The Top 5 Security Threats in Cloud Computing

At $484 billion in 2022 , the global market for cloud computing is immense and only expected to grow. But with the ease of access of the cloud are security threats that take advantage of that very benefit.

Mitigating these security threats in cloud computing requires technical expertise and diligence to keep abreast of developing threats and new technologies to stop them. Here are the top cloud computing security threats and how a cybersecurity professional might prevent them.

1. Data Breaches

With cloud-based data storage and processing becoming increasingly popular among businesses, cybercriminals are now targeting public cloud environments to steal sensitive information.

This can lead to severe financial and reputational damage for organizations. In some cases, the stolen data may be sold on the dark web or used to launch further cyberattacks against other targets.

Cloud providers have implemented several measures to enhance security and prevent data breaches . However, it is the responsibility of the cloud users to ensure that their data is adequately protected.

One of the ways to mitigate the risk of data loss is to implement strong authentication and access controls . Additionally, regular security assessments, vulnerability scans, and audits can help detect and fix any security weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers.

2. Misconfiguration

With the complexity of cloud environments , it is easy for organizations to make errors while setting up permissions, network configurations, or API settings, which can lead to data exposure, unauthorized access, and other security issues.

Attackers can exploit these weaknesses to gain access to the cloud environment , steal data, or launch further attacks.

To mitigate the risk of misconfiguration, organizations should implement automated tools that can monitor and manage their cloud resources, regularly audit their configurations, and train their personnel on proper security practices to prevent human errors. This is best done in consultation with an IT service provider that specializes in cloud deployments.

3. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

Denial of service (DoS) attacks work by overwhelming the servers with traffic, causing them to crash or become unavailable to legitimate users. In cloud environments , DoS attacks can affect multiple customers simultaneously, resulting in severe financial and reputational damage to cloud providers and their clients.

Attackers may use various techniques to launch DoS attacks, such as botnets, amplification attacks, or application-layer attacks. DoS attacks can be particularly devastating for organizations that rely heavily on cloud services for critical business operations, as even brief periods of downtime can result in significant losses.

To prevent DoS attacks, cloud providers often employ various security measures such as traffic filtering, access control , and rate limiting. Cloud users can also take several steps to mitigate the risk of DoS attacks, such as implementing redundancy and failover mechanisms to ensure business continuity, using content delivery networks (CDNs) to distribute traffic, and monitoring traffic patterns to detect and block suspicious activity.

4. Account Hijacking

Account hijacking is a significant cloud security threat that occurs when an attacker gains access to a user’s login credentials, allowing them to take control of the user’s cloud account. Attackers may use various techniques to steal user credentials, such as phishing, malware, and social engineering.

Phishing is a common method where attackers create fake login pages or emails to trick users into revealing their login details. Malware can also be used to steal user credentials by infecting devices and logging keystrokes or stealing stored passwords. In some cases, attackers may use stolen credentials from other sources to gain access to cloud accounts.

Once attackers gain access to a user’s cloud account, they can steal sensitive data, modify configurations, and launch further attacks against other cloud resources. To prevent account hijacking, cloud users must implement strong identity and access management strategies such as multi-factor authentication, use unique and strong passwords, and regularly change their login credentials.

5. Shadow IT

Shadow IT occurs when employees use cloud services outside of the organization’s approved IT channels, often without proper approval or oversight. This can include the use of unauthorized cloud apps, storage, or collaboration tools that may not meet the organization’s security requirements, leading to data exposure or loss.

Shadow IT can  lead to additional cloud security risks , as employees may use weak passwords, share login credentials, or store sensitive data in unsecured cloud services . Shadow IT can also create compliance issues, as sensitive data may be stored or processed outside of the organization’s regulated environment.

To mitigate the risk of shadow IT, organizations must develop clear policies and procedures for cloud usage, provide employees with approved cloud services that meet security requirements, and regularly monitor and audit cloud usage to detect unauthorized activity.

Trust Steady Networks to Prevent Cloud Security Threats

As cloud adoption continues to grow, organizations face a range of security challenges that require careful management and attention, including data breaches , misconfiguration, DoS attacks, account hijacking, and shadow IT.

At Steady Networks, we offer a range of IT services that can help organizations develop and implement cloud security strategies that protect their sensitive data and systems.

Our experienced team can help ensure that your cloud infrastructure is secure, reliable, and resilient. Contact us today to learn more about our cloud security services and how we can help keep your organization’s data safe and secure in the cloud.