Google Cloud is marketing itself as a separate, dedicated security entity
Google is making a significant push to enhance its security offerings for enterprise customers, aiming to become a one-stop shop for cybersecurity solutions.
The tech giant is continuously applying fuzzing to 550 of the most commonly-used open source projects, discovering at least 36,000 vulnerabilities as of January 2022. This proactive approach to uncovering potential weaknesses is part of Google's commitment to improving the security of the open source software supply chain.
In a bid to further bolster its security capabilities, Google has agreed to acquire Mandiant, a leading incident response firm. This acquisition is seen as a significant opportunity for Google, as Mandiant's threat intelligence will complement Google's AI capabilities, potentially revolutionising proactive threat defences.
Google has also unveiled the Assured Open Source Software service, designed to strengthen and validate the open source software supply chain. The service aims to provide organisations with the confidence they need to adopt open source software without compromising on security.
The influx of cybercriminals and stricter regulatory requirements present Google with an opportunity to improve its security offerings. In response, Google has introduced Security Foundation, a service that provides blueprints and guidance to help organisations validate configurations and overcome challenges presented by the cybersecurity talent shortage.
Google's Security Foundation service is followed by the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Action Team, a group dedicated to addressing the most critical areas of cybersecurity. The team is currently focusing on developing new security tools to address areas such as telemetry.
Google's efforts to improve its security offerings have not gone unnoticed. Forrester Analyst Allie Mellen believes Google is making improvements to its security capabilities, while IDC research manager Philip Bues suggests that the combination of Mandiant's threat intelligence and Google's AI capabilities could be a game changer for proactive threat defenses.
Google has also introduced BeyondCorp Enterprise Essentials to help organisations implement zero-trust architecture in third-party clouds, client applications, and the Chrome browser. This move is part of Google's push towards a zero-trust architecture, which involves integrating data-loss prevention, malware and phishing protection, and URL filtering in the Chrome browser.
Google's emphasis on security comes as it faces competition from Microsoft, which is considered a powerhouse in the security space. However, Google is not deterred and pledges an initial $30 million to make open source software more secure. Google claims to be the first company to release open source software security as a product.
In addition to the acquisition of Mandiant and the launch of the Assured Open Source Software service, Google has also acquired Siemplify for security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR). This acquisition will further strengthen Google's security offerings and position it as a formidable player in the cybersecurity market.
As cybersecurity becomes every organisation's biggest risk and the risk continues to grow, Google is committed to helping organisations navigate this challenging landscape. The company's recent initiatives demonstrate its dedication to enhancing its security offerings and providing organisations with the tools they need to protect against cyber threats.
