How to Maintain Cloud Compliance When Migrating to the Cloud

How to Maintain Cloud Compliance When Migrating to the Cloud

The move to the cloud is no longer a question of if, but when. For commercial organisations, the promise is clear: agility, scalability, and the ability to innovate at pace. But along with opportunity comes a challenge that can derail the entire project; maintaining security and regulatory compliance throughout migration and beyond.

Migrating sensitive data and critical workloads without a robust compliance strategy is like navigating a minefield blindfolded. The risks are significant: regulatory fines under frameworks like GDPR or HIPAA, contractual penalties, and reputational damage that can take years to repair.

At Defended Solutions, we believe a secure and compliant migration is the only kind worth doing. Here is our guide to maintaining cloud compliance at every stage.

Phase 1: The Blueprint — Pre-Migration Strategy

Success is determined long before the first byte of data is moved. A meticulous planning phase is the foundation of a compliant migration.

Know Your Regulatory Landscape
Identify every regulation that governs your data. GDPR for EU citizen data, HIPAA for healthcare, PCI DSS for payment processing. These frameworks dictate the controls and architectural choices you’ll need in the cloud.

Data Classification is Non-Negotiable
Not all data is equal. Map and classify your data into categories such as Public, Internal, Confidential, and Restricted. This ensures your most sensitive assets get the highest level of protection.

Vet Your Cloud Service Provider (CSP)
Your CSP is a compliance partner. Review their certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II) and confirm that their infrastructure meets your regulatory requirements. Their compliance documentation should be both current and accessible.

Read our guide on how to choose a cloud provider.

Phase 2: The Execution

With the plan in place, execution must keep compliance front and centre.

Understand the Shared Responsibility Model
Your provider is responsible for security of the cloud: the data centres, infrastructure, and core services. You are responsible for security in the cloud: configuration, access control, and data protection. Misunderstanding this split is a leading cause of breaches.

We break down the shared responsibility model so you can understand where your providers responsibility ends and yours begins.

Encrypt Everything, Everywhere
Data must be protected in transit and at rest. Use strong encryption protocols and the native encryption tools your CSP provides.

Maintain Continuous Visibility
Implement logging and monitoring to track data flows, user activity, and security events in real time. This is essential for detecting anomalies and enforcing policy during migration.

Phase 3: The New Normal — Post-Migration Vigilance

Reaching the cloud is not the end of the journey. Compliance must be maintained over time.

Automate Compliance and Monitoring
Manual checks cannot keep up with cloud’s pace. Use cloud-native and third-party tools to automate configuration checks, permission audits, and vulnerability scans.

Lock Down Configurations
Misconfigurations are one of the biggest causes of breaches. Apply Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) to enforce secure-by-default settings and prevent exposure.

Train Your People
Everyone who interacts with the cloud environment has a role in maintaining compliance. Regular training for developers, IT teams, and end-users is essential.

Your Partner in Compliant Cloud Migration

Navigating the complexity of a cloud migration while meeting industry-specific compliance requirements demands expertise. At Defended Solutions, we design and implement migration strategies that build compliance into every stage, so you can realise the benefits of the cloud without compromising security or trust.

Book a call now to discuss how we can help manage your cloud migration.

FAQs

• What is cloud compliance?

  Cloud compliance means ensuring that your cloud environment meets all relevant regulatory, legal, and contractual security requirements for your industry and location.

• Who is responsible for compliance in the cloud?

  Both the cloud service provider and the customer share responsibility. The provider secures the infrastructure, while the customer must configure services, manage access, and protect data in line with regulations.

• How do I keep data secure during migration?

  Use strong encryption for data in transit and at rest, enforce strict access controls, and maintain visibility with logging and monitoring tools throughout the migration process.

• What are the biggest compliance risks when moving to the cloud?

  The most common risks include misconfigurations, overly permissive access, unencrypted sensitive data, and a lack of continuous monitoring after migration.