Last updated June 2, 2025.
Cloud migrations allow organizations to leverage the full power of the cloud. Yet cloud migrations aren’t without security risks. As Forbes reports, 94% of cloud customers were targeted every month in 2023—while 62% of them were successfully compromised.
Whether you use a partner for cloud managed services or handle things in-house, those are startling numbers. They highlight the fact that organizations must place cybersecurity at the core of every technology initiative, including cloud migrations.
But what does it take to migrate to the cloud securely? How do you leverage the benefits of cloud hosting while securing your data, your users, and your systems?
Here’s everything we’ve learned in working with 1,000+ clients for cloud consulting, cybersecurity, managed services, and more.
1. Assess risk on existing systems first
If you’re retiring an on-premises system, does it really matter what security risks that system creates? Aren’t you retiring those risks?
In a sense, yes. But some risks may be inherent to the function of the system that’s migrating to the cloud. It’s worth assessing all such risks. Doing so will help you see if you’re going to “migrate existing risks” to the cloud.
Which leads us to our next step.
2. Understand if you’re going to migrate existing risks to the cloud
Among cloud migration strategies, it isn’t always advisable to “forklift” a system (i.e. to rebuild it in the cloud with the same architecture). But if you’re looking at this migration strategy, you want to proceed with caution. You could end up migrating your existing risk into the cloud.
Even if you’re not rebuilding an entire architecture in the cloud, you’ll want to have a full understanding of how your migration may give extended life to existing risks from your on-premises systems. If you’re working with a cloud managed service provider like Corsica Technologies, we can help you get the full picture.
Of course, security doesn’t end with your existing systems. Which leads us to our next step.
3. Understand your cloud service provider’s default security measures
Believe it or not, cloud systems aren’t necessarily optimized for your security needs by default. Different organizations and industries have different requirements, which means cloud systems must be configured and managed to ensure proper security within your operational context.
That said, you should definitely examine your cloud service provider’s default security measures and configuration options. Here are some of the most important things you should look at.
- Support for regulatory compliance. Is your industry governed by HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, or another cybersecurity regulatory framework? Make sure your chosen cloud service provider has full capabilities in this area.
- Infrastructure security. Ask tough questions about your cloud service provider’s firewalls, maintenance and management practices, permission structures, and email encryption.
- Backup and disaster recovery protocols and systems. What happens if your cloud service provider loses all data from a server? Make sure you understand their backup and recovery terms fully.
- Customer testimonials and referrals. What is the provider’s record and reputation in terms of security? It’s especially helpful to get testimonials and referrals from customers in your industry.
4. Assess net-new risks that may arise after migration
Any change to your overall data landscape will change your cybersecurity posture. This means you need to assess any net-new risks that will emerge after you launch your new cloud system.
Broadly speaking, these potential risks fall into several categories.
- Expanded network perimeter. There’s no way around it—new cloud system will grow your network perimeter. Whether this is your first cloud migration, or you’re already familiar with the world of hybrid cloud management, this change will come with new security requirements.
- “Soft center” vulnerabilities. How hard is it for a hacker to move within your network once they’ve gained access? It should be difficult, but legacy architectures and cybersecurity implementations may have a hard outer perimeter with a soft center. The answer is to move toward a Zero Trust strategy.
- User accounts and permissions. Your new cloud system will come with its own user accounts and permissions. These will require the right cybersecurity controls. Typically, that includes MFA (multi-factor authentication), strong password rules, Azure Active Directory integration, and permissions that adhere to the principle of least privilege.
- Supply-chain vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity doesn’t end with the systems under your organization’s control. The interconnected nature of today’s world means that hackers can compromise a connected system outside your control, then use that access to breach your systems. This is called a supply chain attack. You’ll want to understand any supply chain vulnerabilities that a cloud service provider may present—so you can make appropriate decisions.
5. Create your risk mitigation plan
Once you have a clear picture of your risk landscape, you can build a plan to mitigate those risks in an orderly fashion. It’s important to take this step and not just dive into implementing your changes. You want to ensure that every item is covered. You also want to start with higher-impact changes and move to lower-impact changes in descending order. This helps you get the maximum increase in cybersecurity quickly.
Of course, if you don’t have cybersecurity expertise on staff, it may not be clear how to build this plan. A cloud managed services provider like Corsica can assist with prioritization and implementation of new security controls.
6. Implement, manage, and maintain your plan
It’s one thing to create that risk mitigation plan. But who’s going to implement it?
And after each successive implementation, who’s going to manage and maintain your new systems, controls, and protocols?
If you have cybersecurity staff, this falls under their domain. But if you don’t, you’re going to need help.
Here at Corsica Technologies, we handle all aspects of a cloud migration—from planning to implementation and ongoing support. And because we have cybersecurity experts on staff, we provide a strong security foundation every step of the way. Reach out to us today to help with your cloud migration and keep your data, systems, and users secure.
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