Cloud Security
Cloud security is a blend of technologies. It consists of technologies, services, policies, and practices that protect cloud data and applications from threats. Robust cloud security is very important to prevent data loss and also help the organization.
Cloud cyber security is fit by the cloud service provider(CSP) or customer. The CSP mostly provides their customers with the latest in cyber cloud technology and ensures they have the best protection from anticipated threats.
Importance
Cloud security becomes a critical concern as companies started to migrate their systems to the cloud to complete their digital transformation. The threat environment is constantly increasing daily, so it becomes crucial to reduce the risk of cloud computing as much as possible and ensure the data is safe at rest.
If the cloud data comes to terms, there is a risk of loss of revenue and reputation for the companies. The cost of a data breach is very high and it takes many days to detect, remediate, and recover. Most companies would not survive a remarkable breach and make an undeniable argument in favor of cloud cyber security.
Data is growing rapidly and cloud providers are dealing with greater risks of data breaches. As the data grows, it provides a surface to attack. The security of data is a fundamental right of human beings.
Cloud security threats:
- Data Breaches
- Social Engineering and Phishing
- Distributed Denial of Service Attacks
- Malware and Malicious Code
Data Breaches:
Data breaches are one of the most common security threats which cause data leaks or losses. They occur when the environment is improperly indurate or misconfigured and the cybercriminals can mount an attack that breaches the security. They may be able to get access through incorrect code, brutal force attacks, or weakness in the environment.
When criminals can access organization data, they can copy or steal the data and this may cause various problems for the organization. Moreover, a data breach can lead to a loss of trust in the company with customers. The intellectual property of organizations can also be compromised.
Social Engineering and Phishing:
Many cyber attacks are technically not given rise by automated attacks, but by human ingenuity. Phishing schemes occur when fraudulent emails are sent pretending to be a reputable company. When the victim clicks on the link in the email, their data, password, or device may be compromised. These emails often appear imperceptible from the companies they are pretending to be.
Social engineering relies on human trickery to disclose information. There may be someone on the phone pretending to be from a legitimate service, but they are looking for information that can help them crack a user account.
Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS):
A distributed denial of service attack uses a botnet to overwhelm a network, throttle bandwidth, crash servers, and cripple business processes running on the network. These can be used to remove websites during strategic times.
Moreover, if a cyber attacker uses DDoS to take down a site or disrupt processes, customers of the victim organization may not know what is happening. They only see the site fail. These can also slow down normal functioning within an organization. DDoS attacks can have long-lasting effects on a site and organization.
Malware and Malicious Code:
Some cyber attacks install malicious code, Trojan horses, keyloggers, or other viruses into an organization’s network.
Moreover, the goal is usually to go undetected for as long as possible. These are due to me data leaks, information theft, intercepted transactions, recorded passwords being typed, or other nefarious acts.
Cloud Security Practices:
- Password Manager And Strong Passwords
- Data Backups
- Multi-Factor Authentication
Password Manager And Strong Passwords:
Weak passwords are one of the main ways an account can be compromised by criminals. Passwords used on multiple sites can be breached and dumped in a password repository. Simple passwords that have no complexity and are easy to guess can be cracked quickly through automated tools.
Moreover, password managers eliminate the need to remember passwords for all your services, using the same strong password to manage logins for all other services. These passwords are encrypted and cannot be read by people running on your device. It is essential to choose a strong password for the primary password.
Data Backups:
In the event of a compromise, or disaster recovery event, it is useful to have a backup of your data or applications so that a previous save point can be restored. There are typically two ways to do this, using an external solution, or with a custom-built in-house solution.
Moreover, many companies offer Backup as a Service (BaaS) where there are cloud backups of data that can be restored relatively easily. These should also be tested regularly to ensure that they can be restored in case of emergency.
Multi-Factor Authentication:
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) keeps company data secure by using dual logins. Some common two-factor authentication (2FA) methods are one-time codes sent to an approved device, security questions, secondary device approvals, or other methods.
Moreover, by limiting data access to authorized users, an account cannot be logged in with just a tampered password or credential. A secondary authentication method must be used to complete account login or data access.
