Cloud Security Risks and Best Practices

1. Widespread Cloud Adoption

• Companies are rapidly adopting cloud technology.
• Most organizations now run one or more applications in a public cloud.
• These applications often access and process sensitive data.

2. Common Security Weaknesses in Cloud Deployments

a. Lack of Basic Security Controls

• 76% of organizations don’t use Multifactor Authentication (MFA) for their cloud consoles.
• 63% of cloud-hosted codebases are unpatched, including serious vulnerabilities.

b. Unpatched Systems

• Many of these patches are critical (CVSS score ≥ 7).
• Unpatched systems are vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE) and other attacks.

3. Public Cloud Exposure Risks

a. Global Accessibility

• Public cloud applications are accessible from anywhere in the world.
• This benefits access but increases exposure to threats.

b. Denial of Service Attacks

• Applications are susceptible to DoS and DDoS attacks from global sources.

4. Authentication and Configuration Risks

a. Weak Authentication Processes

• Misconfigured or weak authentication mechanisms can lead to unauthorized access.
• Proper credentials enforcement and configuration are essential.

b. Misconfigurations

• Example: Directory Traversal on web servers.
• Allows attackers to access unauthorized folders or subdirectories.
• Misconfigurations can enable system-wide compromise.

5. Application and OS Vulnerabilities

a. Importance of Patch Management

• Both the OS and applications must be kept updated.
• Attackers can escalate from app flaws to host or network compromise.

b. Notable Vulnerabilities

• Log4j and Spring Cloud Function vulnerabilities:
• Easy to exploit with minimal expertise.
• Can provide complete system control.

6. Common Cloud Application Attacks

a. Input Validation Flaws

• Lack of input sanitization can lead to:
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• SQL Injection and other code injection attacks

b. Memory Corruption Attacks

• Out-of-Bounds Write lets attackers access restricted memory.
• May lead to Remote Code Execution or system crashes.

c. Data Theft via Injection

• SQL Injection can expose or extract cloud-stored data.