Buyer’s Guide
How to choose a cloud security posture management (CSPM) tool — the capabilities that matter for finding and fixing cloud exposure across AWS, Azure and GCP.
Definition
A cloud security posture management (CSPM) tool continuously assesses cloud environments for misconfigurations, exposed resources and policy violations, then helps teams remediate them. Because misconfiguration is the leading cause of cloud data exposure, the best CSPM tools combine broad cloud coverage with risk-based prioritisation and, ideally, an external view of what is genuinely reachable from the internet. This guide covers what to weigh when comparing them.
Why it matters
Cloud estates change constantly and a single misconfigured resource can expose sensitive data. With most cloud breaches traced to misconfiguration rather than sophisticated attacks, continuous CSPM is now essential to cloud security and compliance.
Key criteria
Consistent assessment across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.
Detects storage, identity, network and service misconfigurations.
Confirms what is genuinely internet-reachable, not just configured.
Ranks findings by real-world, exploitable impact.
Fast time-to-value without deploying agents everywhere.
Maps findings to frameworks like CIS, ISO 27001 and Essential Eight.
How it works
List the accounts and providers you need covered.
Compare how each tool finds real, reachable exposures.
Assess how well it separates critical risk from noise.
Compliance mapping, reporting, integrations and data residency.
Related
FAQ
Multi-cloud coverage, deep misconfiguration detection, external reachability validation, risk-based prioritisation, agentless deployment and compliance mapping.
CSPM focuses on cloud configuration and exposure; CNAPP is a broader suite that bundles CSPM with workload protection and more.
The best external CSPM tools assess cloud exposure agentlessly, with connected accounts adding depth.
At minimum AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
See your AWS, Azure and GCP exposure the way an attacker does — book a demo.
