Common Cloud Security failures

Understanding shared responsibility

"Shared responsibility" is a loosely used term in the context of cloud security, yet it probably one of the most misunderstood concepts. Organizations are moving their operations to the cloud  - owing to rising demands such as  scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, this cloud transition essential means smooth collaboration between cloud service provider (CSP) and the customer [ i.e. your organization] .

Defining Shared Responsibility

The concept of shared responsibility  refers to the division of security [ or cloud related management]  duties between the cloud service provider and the customer. When it comes to security, while CSPs are responsible for securing the cloud infrastructure, customers are responsible for securing the data, applications, and services.

This segregation of responsibilities can vary depending on the type of cloud service model—such as commonly used SaaS, PaaS, IaaS models.

Let’s say for example, in an IaaS model, the CSP is responsible for securing the physical data centers, networking, and storage, while the customer is responsible for securing their operating systems, applications, and data.

In  a SaaS model, the CSP takes on more security responsibilities, including the application and platform, leaving the customer mainly responsible for user access and data governance.

Cloud security incidents are rising each day. CSPs can’t really assure you 360 degree protection – it’s your duty to oversee security program and ensure data protection.

Let’s look at some of the most common cloud security failures.

What Common are Cloud Security Failures and their Implications?

Most cloud security incidents can be traced back to basic lapses within the security program. Often, simple security lapses such as misconfiguration or inadequate access control measure led to serious incidents. While you may think that its CSP who should take care of these, its recommended to go through shared responsibility agreements and understand clear roles/responsibilities of each party.

Top common cloud security failures or mistakes

1. Misconfiguration

As mentioned above , usually misconfigurations are a leading cause of cloud security incidents. They often result from a lack of understanding of the cloud environment or lack of best practices or inadequate attention to detail.

For example, in 2017, a major data breach occurred when sensitive information from an Amazon S3 bucket was exposed due to a simple misconfiguration.

2. Inadequate Access Control

Weak or poorly managed access controls can allow unauthorized users to access critical systems and data.

In 2019, one of the banks. a misconfigured firewall allowed an attacker to access sensitive information. This was primarily due to lack of access control policies in the organization.

3. Lack of Threat Monitoring and Detection

Without robust threat monitoring, organizations may not detect an intrusion until it's too late. For example, in the case of the 2017 Equifax breach, the failure to detect and respond to security alerts allowed attackers to exfiltrate data over a period of several months.

4. Security Programs Aren’t Comprehensive

Security programs that are not holistic and fail to cover all aspects of the cloud environment leave gaps that attackers can exploit. This is usually known 360 degrees security program where all potential threats are identified, controls are monitored for their operating effectiveness and risks management is a continuous process integrated into business.

This can include everything from application security to data encryption and endpoint protection.

5. Poor Audit Compliance and Visibility

Lack of proper auditing and visibility can prevent organizations from identifying and addressing security weaknesses. Regular audits are essential for ensuring compliance with industry standards and for identifying areas where security controls need to be strengthened. If not audits, the internal reviews by compliance teams could lead to identification of gaps and proactive measures can be implemented.

Final words

Organizations must move beyond a superficial understanding of shared responsibility concept and take proactive steps to clearly define roles, ensure secure configurations, implement robust logging and monitoring, and address common security failures. While organizations invest huge money in buying new age products, it’s the simple lapses which can lead to security breaches. Moving to cloud, doesn’t change your role towards protecting your sensitive

You can reach out to info@rivedix.com to build your cybersecurity and data privacy program.

References

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