3 Cloud technology security threats

The age of the cloud technology industry is happening now. Many enterprises are already using this technology to increase their efficiency, and others are planning to adopt this strategy as you’re reading this article. Cloud technology has changed businesses and the government’s way of thinking and has created even more challenges. The shift from server to the service-based way of thinking has also transformed the manner in which technology departments are now designed. However, all the advantages of using this technology has created new security vulnerabilities, which could harm businesses if not managed carefully.  

How secure is the cloud

Are people in the position to worry about their companies?

The answer is no. Cloud technology can be made at least or more secure as the traditional IT environments. But you have to ensure that the provider is using the best security techniques and policies.

Despite what I mentioned before, the perception of companies is entirely different. For example, in a survey of over 200 cyber security and IT professionals, Check Point Software Technologies found that 93% of companies have security concerns and at least 80% of them are concerned about the recent ransomware attacks. Those percentages are massive because there are dozens of ways to anticipate and correct potential issues.

Top 3 threats and how to solve them

Many specialists and surveys have studied this topic, and they came with a long list of threats. I’m listing three of the most common.

Threat 1: Data Breaches

A violation can reveal sensitive data about customers, intellectual property, trade secrets, all of which can transform into severe consequences for companies. Scenerios we see today with organizations facing lawsuits and hefty fines, this causes damage to the brand and could have a long lasting impact on the company.

Solution: cloud providers normally have several security protocols implemented to protect sensitive data. However, it is the organizations responsibility to implement additional plans to secure information in the cloud. Effective methods to use are encryption and multi-factor authentication.

Threat 2: Denial of Service Attacks

These attacks have threatened computer networks for years. A single attack could bring servers to their knees, effecting speed and availability. Most of these attacks take many hours to resolve, which usually leads to heavy financial losses.

Solution: Most cloud services and providers have solutions in place to ensure security against DoS attacks. But the best way of keeping your system safe is to prevent an attack from happening in the first place. It frequently involves periodic security audits to identify vulnerabilities.

Threat 3: APIs and hacked interfaces

Most cloud applications and services use APIs to communicate with other processes. As a result, the security of every API could have a direct effect on the entire cloud security system. The risk gets larger when companies use third party access to APIs. The worst scenario that could happen could cause a breach and lose control of sensitive data related to your customers.

Solution: the best way to protect the cloud from APIs hacks is to use threat modeling applications in the development life cycle. It’s also the right idea to review the code and make sure that there are no vulnerabilities.

Think of all the challenges, obstacles and risks that this move to the cloud could have and how these will affect your business. Discuss with your provider or expert consultant and know where your vulnerabilities are.

I’m also happy to help, so please do not hold back on any questions.

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