Bukunmi Ofili Talks About How Cloud Security Shapes America’s National Interests and Addresses It as the Frontline of the Nation’s Future

By: Adeyemi Joshua

Cloud Security is a national necessity. Bukunmi Ofili explains that cloud security is no longer an internal IT issue but a matter of national strength. The American economy, defense establishment, and democratic institutions all depend on digital infrastructure that is now rooted in the cloud. The lesson from recent years is clear: without secure cloud environments, the country’s ability to innovate, govern, and defend itself is at risk.

Why Cloud Security Matters for U.S. Interests

The integration of cloud computing and robust security measures is indispensable for advancing U.S. national interests. Cloud computing has become the backbone of modern digital infrastructure, enabling rapid data processing, intelligence analysis, seamless communication, and scalable computing. In the context of national security, the shift to cloud-based systems is not just a technological evolution but a strategic necessity.

Economic Competitiveness.

Ofili points out that cloud platforms host financial transactions, biotechnology research, and artificial intelligence development. A breach in these environments is not just about data loss; it is about undermining the nation’s competitive advantage. Protecting intellectual property and ensuring the reliability of digital markets is part of securing America’s economic leadership.

Critical Infrastructure.

Hospitals, utilities, and transport systems increasingly run on cloud-connected services. When ransomware strikes these systems, the consequences go far beyond IT disruptions. They affect patient care, public safety, and the continuity of essential services. Cloud security, in this context, is infrastructure security.

Defense and Intelligence.

The Department of Defense’s adoption of multi-cloud strategies through the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract shows that cloud is not a convenience but a battlefield requirement. Secure, resilient, and encrypted cloud services underpin everything from logistics to intelligence analysis. As Ofili notes, “cloud security is now part of military readiness.”

The Core Pillars of Protection

Ofili explains that effective cloud security in the United States is being built on several key pillars, each supported by federal policy and technical guidance:

– Zero Trust Architecture: Mandated by OMB M-22-09 and guided by NIST SP 800-207, Zero Trust requires agencies to continuously verify every user and device, ensuring that no access is granted by default.

– Identity and Access Controls: Identity has become the new security boundary. Phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication and least-privilege principles, required under OMB M-22-09, prevent attackers from exploiting stolen credentials.

– Data-Centric Security: Standards like NIST SP 800-171 set expectations for encryption and strict key management to protect Controlled Unclassified Information. Confidential computing is emerging as a way to protect sensitive data even while in use.

– Software Supply Chain Integrity: After SolarWinds, Executive Order 14028 directed NIST to publish the Secure Software Development Framework (SP 800-218), requiring SBOMs and signed artifacts so that software entering federal systems can be trusted.

– Cloud Threat Detection and Incident Response: CISA’s Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture and NSA/CISA joint advisories set practical expectations for monitoring, anomaly detection, and rapid recovery in case of compromise.

“These are not optional best practices,” Ofili emphasizes. “They are now embedded into U.S. federal directives and define what it means to operate securely in the cloud” and these are anchored by different governmental policies.

Ofili notes that each of these measures has been anchored in public policy, some which include:

– Executive Order 14028 (2021) was issued in direct response to the SolarWinds attack and established software supply chain integrity and Zero Trust adoption as national priorities.
– OMB M-22-09 (2022) converted Zero Trust into measurable targets with a deadline for every federal agency.
– The National Cybersecurity Strategy (2023) shifted responsibility to technology producers, signaling that insecure software would no longer be tolerated as the cost of doing business.
– NIST Standards and FedRAMP serve as the technical scaffolding and enforcement mechanism, ensuring that cloud services used by government agencies meet a common baseline of trust.

“Together,” Ofili explains that these measures show that the United States treats cloud security as a necessity, not an aspiration.

National-Level Risk Reduction

According to Ofili, the national-level benefits of this approach are already visible:

– Ransomware containment. Segmentation and Zero Trust make it possible to stop an attack before it spreads across hospitals or utilities.
– Protection of innovation. Strong encryption and least-privilege access defend intellectual property from theft.
– Resilient supply chains. SBOM requirements allow agencies and contractors to quickly identify vulnerable components and respond with speed.
– International trust. By aligning standards with allies, the U.S. strengthens secure data-sharing for defense and commerce.

A Roadmap for Leadership

Ofili outlines a clear path for leaders in both the public and private sectors:

1. Policy: Maintain consistent funding for modernization rather than reacting after each crisis.
2. Procurement: Insist on FedRAMP authorization, SBOM delivery, and continuous monitoring in contracts.
3. Governance: Treat cyber risk as a leadership responsibility, with regular board-level reporting on metrics such as MFA coverage and misconfiguration remediation.
4. Architecture: Follow published standards—NIST SP 800-207 for Zero Trust, SP 800-53 for controls, and CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model.
5. Workforce: Expand training, apprenticeships, and scholarships to close the skills gap identified in the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan.

Conclusively, Bukunmi offers practical insights into cloud security domain, setting an advanced standard in cloud security. To demonstrate the impact of these measures, Ofili shares examples based on public cases:
The Pipeline Operator: After the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack disrupted fuel supplies along the East Coast in 2021, a major operator knew business as usual was no longer acceptable. Guided by CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model and federal advisories, the company segmented its network so that core operational systems were isolated from business IT. This meant that if attackers gained access to billing or scheduling systems, they could no longer pivot into the controls that run pumps and valves. When the operator later tested this new architecture under red-team simulations, downtime risks that once measured in weeks had shrunk to hours. The lesson was clear: Zero Trust turned what could have been a national supply crisis into a manageable disruption.
The Civilian Benefits Agency: One federal civilian agency responsible for administering social benefits faced constant phishing attempts targeting its employees and contractors. In response to OMB M-22-09 and FedRAMP mandates, the agency moved its core services onto a FedRAMP High-authorized cloud platform. It rolled out phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication using physical security keys and implemented automated configuration baselines. Within a year, security audits found a 70 percent reduction in misconfigurations—the single largest cause of past outages. For citizens relying on timely benefits, this wasn’t just a cybersecurity win; it was an assurance that the digital safety net itself was resilient.
The Defense Contractor: In the defense industrial base, where sensitive designs and technologies are prime targets, one contractor took NIST SP 800-171 and SP 800-218 seriously. Every software component brought into production had to be verified with a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and signed artifacts. During one build cycle, the company’s security team identified a widely used open-source component that had been tampered with upstream. Thanks to the SBOM process, the component was flagged and blocked before integration. In an era where supply chain attacks can ripple into the Pentagon itself, this single safeguard protected not only the contractor but the broader defense ecosystem.
“These cases show,” Ofili concludes, “that when policies and technical measures come together, cloud security delivers resilience not only for organizations but for the nation as a whole.”