What are the main security challenges in Cloud Computing? What you should know about Cloud Computing data security

While the benefits of cloud computing, such as flexibility, scalability, and improved agility, are widely acknowledged, it’s essential to recognise that utilising cloud services presents additional security challenges. Businesses need to be aware of to ensure effective cloud computing data security.

It’s important to remember that when using ANY cloud-based service, your data and applications are stored, managed and processed on remote IT infrastructure and servers that are accessed over the internet rather than being held on a local server in the office or on a personal computer. This adds several security considerations as you never truly know where your data is stored.  

Some of these challenges include;

Data Breaches 

This is an area of concern when using cloud computing, as your data is stored in a third-party location, running on unknown IT infrastructure that is typically accessed over the public internet. Breaches can occur due to vulnerabilities in the underlying cloud infrastructure, poorly configured security settings, insider threats or even targeted attacks. 

Data Loss 

Data loss can occur due to accidental deletion, corruption, hardware failures in the cloud environment or even natural disasters such as earthquakes or fires. Businesses should implement a backup and recovery strategy to protect against this and ensure that data can be recovered. For more information on why cloud data backups are essential, see https://www.voragoit.com/post/why-is-it-important-to-backup-cloud-data

Identity and Access Management (IAM) 

Managing user identities, such as user accounts and access roles and permissions in cloud environments, presents security challenges, particularly in larger platforms or those with many applications. Weak authentication mechanisms, poor access controls, and lack of timely user management (e.g., leaving the account of someone who has left in place) can lead to unauthorised access and breaches. 

Security of Cloud Application APIs and Integrations 

Cloud-based applications often use and rely on APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), especially when linked to other applications and cloud services. If these are configured poorly, it can introduce vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to gain access to your business data or even to compromise it using ransomware. 

Data Encryption 

Encryption is vital for keeping data secure, making it unreadable unless the user has a ‘key’ to open it. This end-to-end key management can be complex to manage in cloud environments, especially when there are large numbers of keys and certificates involved. It can often lead to application outages as a result. Also, while some services are encrypted by default by the cloud vendor, sometimes you want to be able to manage the security keys yourself, which is often needed to comply with specific regulatory and legal requirements. This adds additional management overhead. 

Cloud Security Misconfigurations 

Poor configuration could lead to security vulnerabilities, much like if you had some IT equipment in your local office or home. In the cloud scenario, poorly configured access controls, firewall rules, and encryption settings can expose cloud data to such threats. 

Cloud Shared Responsibility Model 

Cloud computing operates under a Shared Responsibility Model that details whether the cloud provider, the customer or both are responsible for the security. The specifics can vary depending on the cloud provider and the cloud service being used. As a result, there can often be general misunderstandings and confusion about who is responsible for what. Clarifying these responsibilities can be difficult without a good understanding of these models. For more information on the Cloud Shared Responsibility Model, see here https://www.voragoit.com/post/what-is-the-cloud-shared-responsibility-model-cloud-data-security

Insider Threats 

Employees who make mistakes or malicious IT engineers can pose a risk to cloud security. Thankfully, the Cloud Shared Responsibility Models help to address these concerns in part. However, you should always be aware that you need to protect your own data adequately using encryption and make sure it is backed up securely (and recoverable). 

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks 

This is a type of attack where an attacker sends a flood of fake internet traffic from many computers to a particular website or online service, to break the service or make it unavailable to real users. This is a real concern in cloud services that are frequently targeted, whether it be the main management portal(s) where you perform your configuration or directly against specific cloud-based applications themselves. Most vendors have some level of protection against DDoS attacks in place, with options available for enhanced protection for a fee for power users or large applications that need it. 

Compliance and Regulatory Requirements 

Complying with legal standards and industry specific regulations can be difficult where cloud platforms are concerned. It is important to understand the Cloud Shared Responsibility Model for a particular type of cloud service as some responsibilities lie with the cloud vendor, some with the customer, or both. This can be particularly challenging in a hybrid environment (where your business uses on-premises IT infrastructure in offices or self-managed data centres as well as in the cloud) or when using a variety of cloud services from multiple vendors. 

As you can see, there are many security challenges to consider when using cloud-based IT services. Addressing them needs a comprehensive approach that combines technical controls, security best practices, employee training and performing regular risk assessments. As always, reach out to a professional for more advice and guidance.