Top Cloud Security Threats, Concern, Risks and Challenges in 2024 and in Future

Misconfigured Cloud Services

One of the biggest cloud security threats is simply due to human negligence, so it’s completely preventable. A cloud misconfiguration happens when a user or admin fails to properly set a cloud platform’s security setting.

Misconfiguration can result in brute-force attempts and exploits.

Ø  What you should do:

·       Deploy MFA (multi-factor authentication) to reduce the security risk of unauthorized access due to credential compromise.

·       Practice RDP security best practices.  RDP-enabled services behind a VPN.

·       Deploy a cloud-based SIEM. A SIEM can detect risky connections from the internet.

Data Loss

Data loss and leakage always one of the cloud security top concern.

Ø  What you should do:

·       Perform regular (and thorough) backups. 

·       Use Encryption method to store the data

API Vulnerabilities 

When developers create APIs with inadequate authentication, they can contain security vulnerabilities that allow anyone to access your corporate data. Malicious actors can exploit insecure APIs by launching denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

Ø  What you should do:

·       REST API use http along with TLS ( Transport layer security) encryption. TLS provide the security by using Https (s for security)

     TLS run on presentation layer ( OSI model layer -6) before application layer ( OSI model layer -7 )

·       SOAP use XML encryption, XML signature and SAML token, Which is mostly provide safe connection.

     Identity and Access management

      IAM is framework of business process to manage user access critical information within the organization. Its role base access provide multi layer security.

     Vulnerability Management Program in Cloud

     Maintain vulnerability management program on cloud to fix all the vulnerability before its get exploit.

 Network Security or WAF Security

Configure firewall / WAF to detect and prevent all the malicious activity within network boundaries .

Components of a SASE Model

• Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)

SD-WAN is the foundation of SASE approach. SD-WAN is an overlay architecture that reduces complexity and optimizes the user experience by selecting the best route for traffic to the internet, cloud apps, and the data center. Its not a packet filtering . Directly Layer 7 construct to connect different apps multiple locations

• Secure Web Gateway (SWG)

SWGs prevent unsecured internet traffic from entering your internal network. It shields your employees and users from accessing and being infected by malicious web traffic, vulnerable websites, internet-borne viruses, malware, and other cyberthreats.

• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)

CASBs prevent data leaks, malware infection, regulatory noncompliance, and lack of visibility by ensuring safe use of cloud apps and services. They secure cloud apps hosted in public clouds (IaaS), private clouds, or delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS).

  Example : If someone trying to transfer data from cloud to on-premise ( i,e. personal google drive) it will through an alert.

• Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)

FWaaS helps you replace physical firewall appliances with cloud firewalls that deliver advanced Layer 7/next-generation firewall (NGFW) capabilities, including access controls, such as URL filtering, advanced threat prevention, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and DNS security.

• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

ZTNA solutions give remote users secure access to internal apps. With a zero trust model, trust is never assumed, and least privileged access granted based on granular policies. It gives remote users secure connectivity without placing them on your network or exposing your apps to the internet.

• Centralized Management

Managing all of the above from a single console lets you eliminate many of the challenges of change control, patch management, coordinating outage windows, and policy management while delivering consistent policies across your organization, wherever users connect from.