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Aborisade opens up on Growing Imperative of a “Security-First” Approach
By Tosin Clegg
The migration to the public cloud has delivered unprecedented gains in scalability and efficiency, but it has also introduced a new set of complex security challenges.
As businesses race to adopt cloud-native technologies, the imperative to secure these dynamic environments has never been greater. In this context, the work of engineers like Omotola Aborisade, an AWS DevOps specialist at Pro-Core Plus, offers a case study in how a “security-first” mindset can safeguard a company’s most valuable digital assets.
His contributions highlight the critical need for robust, proactive security measures in a landscape where vulnerabilities can appear in an instant.
“The public cloud is not inherently secure; it is the responsibility of the user to build a secure environment within it,” Aborisade cautions. This simple statement encapsulates the fundamental challenge facing modern IT teams. While cloud providers offer a shared responsibility model for security, the onus of protecting data, applications, and identities falls squarely on the customer. Aborisade’s work is dedicated to fulfilling this responsibility by embedding security into every layer of the infrastructure.
One of his key contributions has been the establishment of a rigorous access control framework. “The principle of least privilege is non-negotiable,” he asserts. “We grant no more access than is absolutely necessary for a user or a service to perform its function. It’s a simple concept, but it’s often overlooked, and it is a leading cause of data breaches.” By meticulously configuring Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies, he has helped to create a system where the blast radius of a potential compromise is dramatically reduced.
In addition to internal controls, his team has focused on securing the network perimeter. The provisioning and maintenance of secure site-to-site VPN tunnels, connecting a company’s on-premises network to the cloud, is a critical task. “It’s about creating a private, encrypted conduit for data,” Aborisade explains. “Without it, companies risk exposing their internal traffic to the public internet, which is a significant security risk. Our role is to build a trusted bridge that allows for seamless but secure data exchange.”
Aborisade’s work is also a testament to the power of automation in enhancing security. He uses infrastructure-as-code tools to ensure that all cloud environments are provisioned in a consistent and secure manner. “When you rely on manual processes, you introduce the risk of human error,” he says. “A developer might forget a security group rule, or an administrator might leave a port open. Automated scripts don’t make those mistakes. They ensure every deployment is compliant with our security standards, every single time.”
He is also a strong proponent of “shifting security left,” a practice that integrates security testing into the early stages of the development lifecycle. “We can’t afford to wait until a product is ready for deployment to check for vulnerabilities,” he notes. “By implementing automated security checks in our CI/CD pipelines, we can catch issues in the code before they even make it to the testing environment. It’s much more efficient and much less costly to fix a problem at that stage.”
The focus on continuous security is not just a technical exercise; it’s a cultural shift. Aborisade’s team works to foster an environment where every member understands their role in protecting the company’s assets. “Security is not a single person’s job; it is a shared responsibility,” he states. “We encourage our developers to think like hackers, to constantly question the security of their code. That kind of shared ownership makes the entire system more resilient.”
His work also underscores the importance of ongoing professional development in the security field. “The threat landscape is constantly changing,” he observes. “New vulnerabilities are discovered every day. You have to be a lifelong student to stay ahead of the curve. What was secure yesterday might not be secure today, and a new certification is often a signal that a professional has kept up with the latest trends.”
The stakes of getting cloud security wrong are immense. A single data breach can lead to significant financial losses, damage to a company’s reputation, and a loss of customer trust. Aborisade’s work is dedicated to preventing these outcomes by building resilient and secure cloud foundations. He is a key contributor to the security of Pro-Core Plus’s client projects, ensuring that they can operate with confidence in the cloud.
His insights extend beyond his day-to-day responsibilities. He regularly participates in internal workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions, educating his colleagues on best practices in cloud security. He believes that building a community of security-conscious professionals is the best defence against ever-evolving threats.
Ultimately, Aborisade’s approach to cloud security is a clear-eyed and pragmatic one. It acknowledges the immense benefits of the public cloud while also addressing its inherent risks. His work serves as a reminder that in the rush to innovate, security must always remain a top priority. He is a testament to the fact that security is not a barrier to progress but an essential enabler of it.
