What is CSPM — and do you actually need it?
If you use AWS, Azure, or GCP — even for just a few workloads — you’ve likely heard the term CSPM.
But what exactly is Cloud Security Posture Management? And do you actually need it?
This guide breaks it down in plain English.
What is CSPM?
CSPM stands for Cloud Security Posture Management. It's a category of tools that:
Continuously scan your cloud environment (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Identify misconfigurations and security risks
Help you stay compliant with frameworks like GDPR, ISO 27001, or CIS Benchmarks
It answers a simple question: Is your cloud configured securely — right now?
Why CSPM matters
Modern cloud platforms are powerful but complex. It’s easy to:
Leave a storage bucket public by accident
Give users more access than they need
Skip a security setting during a rushed deploy
These mistakes create invisible vulnerabilities. And since most teams don’t have full-time cloud security experts, these issues often go unnoticed.
CSPM fixes that by giving you visibility into what’s misconfigured and how to fix it.
Common issues CSPM detects
Publicly accessible S3 or Blob buckets
Over-permissive IAM roles
Exposed databases or admin panels
Unused access keys and credentials
Misaligned resources vs compliance benchmarks (CIS, GDPR, ISO)
With Tresal, these issues are flagged automatically with explanations and suggested remediations.
Do you actually need CSPM?
You probably do if:
You use any public cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP)
You manage infrastructure as code (IaC) without security gates
You don’t have a full-time security team
You need to prove compliance (or avoid fines)
You might not need it if:
You run 100% on-prem infrastructure
You’re already using a CSPM solution that works well
You’re in a highly locked-down, audited environment
But for most growing teams — especially startups or lean IT teams — CSPM is a low-effort way to gain confidence in your cloud setup.
How CSPM fits into your security stack
CSPM doesn’t replace firewalls or vulnerability scanners. It complements them.
Tool | Focus |
CSPM | Misconfigurations in the cloud |
ASM (Tresal) | External exposures & shadow IT |
Vulnerability scanner | Known software CVEs |
Firewall/WAF | Traffic filtering & intrusion |
Tresal combines CSPM + ASM, so you see both:
What’s exposed (attack surface)
What’s misconfigured (posture)
Final verdict
If you have cloud assets, you need to know:
What’s publicly exposed
What’s misconfigured
What to fix first
That’s exactly what CSPM helps with.
And with tools like Tresal, you don’t need a security background to use it.
Know what’s exposed. Fix what matters. Stay compliant.