Organisations’ reliance on cloud infrastructure for their data storage and productivity solutions continues to increase, and with it, the associated cyber security risks. While the cloud offers remarkable flexibility and scalability, it is also an attractive target for cyber criminals. To safeguard sensitive business and employee data, businesses must remain vigilant and proactive in managing cloud vulnerabilities.
Understanding Cloud Vulnerabilities
It is important to clarify the distinction between a vulnerability and a threat. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent different concepts. A threat refers to an immediate danger, such as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which overwhelms systems with malicious traffic, causing disruptions or outages. In contrast, a vulnerability is a weakness that can be exploited to gain unauthorised access to systems and data.
Cloud vulnerabilities can offer threat actors access to restricted environments, allowing them to steal, intercept, or even encrypt data, often before demanding a ransom for its release.
Five Key Cloud Vulnerabilities to Monitor and Address
1. Misconfigured Cloud Storage
Cloud storage misconfigurations are a prime target for cyber criminals. When cloud storage settings are not properly configured, sensitive data can be left exposed, allowing attackers to steal or sell the data on dark web markets. Ensuring that cloud storage is correctly set to “private” and only accessible by authorised personnel is a critical step in securing your organisation’s data.
To further protect data during transmission, organisations should enable encryption protocols to prevent unauthorised interception.
2. Insecure APIs
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are essential for enabling communication between different software applications. However, insecure APIs can expose cloud environments to significant risk. Since APIs require access to sensitive functions and data, they become an attractive target for threat actors looking to exploit weaknesses in the interface.
To reduce these risks, it is essential to use token-based authentication methods and perform continuous asset discovery and vulnerability scanning of APIs. This ensures potential weaknesses are identified and addressed before they can be exploited.
3. Weak Access Management
Weak access management, or identity management, can lead to significant cloud security breaches. Proper access control measures are essential to prevent unauthorised users from gaining entry to sensitive systems.
Best practices include implementing strong (ideally passwordless) multi-factor authentication, allowlisting trusted users, and following the principle of least privilege. Strong password policies are also vital. Cloud platforms should enforce the use of complex, unique passwords that include a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
4. Data Compliance and Privacy Challenges
Organisations must comply with data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and The Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2), which impose strict rules on how data is handled and protected in the cloud.
Responsibility for data security is shared between the cloud service provider and the organisation using the cloud. While cloud providers offer tools such as access control and traffic monitoring, it remains the organisation’s duty to manage passwords and control who can access sensitive data. Selecting a cloud provider with strong security capabilities is crucial for compliance and protection.
5. Malicious Insiders
Human error or malicious intent from insiders—such as employees, contractors, or third-party vendors—poses a significant security threat. Insiders may inadvertently expose sensitive information or deliberately abuse their access for personal gain.
To mitigate the risk, businesses must implement stringent access control policies, limiting the number of users with access to critical systems. Regular audits and monitoring of user activity can also help detect any unusual behaviour before it leads to a security breach.
Strengthening Your Cloud Security Strategy
Cloud vulnerabilities are constantly evolving, making it essential for organisations to regularly assess their security posture and adapt their strategies accordingly. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to cloud security; each organisation’s approach should be tailored to its unique IT environment and risk profile.
By implementing robust access controls, securing APIs, managing cloud storage configurations, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, businesses can significantly reduce their exposure to cyber threats.
Threatscape’s complimentary Microsoft Entra ID Advisory Service helps you to understand the identity threats that our Microsoft experts see lodged against organisations every day, and the associated security protections available within your Microsoft 365 licence.
During your no-obligation consultation with one of our consultants, you’ll gain insight and recommendations on how Entra ID and other capabilities within Microsoft 365 help defend cloud identities against a wealth of threats.
