Balancing Cloud Security and Cost: How Do You Manage It?

There’s no way around it; you're gonna have to prioritize. If management asks for certain costs, let them know that implementing various security features will inevitably add to expenses. They need to see that you can't have it all—lower costs and peak security don’t usually go hand in hand.

Sometimes, placing more emphasis on risk prevention rather than just detection can save both time and resources. The less you have to chase down issues, the smoother your deployment processes can be.

You could adopt a tiered logging strategy. Not all logs need to be retained indefinitely in expensive storage. For instance, store critical security events in short-term, pricier storage, and move other logs to more affordable options later on. This way, you can keep costs down while still addressing compliance needs.

Start by clearly identifying and documenting the risks you face in your setup. Then, assess the costs associated with reducing those risks versus the potential for compliance issues. Don't forget to list which risks you're willing to accept and which ones absolutely need to be managed.

It's all about trade-offs in engineering. You can't have everything just right without some downside. You might find it more cost-effective to go with a SaaS solution rather than piecing together a bunch of open-source tools that only cover 80% of your needs.