ve had an up-close look at their meteoric rise.

A Decoding of Wiz’s Growth and Marketing Tactics

In this series, I’ll try to decode the exact growth and marketing tactics behind Wiz’s historic exit. In this installment, we’ll dissect their journey from finding Product-Market Fit (PMF) to how they nailed branding that set them apart in a hyper-competitive segment with well-established incumbents.

Perspective

• Wiz achieved $100M in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in August 2022, just 18 months after launch, making it the fastest software company to reach this milestone at the time.
• By May 2023, ARR reached $200M, and by February 2024, it was $350M, with a target of $1B ARR and a future Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• In July 2024, rumors swirled that Google had extended a $23B buyout offer, which was confirmed after Assaf sent a company-wide email stating they’ve turned the offer down to pursue an IPO.
• Their historic ascent ultimately culminated in a $32B acquisition by Google on March 17th, 2025.

Time Machine

Let’s rewind back to 2020 before Wiz was founded. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) had been a product category for 5+ years. The term ‘CNAPP’ didn’t exist. Companies like Palo Alto Networks, Aqua, Sysdig, and Checkpoint controlled the cloud security space.

Decoding Wiz’s Success

So how did Wiz come in, kick the doors down, and capture enough market share to go from 0 to $32B in just 5 years? How did they dethrone incumbents and become the security darling of the world?

Pain Points and Key Ingredients

Of course, in retrospect, Wiz had many key ingredients working in their favor:

1. Strong, proven founding team (Adallom founders + Microsoft Cloud Security Leadership)
2. Great, sticky product
3. Solving deeply felt pain points
4. Timing (founded just as the world goes remote due to COVID-19 + cloud boom)
5. Legendary investors + network effects (Sequoia Capital, Cyberstarts, Index Ventures etc.)
6. Lots of early funding ($480M+ within a year of emerging from stealth)
7. Relentless execution

Decoding the PMF Journey

None of this happens without PMF, so let’s start there. What made Wiz different in a sea of 30+ cloud security tools is that they transformed a fragmented cloud security market of point solutions (CSPM, CWPP, CIEM, IaC scanning etc.) into a unified, user-friendly platform called Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP).

Key Takeaways

Wiz’s unified platform paired with their agentless approach made it super simple and fast to get value. Most cloud workload protection platforms required deploying and maintaining agents on workloads which added additional overhead. Wiz’s agentless approach removed this friction.

1. Wiz placed heavy emphasis on contextualization of security issues which led to their highly successful Wiz Security Graph and ‘Toxic Combinations’ visualizations.
2. Wiz’s unified and contextualized solution allowed security teams to easily onboard, prioritize the most important stuff, and gain a holistic view of potential impact with much less overhead than traditional cloud security tools.

CMO Success Factors

Key takeaways below:

• Stealth Days – Wiz was initially founded as “Beyond Networks” with the intent to build a network security product. 10-15 calls a day with security leaders led to realization that network security was not a burning pain point.
• The founder’s and investor’s deep networks certainly played a key role in the 10-15 calls a day.
• The Magical “Pull” – A strong indicator that you’re headed in the right direction is when feedback goes from “Cool idea, not sure if we have a need for it right now” to “When can we start a PoV/PoC?”.
• Early Sales – Founding team closed ‘a couple million’ in ARR before bringing on their first salesperson.
• Major lesson here is that if the founding team can’t sell the product repeatably end-to-end, it’s wishful thinking that bringing in a salesperson would be able to crack the PMF code for you.
• Product messaging – Must be crystal clear. Abstract it to a level where beginners or outsiders can understand the problem you’re solving and how. Ditch the acronyms. Have a ‘dummy explanation’.
• CMO Success Factors
• Trust from founding team
• Deep connection to the product
• Deep connection to the market
• Experimentation – “Let’s try everything and try to make noise” approach played a huge role in their marketing success.

Branding

Wiz’s branding starts with its name, short for “Wizard” and indicating magic. In an industry where fear, loss, and urgency are top of their customer’s mind, Wiz designed a fun, light-hearted brand with magic as the central theme.

Key Branding Takeaways

Emotional Connection First – Be extremely thoughtful in the feelings you want your brand to evoke. Prioritize inspiring hope over fear.

1. Color Palette – Use colors and designs to signal reliability in a high-stakes industry.
2. Unique Brand Theme – Great brands have themes.
3. Playful Yet Professional – Wiz’s branding is very playful and indicates that the company likes to have fun.
4. Branding Consistency – Wiz ensured consistency across website, product UI, conference booths, swag and everything in between.

Conclusion

There is so much to be learned from Wiz’s acquisition. It’s a masterclass in category creation and proving that a bold GTM strategy, a sticky product, and a magical brand can turn a startup into an industry darling (and $32B) in just five years.

Success Leaves Clues

How can the rest of us apply Wiz’s playbook to redefine our own respective categories?

For More

There’s a ton of fantastic analysis dissecting the deal end-to-end and what it may mean for our industry.

The modern world is witnessing a significant shift towards cloud computing, with its advantages in flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. However, this shift also brings substantial security challenges, including data breaches, compliance risks, and intricate security configurations. As a result, organizations must adopt a structured approach to risk management that ensures resilience, regulatory compliance, and robust protection of cloud-based assets and operations. The NIST RMF (Risk Management Framework) provides a comprehensive approach to managing cloud security risks, integrating tailored controls and compliance measures to address modern cloud architectures while adapting traditional IT risk management principles. By following a structured approach and leveraging emerging technologies, organizations can mitigate risks while fully harnessing the benefits of cloud computing. **Key Principles of the NIST RMF:**

• Cloud-specific risk management: The NIST RMF recognizes the unique risks associated with cloud computing and provides tailored controls to address them.
• Integrated risk management: The framework integrates risk management across all levels of the organization, from cloud infrastructure to cloud applications.
• Compliance with regulatory standards: The NIST RMF ensures compliance with international regulations and standards, such as GDPR and HIPAA.

The NIST RMF follows a structured, seven-step process designed to enhance cloud security while ensuring regulatory compliance. These steps include:

Step 1: Prepare	Define security roles, responsibilities, and cloud-specific risks before implementing the framework.
Step 2: Categorize	Classify cloud systems and data based on their sensitivity, ensuring appropriate security measures are applied.
Step 3: Select	Choose security controls based on system classification and regulatory requirements.
Step 4: Implement	Apply the selected security controls within the cloud infrastructure.
Step 5: Assess	Regularly assess security controls to ensure they are operating effectively.
Step 6: Authorize	Make a risk-based decision to approve cloud system operations.
Step 7: Monitor	Continuously monitor security controls for real-time threat detection and system security.

Implementing the NIST RMF in cloud environments requires adapting security controls to unique challenges such as shared responsibility models, dynamic infrastructure, and compliance with global standards. **Addressing Cloud-Specific Security Challenges:**

• Shared Responsibility Models: Cloud providers and users must clearly define security roles to avoid misconfigurations.
• Dynamic Infrastructure: The cloud’s constantly evolving nature demands real-time risk assessments and automated security solutions.
• Compliance with Global Standards: Organizations must align security measures with international regulations to ensure data protection across jurisdictions.

Emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and automation enhance cloud security by improving NIST RMF implementation. AI-driven threat detection, automated risk assessment, and predictive analytics enable a proactive security approach. Additionally, Zero Trust Architecture strengthens security by enforcing continuous verification of access credentials, reducing vulnerabilities. These innovations help organizations detect and mitigate risks more efficiently, ensuring robust protection against evolving cyber threats in cloud environments. **The Role of Emerging Technologies in Cloud Security:**

• AI-driven Threat Detection: AI-powered systems can detect threats in real-time, enabling proactive security measures.
• Automated Risk Assessment: Automated risk assessments reduce the need for manual analysis, streamlining the risk management process.
• Predictive Analytics: Predictive analytics enable organizations to anticipate and prepare for potential threats.

As cloud technologies advance, risk management strategies must evolve accordingly. Organizations are shifting to hybrid and multi-cloud environments, demanding more adaptable security frameworks. The future of cloud risk management will see the adoption of quantum-resistant encryption, advanced identity management, and AI-driven security analytics. These innovations will enhance threat detection, streamline access control, and safeguard sensitive data against emerging cyber risks. The Future of Cloud Risk Management
The future of cloud risk management will be shaped by the adoption of emerging technologies and the increasing complexity of cloud ecosystems. Organizations must be prepared to adapt to these changes and invest in proactive security measures to ensure resilience and compliance in an increasingly complex cloud environment. Conclusion
In conclusion, the implementation of the NIST RMF in cloud environments is a crucial step toward enhancing cybersecurity, ensuring compliance, and managing evolving threats. As cloud technologies continue to advance, it is essential to prioritize proactive security measures to ensure the protection of sensitive data and the integrity of cloud-based assets and operations.