Cloud security noise has reached an unsustainable level. Organizations in just 12 months have seen a staggering 235% increase in high-severity alerts, driven in large part by missing context along the cloud network path. Security teams face a volume problem created not by a lack of controls, but by an inability to see how those controls operate in practice.
Most cloud security tools evaluate exposure in isolation. An application with a route to the internet appears exposed, so it triggers an alert. Network reality often tells a different story. A next-generation firewall may already sit in that path, actively inspecting and blocking malicious traffic. Without visibility into that control, security tools overstate risk and misdirect attention.
Operational friction follows. Cloud security teams chase false positives tied to assets that already have effective protection. Network teams field validation requests to confirm posture they already understand. Alert fatigue sets in, and response cycles stretch without improving security outcomes.
Cortex® Cloud™ now detects Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls deployed in cloud network paths and incorporates that intelligence directly into exposure management. Network security context becomes part of the risk decision, allowing teams to distinguish between true exposure and mitigated risk.
Where Cloud Security Gains Network Security Context
Exposure management does not fail at detection. Prioritization breaks down when findings lack environmental context. Security teams need to know which internet-reachable assets represent real business risk and which sit behind effective controls.
Cortex Cloud integrates VM-Series firewall data to present a validated view of the attack path. Security teams see not only that an application is reachable, but also whether Layer 7 inspection stands between the asset and the internet. Remediation efforts shift toward unprotected paths that genuinely increase attack surface.
Automate Discovery and Classification
Cortex Cloud automatically identifies VM-Series firewall instances and registers them as formal security controls within the inventory. The platform captures metadata such as protected VPCs and subnets without requiring tagging, rule changes, or custom configuration.
Security posture reflects deployed reality rather than assumptions.
Protection Visibility in Complex Architectures
Modern cloud networks rarely follow simple ingress models. Firewalls often sit behind Gateway Load Balancers operating in isolated mode, a deployment pattern that many cloud security tools fail to interpret.
Cortex Cloud verifies protection even in these architectures. Security teams gain confidence that controls operate as designed, regardless of network topology.
From Fragmented Views to a Single Source of Truth
Mature security programs pair cloud-native application protection with network-level enforcement. Visibility gaps emerge when those domains operate independently.
By correlating cloud exposure with network enforcement, Cortex Cloud establishes a shared operational view. Cloud teams understand which controls mitigate risk. Network teams see confirmation that protections align with intended coverage.
From Inherent Risk to Residual Risk
An internet-exposed workload carries high inherent risk in isolation. When traffic flows through a VM-Series firewall performing Layer 7 inspection, that risk changes materially.
Cortex Cloud factors compensating controls into prioritization. A high-severity vulnerability no longer triggers unnecessary escalation when enforcement already neutralizes the threat. Security teams focus on exposure that remains actionable rather than statistically alarming.
Drive Effective Remediation
Effective security doesn’t require immediate patching in every scenario. Operational reality often demands phased remediation.
Layer 7 inspection provides protection while teams address underlying issues. Risk decreases before the final fix lands, and the business stays protected during remediation windows.
Eliminate Friction Between Teams
Siloed tooling erodes trust between cloud and network teams. Conflicting signals create unnecessary handoffs and validation cycles.
Unified context changes the dynamic. Teams operate from the same validated understanding of what remains exposed, what is mitigated, and where effort delivers the greatest risk reduction.
Turning Shared Context into Stronger Security
Accurate exposure management depends on knowing which risks persist after controls apply. Network context transforms alert volume into informed decisions.
With integrated firewall visibility, teams reduce blind spots, cut false positives, and direct attention to unprotected attack paths that matter. Security posture strengthens without increasing operational load.
Cortex Cloud Exposure Management with VM-Series integration is available to all Cortex customers.
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