As businesses and organisations increasingly migrate their critical data and applications to the cloud, ensuring robust security measures has become an imperative. While cloud computing offers unparalleled benefits in terms of scalability, cost-efficiency, and accessibility, it also introduces new challenges in safeguarding sensitive information and preventing potential cyber threats. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the tactics of malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in cloud environments.
Threats to Cloud Security
- Misconfigured buckets can lead to unauthorised access for anyone on the internet.
- Improper cloud resource settings may allow authenticated users from other organisations to access data.
- API security is crucial to monitor and protect cloud connections.
- Granting unnecessary access permissions to all team members can lead to permissions misuse and insider threats.
- Limiting admin privileges to a few trusted team members can reduce the risk of internal breaches.
- Strict controls should be implemented for data downloads to prevent unauthorised access.
- Cloud vendor weaknesses vary, and vulnerabilities in one instance can impact others on the same host, even across different organisations.
- Public cloud instances may have less control over security as they often reside in remote data centres.
- Cloud services may face DDoS attacks, but providers are usually prepared to maintain access during such attacks.
- Employee errors, such as misconfigurations and unsafe practices, can compromise cloud accounts and data security.
Steps to Protect Your Cloud
- Apply data protection policies to govern data storage in the cloud, quarantine sensitive data, and coach users on policy compliance.
- Encrypt sensitive data with your own keys to maintain full control of access while allowing users to work with the data.
- Set limitations on data sharing, applying access control policies across services and external sharing links.
- Stop data from moving to unmanaged devices by requiring device security verification before downloading.
- Apply advanced malware protection to IaaS environments like AWS or Azure using antimalware technology, application whitelisting, and machine-learning-based protection.
How to Respond to Cloud Security Issues
- Require additional verification for high-risk access scenarios, such as two-factor authentication for accessing sensitive data from new devices.
- Adjust cloud access policies as new services come up, updating web access policies based on the risk profile of cloud services.
- Remove malware from cloud services by scanning files in cloud storage with anti-malware tools to prevent ransomware or data theft attacks.
Embracing a security-first mindset is essential for organisations of all sizes, as the consequences of a security breach can be devastating, both financially and reputationally. Remember, security is an ongoing process, and continual improvement is key to maintaining a resilient cloud environment. With the right strategies and a proactive approach to security, you can confidently leverage the full potential of the cloud while keeping your valuable data and assets safe from harm, contact us at specialists@edenai.co.za for more information.
This article was enriched using the following references:
Skyhigh Security A Step-by-Step Guide to Cloud Security Best Practices https://www.skyhighsecurity.com/cybersecurity-defined/cloud-security-best-practices.html
Harvey C. (2023) 13 Cloud Security Best Practices for 2023 https://www.esecurityplanet.com/cloud/cloud-security-best-practices/