Catching the ghost in the machine: Adapting threat detection to cloud speed

The ghost in the machine flourishes within complexity, taking advantage of disconnected systems, limited visibility, and vulnerabilities in identity to remain undetected. To counter this, organizations should adopt strategies that merge sophisticated detection tools with streamlined operations.

The swift embrace of cloud technology has revolutionized business operations, providing scalability, flexibility, and avenues for innovation. Yet, this shift has also brought a critical challenge: the ghost in the machine—stealthy and adaptive threats that leverage the complexity and vastness of cloud environments to avoid detection, creating substantial risks for organizations.

Unlike the static, on-premises systems of the past, cloud environments are constantly changing. Applications are transient, data moves among platforms, and the attack surface expands with each new service or misconfigured setting. As a result, security teams often struggle to keep up with the speed and scope of these environments, creating opportunities for attackers to blend in and avoid detection. These factors have made the cloud a fertile ground for sophisticated threat actors who leverage automation and identity compromise to strike at critical systems.

Evolving threats in the cloud

Modern cloud environments have transformed attacker operations. Unlike traditional data centers with infrequent updates, clear network boundaries, and precise threat detection rules, the cloud offers a dynamic landscape. Applications are frequently redeployed, workloads constantly shift, and identity systems create new vulnerabilities.

James Condon, director of Fortinet Lacework Labs, explains how attackers have evolved alongside these changes: “Early cloud threats were often tied to misconfigurations, like exposed S3 buckets or open databases. As organizations addressed these weaknesses, attackers began targeting identities and stealing credentials to navigate cloud environments undetected and access sensitive data or resources.”

Identity compromise is now the most common entry point for cloud breaches. Attackers often exploit weak credentials, phishing campaigns, or misconfigured permissions to infiltrate systems. Once inside, they behave like legitimate users, making their activities difficult to distinguish from normal operations. Meanwhile, the sheer scale of hybrid and multi-cloud environments, each with its configurations and logs, can overwhelm security teams and create blind spots attackers can exploit.

The challenge of visibility and integration

The complexity of cloud environments significantly heightens security challenges. Hybrid and multi-cloud setups typically rely on a mix of tools for networking, monitoring, and threat detection, many of which are not integrated. This fragmentation hampers centralized visibility, requiring security teams to manually compile insights, which ultimately slows down response times.

This fragmented approach has created what Frank Dixon, group vice president for security and trust at IDC, described in a recent Fortinet Cloud Summit as a “self-inflicted” problem. “As organizations adopted cloud technologies, they layered new tools on top of existing systems without considering how they would work together. Now, they’re dealing with complexity that hinders their ability to respond to threats effectively.”

The rise of integrated threat detection

Organizations need integrated solutions to match the cloud’s speed and complexity. Threat detection should move from static, rule-based approaches to dynamic systems using real-time analytics and automation.

Unified visibility and contextual insights. Centralized visibility is the foundation of effective cloud security. Solutions must aggregate data from multiple environments—on-premises systems, cloud platforms, and SaaS applications—into a single, coherent view. This allows security teams to detect unusual behaviors, such as anomalies in API calls or unexpected lateral movements. Behavioral analytics, which identifies deviations from normal activity, is particularly effective for spotting identity-based attacks that might otherwise blend in.

Integrated platforms. The shift toward integrated platforms is critical for reducing complexity and improving efficiency. Dixon notes, “The term ‘platform’ isn’t about a single tool but rather the seamless integration of multiple solutions that work together out of the box.” This approach reduces training requirements, simplifies management, and ensures faster, coordinated responses to threats. An ideal platform must empower organizations to both see and secure seamlessly.

Automated detection and response. Automation is essential in addressing the scale of cloud operations. AI-driven systems can process and correlate telemetry in real time, identifying threats faster than manual methods. Automation also enables immediate responses, such as isolating compromised instances or revoking access for stolen credentials, limiting the damage attackers can inflict.

Catching the ghost in the machine

The ghost in the machine exploits complexity, fragmented systems, and weak identities to avoid detection. To counter it, organizations must pair advanced detection with operational simplicity.

James Condon emphasizes using layered detection methods—behavioral analysis, anomaly detection, and threat intelligence—to filter real threats from noise. A graph-based model mapping relationships between users, resources, and activities adds an edge in uncovering hidden risks.

 Unified platforms spanning networks, endpoints, and cloud environments offer the strongest defense. By enhancing visibility, automation, and integration, these solutions help neutralize threats before escalation. This approach allows organizations to outpace attackers and disrupt the ghost’s operations.

As cloud environments advance, the ghost remains a constant threat. However, with robust tools and strategies, teams can adapt to the cloud’s demands and transform its complexity into resilience.

 Condon concludes that while the ghost tests our defenses, a focus on integration, real-time analytics, and proactive detection can turn challenges into opportunities for innovation and security.

In hybrid and multi-cloud landscapes, defeating the ghost is essential for success in today’s dynamic digital world.