Businesses nowadays want the complete package: secure data and applications that are accessible anywhere. With cloud technology, both of these are possible. However, with cloud adoption comes the need to establish that their cloud security framework is effective when it comes to protecting them against threats to cloud security.
Cloud security challenges have catapulted because so much of our life affairs have now moved online. The deeds of malicious actors started to emphasize a lot of cloud misgivings succeeding the current events. In our technology-driven world, cloud security is a matter that should be discussed from the executive level down to new hires. Undoubtedly, the cloud has a lot of security potential compared to traditional solutions, but just because the cloud provides more security doesn't mean businesses enjoy implementing it once they're in the process of adopting cloud computing services.
Because everything on the cloud can be accessed online, risks of data compromise and leaks have always been looming on everyone’s heads. That’s when cloud security can make all the difference. It provides protection and security for all your data and resources on the cloud against cybercriminals and attacks.
There are several reasons why it is important to care about cloud security:
One of the main reasons behind data compromise from the cloud is carelessly configured systems. A report from Symantec stated that almost 70 million records were leaked or stolen in 2018 because of poorly misconfigured storage buckets. Cloud configurations are prone to human errors, and since many organizations didn’t take the time to familiarize their employees with taking the necessary steps to secure their cloud infrastructure while having multi-cloud deployments, it’s too easy for a configuration misstep or a security slip-up to leave an organization’s cloud-based servers accessible to cyber attackers.
Before starting to configure a cloud infrastructure, a comprehensive list of all the cloud’s services and assets and their status is needed. Develop security policy and templates for base configuration settings, and deploy extensive automation and configuration security checks. Establish and maintain visibility to continuously assess the stability of an organization's cloud security framework.
Cloud service providers issue several APIs or application programming interfaces to streamline operations. Insecure APIs, however, can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to cloud systems. Usually, developers create APIs with inadequate authentication controls, which make them completely available for the public to use and for attackers to exploit. Without proper authentication and authorization, organizations are at risk.
Start with the root of the problem. Encourage developers to create APIs with well-built encryption, authentication, access control, and activity monitoring. Even with the extensive policies for cloud API design, organizations need to have a well-planned security structure that addresses API security risks. Examples of these are network detection and response.
With its ability to store confidential data and run applications essential for an organization to run a business, many organizations are heavily reliant on the cloud to run their business. That’s why a Denial of Service (DoS) attack can heavily impact a whole organization. A DoS attack within a cloud environment floods the server with thousands of connections all at once. These types of attacks prevent users from accessing cloud-based data and applications.
A good first step in minimizing the impact of a DoS attack is to make sure that all log files are scanned regularly for irregularities and to adapt an intrusion detection system (IDS) to notify you of suspicious activities. Installing anti-malware software and a firewall can also protect a network against unauthorized access and known threats.
The shortage of technical skills in cloud computing has become a whole entire challenge that organizations are starting to lose revenues because of cloud expertise deficits that impede their modernization. The skills shortage has aggravated even further because of the adoption of technologies like artificial intelligence without investing time in acquiring someone with the necessary skill set to manage them.
Companies with global reach have started to address the issue of the security skills gap by providing education opportunities. On an organizational level, it’s essential to train all your teams about important security topics that they may encounter on a daily basis. Contrary to what others think, hiring is not entirely the solution. Training your employees is a more sustainable, cost-efficient, and practical approach.
Depending on your organization’s industry and type of service, compliance might be required with regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, or SOX. These are needed to implement guidelines and policies to protect confidential data and improve information security.
Under compliance or industry regulations, organizations need to enforce thorough policies and procedures, as well as sustain their audit and accountability capability. For managing convoluted compliance, leveraging third-party tools will be immensely helpful, especially when operating on a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environment.
Incidents that involve end-user activities can lead to the loss of intellectual property and proprietary information heavily impacting an entire organization. When companies lose control of their team member’s access to the cloud infrastructure, it can expose the entire organization’s system to malware, phishing attacks, and other types of cyber threats.
To prevent loss of control over end-user actions, organizations should implement access controls to limit the end-users ability to access and modify resources, monitor end-user activity to identify and address potential issues and provide training and education on best practices and security guidelines. By implementing these measures, organizations can effectively manage end-user actions and reduce the risk of security breaches, performance issues, and other problems caused by uncontrolled actions.
Poor access management in the cloud can lead to several problems for an organization. It can compromise security by allowing unauthorized individuals to access sensitive data and systems leading to data breaches, theft of intellectual property, or operational problems. This can lead to productivity losses and frustration for end-users.
Organizations need to implement strong access controls such as user authentication and authorization, regularly review and update access permissions, and monitor access logs. Additionally, it is important to have a clear and well-documented access control policy in place to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive resources.
we45's team of security experts have specialized knowledge and expertise in designing and implementing robust security measures tailored to the specific needs of your organization. We also provide ongoing support to ensure that your security posture remains strong and shielded from cyber attacks.
From AWS to Azure and GCP, we got you covered. We are experts in ensuring that your cloud-based resources are well-protected for your business to operate safely and securely in the cloud.
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Plus, a way to test your skills without the trouble of setting up a complex cloud environment. With our Cloud Sandboxes, you can get skills 2x faster and 10x more scalable.
Your cloud infrastructure needs to get stronger. Let we45 help you! Visit us at https://www.we45.com/services/cloud-security-services.
