Best Practices for Securing Cloud-Native Payment Architectures: A Practical Guide for Financial Institutions

Abstract

This article examines the security challenges and compliance requirements facing financial institutions transitioning to cloud-native payment architectures. It explores the expanded attack surface created by distributed microservices, containerization vulnerabilities, and multi-cloud complexity while providing actionable guidance for implementing zero-trust security frameworks specifically designed for payment environments. The article addresses practical implementation of least-privilege policies, continuous authentication, and service mesh technologies to secure distributed payment systems. Additionally, it outlines regulatory compliance strategies for containerized payment applications, with particular focus on PCI DSS requirements, data sovereignty considerations, strong customer authentication mandates, and operational resilience frameworks. Through examination of real-world implementation cases and emerging technologies, the article establishes a comprehensive security model balancing innovation with appropriate risk management for cloud-native payment infrastructures.