VMware Cloud Foundation strengthens compliance and cyber resilience for private cloud

 At VMware Explore 2025, Broadcom announced new security and compliance features for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), including an Advanced Cyber Compliance service and updates across VMware vDefend and VMware Avi Load Balancer. The focus is on helping enterprises in regulated sectors address cyber risks, regulatory pressures, and the emerging security gaps posed by AI workloads.

According to industry data cited by Broadcom, 65% of cyberattacks on large organisations result in data encryption and 30% involve data exfiltration. At the same time, 71% of multinational firms struggle with cross-border compliance. VMware said the new capabilities are engineered to simplify these challenges with end-to-end resilience.

VCF Advanced Cyber Compliance

The new Advanced Cyber Compliance service is designed for enterprises that require automated compliance enforcement and improved recovery from cyber incidents. Key capabilities include:

• Continuous compliance enforcement: Automated monitoring and remediation using SaltStack from the VCF console, plus managed data engine images with automated patching.

• Automated recovery: Full cyber and disaster recovery to isolated, on-premises “clean rooms” with rapid isolation and restore capabilities to combat ransomware and outages.

• Platform security: Secure container images, advanced secure computing options, and early access to compliance updates with proactive risk assessments.

Enhancements to VMware vDefend

VMware vDefend extends Zero Trust and micro-segmentation into VCF. New updates include:

• AI workload protection: A tech preview of Zero Trust lateral security for agentic AI workloads.

• Faster Zero Trust deployment: Automation for staged segmentation, with firewall rule analysis to simplify policy management.

• Extended detection: A new NDR sensor providing threat visibility across workloads and networks.

• Fileless malware defence: Integration with Microsoft’s AMSI for detecting malicious in-memory scripts such as PowerShell and VBScript.

VMware Avi Load Balancer updates

Avi Load Balancer, tightly integrated with VCF, is also gaining new security capabilities:

• Post-quantum cryptography: Support for NIST-specified algorithms to prepare for quantum computing threats.

• Mutual TLS authentication: Enhanced cryptographic validation in Kubernetes environments.

• Web Application Firewall reporting: Built-in assessments to guide administrators in enabling WAF protections.

• AI workload security: Tech preview of securing Model Context Protocol (MCP) traffic used by agentic AI applications.

Paul Turner, vice president of products for VMware Cloud Foundation at Broadcom, said the updates mark a shift toward more integrated private cloud security. “Cyberattacks and regulatory non-compliance carry real financial and human costs,” he said. “With these innovations, we are simplifying cyber compliance and strengthening defences for AI workloads.”