How to Audit the Security of Your Cloud Infrastructure

Introduction : why audit cloud security

With the generalization of cloud computing and the growing complexity of hybrid infrastructures, the security of cloud environments has become a strategic issue for all companies.
Threats evolve, regulations harden, and architectures multiply between several suppliers.

Conducting a comprehensive security audit of its cloud infrastructure allows for :

detect vulnerabilities before they are exploited ;
ensure compliance with standards (ISO 27001, ISO 27017, GDPR, HDS) ;
strengthen the trust of customers and partners.

A cloud security audit is not a one-time exercise, but an ongoing process of governance and improvement. Here are the key steps to follow.

1. Define the Scope and Objectives

Before starting, define what your cloud security audit will cover :

• Which cloud platforms (private, public, hybrid) are in scope?
• Which data and applications are critical?
• What risks are you assessing: compliance, resilience, access control, storage?

A clear definition of the shared responsibility model is crucial: while your provider secures the underlying infrastructure, your organization is responsible for configurations, identities, and data.

Read more: IT infrastructure - Cloud computing - Security

2. Map and inventory cloud resources

The first operational step is to draw up a comprehensive inventory of cloud-hosted assets :

• virtual machines, containers, databases, storages ;
• users, service accounts and API keys ;
• network connections, VPN, firewalls, proxies.

This inventory provides a clear view of the dependencies and the exhibition area.
Companies with multiple environments (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OpenStack, or sovereign private cloud like UNIVIRTUAL) must unify this visibility through centralized monitoring tools.

3. Assess Core Security Controls

Your cloud security audit should validate essential protection measures.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Enforce least-privilege access.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Review obsolete roles and access policies.

Data Encryption

• Ensure encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest (AES-256).
• Verify proper key management and rotation.

Network Security

• Segment internal/external network zones.
• Filter IP ranges and monitor east-west traffic.
• Review VPN and firewall configurations.

Vulnerability Management

• Keep systems patched.
• Run automated vulnerability scans.
• Log and monitor all security events.

UNIVIRTUAL integrates these controls in its solutions Cybersecurity and SOS Cyberattack

4. Verify compliance and governance

The audit must also ensure regulatory compliance and internal policy coherence :

5. Identify cloud-specific vulnerabilities and risks

The main flaws observed during cloud audits include :

• bad configurations (public storage, open ports, excessive duties) ;
• orphaned or not revoked accounts ;
• lack of encryption on certain resources ;
• lack of supervision or active alerts ;
• shadow IT (resources created without validation).

Each vulnerability must be classified according to its severity and probability of exploitation, in order to prioritize corrective actions.

6. Define a remediation and monitoring plan

An audit does not stop at the detection of risks : it must lead to a measurable action plan.
Priority actions may include :

• the correction of faulty configurations ;
• the update of access policies ;
• the segmentation of the network ;
• the automation of multi-zone backups and restores.

At UNIVIRTUAL, each audit is followed by a detailed compliance report and personalized support to correct or strengthen the identified measures.

7. Establish Continuous and Proactive Auditing

Cloud security is not static. Environments are constantly evolving; each new resource, update or integration can create a risk.
That is why it is recommended to :

• Perform a full audit annually
• Conduct quarterly spot checks
• Integrate security early (DevSecOps approach)

Automated tools such as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) ensure continuous compliance and early threat detection.

Conclusion

Auditing cloud security means protecting more than servers—it safeguards your business continuity, regulatory compliance, and customer trust.

UNIVIRTUAL supports European companies with sovereign, high-performance, and fully audited cloud solutions, hosted in Tier IV, ISO 27001, and HDS certified data centers in Switzerland and France.

Read more:

• Audit & Consulting Infrastructure IT – Cloud Computing – Security
• Prevent and Anticipate Cyber Threats