The Main Security Issues Facing Cloud-Based Businesses

The cloud has become an essential part of modern business. At least 80% of businesses worldwide are using cloud services like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Drive, among others.

Clearly, the cloud provides organizations with a long list of benefits, including flexibility, the ability to access data from anywhere in the world, better collaboration among teams, regular software updates, reduced costs, and more.

Nevertheless, the cloud isn’t infallible and comes with a number of security issues. Companies that rely on the cloud are strongly advised to research all security issues connected to the use of cloud services and to set up effective security and remediation strategies.

If your company is about to make the move into the cloud, it’s best to work out a plan to deal with the security issues before you get started.

In this article, we’ll describe the main security issues facing cloud-based businesses.

1. Hacker attacks

   It’s possible to inject malware in the form of codes and scripts that can be embedded into cloud services. It can then be used as part of the cloud server software, so it won’t be identified as a threat by users in your company.

   Attackers can inject malware and then watch as the cloud operates in sync with the malware before stealing sensitive data. Research has shown that malware injection is now a significant security concern for cloud services.

2. Loss of data

   Data can be lost due to natural disasters, accidental data erasure, and hacker attacks. Businesses that lose important data can lose essential and sensitive information, especially if they don’t have an effective backup or recovery plan in place.

   Even industry behemoths like Google and Amazon have suffered data loss due to natural disasters and human error. So, to secure your data in the cloud, you need to review the backup procedure of your cloud service provider and check the measures they take against physical disasters and other types of data loss.

3. Data leakage

   The threat of data breaches has existed for years and now it is a security issue that also affects cloud platforms. A lot of sensitive data is stored in the cloud and there is a concrete danger of this data being accessed by unauthorized personnel.

   More than half of IT security experts that have been surveyed feel that the security strategies used by the majority of organizations to protect their data in the cloud are insufficient. This was revealed in a recent study, which also found multiple cases where data breaches had in fact occurred.

   It was also found that organizations that use the cloud are almost three times more likely to have data breaches than organizations that don’t use the cloud. The cloud has a number of defining characteristics, including shared access protocols, that makes it more susceptible to data breaches.

4. DoS/DDoS attacks

   Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are cyber-attacks launched with the aim of preventing legitimate users from accessing the services of an organization. They are not created with the aim of stealing data or spreading malware. They simply intend to make your services inaccessible to users. But DoS attacks can also be used as a coverup for other illegal activities, such as taking down firewalls.

5. Unauthorized use of cloud services 

   Thanks to cloud platforms, organizations can store an extremely large amount of data online. But this has also given hackers (as well as your own staff) the chance to host malware and junk files in the cloud and make them available to others.

   Torrented software, movies, books, audio files and other files can be stored and distributed via your company cloud servers, and this can lead to your organization potentially having to face lawsuits. The risk of abuse can be reduced by monitoring what your employees store online and setting up clear rules and regulations for them.

6. Threats from inside your organization

   Yes, the possibility of an attack by an insider is low, but it definitely exists. Some employees can use their access to your cloud services to get their hands on sensitive information, like customer data, employee data, financial data, etc.

   This threat is especially relevant with disgruntled employees or ex-employees. So, in cases where there is a conflict situation with an employee, it pays to restrict their access and monitor all their activity on your cloud-based services.

7. Lax security on your part

   The security of the cloud is a joint effort between the provider of the cloud services and the end user. Clients must take steps to protect their data while creators of cloud platforms like Google and Amazon must secure their platforms using high-end technologies.
   For example, you should employ two-factor authentication, frequent password changes, and other security protocols to protect your local access to the cloud.

   Both clients and cloud providers must collaborate in protecting the cloud. The failure of either one to play their part will lead to a cloud security breach.

Conclusion

The benefits offered by the cloud are helping many companies to achieve higher levels of productivity, but at the same time, the cloud comes with a number of security risks.

If your company is among those that benefit from the cloud, it’s important to be aware of the security risks associated with cloud use, so you can protect your business from any cloud-based security threats.