More and more businesses and governments are shifting their workloads to the cloud. However, some companies remain reluctant to the cloud’s irresistible attractions due to the remaining concerns about security risks in cloud computing.
The cloud indeed comes with many key advantages, like cost-efficiency and time efficiency. Cloud environments tend to be the “promise heaven” for all the companies that manage large volumes of data and depend on analytics and real-time reporting. Promises of increased greater reliability, massive scalability, and decreased costs have attracted businesses and individuals alike.
Although there are many benefits to adopting cloud computing, there is also some significant cloud security risks that every business needs to address.
Let’s take a look at the main security risk of cloud computing:
- Privacy and Security in the Cloud
- Data Breach
- Data Loss
- Insecure API
Privacy and Security Risks in Cloud Computing
Most cloud computing security risks are related to cloud data security.
It’s important to know that the data in cloud models can be intentionally or accidentally accessed by unauthorized internal employees, as well as external hackers. The attacks from hackers may gain access to databases using hacking techniques like session hijacking and network channel eavesdropping. Also, the Virus and Trojan can be uploaded to cloud systems and can cause damage. When a cloud service is breached, cybercriminals can potentially gain access to this sensitive data.
Often, organizations can lack the workforce with the relevant cloud experience and this constitutes one of the primary challenges for cloud computing.
Choosing a secure cloud migration services provider whilst applying the correct security methodology to the infrastructure is hugely important.
Data Breach
Data is one of the most valuable assets that a company can possess. Therefore, data loss in the cloud can be a real risk with serious ramifications for the activity of the organization.
But how does a data breach occur?
All the data and information in the cloud storage is under multiple levels of access. Under normal circumstances, you can’t easily access it. But it is available from various devices and accounts, and a hacker can get into it if he knows someone who has access to it.
Here is an example of how a hacker can exploit a security threat in cloud computing:
It all starts with a hacker that it studying the company’s structure for weaknesses. After identifying a victim, a hacker can find a way to approach a targeted individual. After that, the victim is tricked into giving access to the company’s network.
How can you avoid a data breach?
Having a cloud system with a multi-layered approach that checks and covers the whole extent of user activity every step of the way. This is one of the most efficient way to ensure the safety of your data. Use multi-factor authentication and Data-at-Rest Encryption to a perimeter and internal firewall to ensure the safety of your data.
Data Loss
Unfortunately, data loss is one of the cloud security risks that are hard to predict, and even harder to handle. Permanently losing data could be devastating to an organization. You need to make sure that your organization has taken all the necessary measurements to ensure the safety of your data.
How you can prevent data loss from happening?
Simple: Backup, backup and then backup some more.
Adequate data backup measures and disaster recovery are necessary. By frequently backing your data you can avoid data loss in the majority of its forms. Before you start to backup all your data, you need to know what kind of data is eligible for backups and what is not. Use data loss prevention software to automate the process.
In other words: daily data backup and off-site storage are very important in order to prevent data loss.
Insecure API
Application User Interface is the first instrument used to operate the system within the cloud infrastructure. Today, every cloud service and application offer APIs. The security and availability of cloud services depends on the security of the API. Therefore, weak user interfaces (UIs) and application programming interfaces (APIs) expose security vulnerabilities in the availability, integrity and confidentiality of a cloud environments.
Two significant factors that keep the system regulated and safe from harm are authentication and encryption. Having a Multi-factor Authentication to prevent unauthorized access due to security compromises and a Secure Socket Layer or a Transport Layer Security encryption for data transmission, are just a few ways that can help your organization to avoid problems with API.
Cloud computing presents quite a number of benefits for its user. But, it also raises some important questions about the security risks in cloud computing.
Understanding the vulnerabilities existing in Cloud Computing will help businesses and organizations to make a better and safer migration towards using the Cloud.