Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a global frontrunner in cybersecurity innovation, has unveiled its 2025 Cloud Security Report, painting a stark picture of the challenges organizations face in securing modern cloud environments. Drawing from a global survey of over 900 CISOs and IT decision-makers, the report reveals alarming gaps in detection, response, and readiness—exacerbated by outdated strategies, fragmented tools, and an overwhelming volume of security alerts.
The findings show that 65% of organizations experienced a cloud-related security incident over the past year—an increase from 61% the previous year. Despite the prevalence of breaches, only 9% were detected within the first hour, while a mere 6% were contained or remediated in that window, leaving critical infrastructure exposed for hours or even days. In fact, 62% of incidents took more than 24 hours to remediate.
As cloud adoption accelerates—spanning edge, hybrid, and multi-cloud architectures—many enterprises remain tethered to legacy perimeter defenses ill-suited to these sprawling ecosystems. The result is a growing vulnerability that threat actors are exploiting with increasing sophistication, particularly through AI-driven attacks and undetected lateral movement within cloud networks.
Paul Barbosa, Vice President of Cloud Security at Check Point, noted, “Security teams are chasing an ever-moving target. As environments grow more complex and threats become more intelligent, relying on siloed tools and legacy systems is simply no longer viable.”
According to the report, 71% of organizations are juggling more than ten different cloud security tools, with 16% using over 50—an operational burden that fuels alert fatigue. Over half of respondents reported facing nearly 500 alerts daily, making it nearly impossible for security teams to respond effectively. Alarmingly, most cloud security incidents were identified not by automated systems but through employee reports, audits, or external alerts—underscoring a critical failure in real-time detection mechanisms.
Another key vulnerability lies in application security. Despite evolving threat landscapes, 61% of respondents still depend on outdated, signature-based Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), which are inadequate against sophisticated, AI-enhanced threats. While 68% of organizations acknowledge AI as a top priority for defense, only 25% feel adequately prepared to counter AI-powered attacks, revealing a dangerous capability gap.
Visibility into lateral movement within cloud environments remains a major blind spot. Just 17% of organizations report having full transparency into east-west traffic—an essential factor in stopping attackers who have already breached the perimeter.
Internal challenges further compound the risk. Over half of respondents cited rapid technological change as a key hurdle, while 49% pointed to a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Fragmented platforms and poor integration also slow detection and response, hampering effective defense strategies.
In response to these findings, Check Point is calling for a decisive shift toward decentralized, prevention-first cloud security models. The company advocates for consolidation of tools, adoption of AI-enhanced threat detection, and deployment of real-time telemetry across all cloud environments. Through platforms like Check Point CloudGuard and the Infinity Architecture, organizations can unify their cloud security operations, automate response protocols, and maintain consistent policies—regardless of provider or infrastructure.
Deryck Mitchelson, Global CISO at Check Point, summed up the urgency: “Cloud transformation is racing ahead of our defenses. With adversaries acting in minutes and defenders reacting in days, the widening detection gap is becoming a threat in itself. It’s imperative that CISOs retool their approach—consolidate, gain visibility, and embrace automation to regain control.”
