Security Issues in Cloud Computing: How To Prevent & Solve Them?

Did you know that by 2025, the world will have stored 200 zettabytes (ZB) of data in the cloud? This includes both private and public IT infrastructure. The extensive use of the cloud for computing and data storage has also increased security issues related to cloud computing. Then, why are we shifting to cloud computing?

That’s because of cloud computing’s benefits, such as the pay-as-you-go model, flexibility, availability, and more overpowering controllable drawbacks. It has become a popular choice among service providers, especially for SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS.

However, it could become a nightmare if your organization doesn’t proactively take measures to tackle the drawbacks or security issues related to cloud computing. To protect your data in the cloud, you must be aware of the emerging security issues in cloud computing. 

So, what are they?

Security system misconfiguration, hacked APIs, DDoS attacks, and more are some of the most popular security issues in cloud computing, and we will discuss them today. You will also learn actionable steps to prevent these cyber threats. 

 What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing security, or simply cloud security, involves a range of policies, technologies, applications, and controls designed to safeguard applications, services, and the underlying cloud infrastructure. 

Since a cloud environment is only as strong as its weakest link, effective cloud security requires multiple technologies working together to protect data and applications from all angles. This typically includes firewalls, identity and access management (IAM), network segmentation, and encryption.

Top 8 Security Issues And How You Can Prevent Them

Security issues will be a bigger threat for businesses in 2024, and cyber criminals will not be selective with their targets. The following threats can be the biggest disaster for your organization and greatly affect it if not avoided or mitigated.

With that being said, here are the top 8 security threats in cloud computing:

1. Ransomware  

Ransomware attacks proceed with the goal of obtaining the privileged status on important information. Attackers lace the data with a poisonous substance, abduct the valuable and then proceed to ask for a ransom for its return.

However, as has been mentioned, the cost implications of ransomware attacks are consequential. Cyber attackers can demand as much as seven or eight figures in ransom, which is devastating financially to organizations.

Did you know that in 2024, approximately 90% of organizations were targeted by ransomware? This is nearly identical to 2023, which saw over 89% of companies affected. 

However, the intensity and frequency of these events have increased in recent years to the extent that many business entities have lost a significant amount of documents, in addition to other property.

A recent event took place on 26 July 2024, and it involved the city of Columbus, which repelled an overseas ransomware attack. The attack required the closure of most of the city’s technological hub for ten days to effect repairs. This goes to show that ransomware threats are commonplace and, indeed, very terminal.

Ransomware can infiltrate systems through various methods, including:

• Phishing emails and social engineering: Criminals employ gullibility tricks to lure users to open dangerous links or input private data into the site.
• Credential theft: Malicious users infiltrate to obtain user IDs and passwords to access other people’s accounts.
• Exploitation of software vulnerabilities: The last one: is that unpatched or outdated software can be exploited to introduce ransomware.
• Preexisting malware: Existing malware on a system can make way for ransomware infection.

How to prevent a ransomware attack?

After talking to our internal experts and lead auditors at Sprinto, they recommend these 3 approaches to mitigate the risk of ransomware. They are:

• Implement company-wide training on the dangers of ransomware in cloud computing, focusing on phishing scams and social engineering. Educating employees about these threats reduces the likelihood of successful attacks.
• Ensure that all your cloud data is kept up to date to patch vulnerabilities. Unpatched software is a common entry point for ransomware.
• Use Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) automation tools like Sprinto to monitor cybersecurity posture continuously. Sprinto can alert you to breaches or control failures, enabling prompt responses.

2. Internal Threats

An insider threat happens when someone within your organization—like a current or former employee, contractor, vendor, or partner—misuses their access to harm your networks, systems, or data. These threats can be just as dangerous as external attacks, sometimes even more so because they come from trusted individuals.

Why do insider threats happen?

People inside your organization might have different motivations compared to external cybercriminals. Some common reasons include:

• Stealing, altering, or destroying company data to deceive others
• Taking information to benefit another organization, often a competitor
• Using legitimate access to damage or destroy the company’s functionality
• Stealing intellectual property to sell or use elsewhere
• Disgruntled employees might try to damage the company’s reputation after being fired or laid off

Just like malware, insider threats can be tough to detect. Security teams often focus on external threats and may overlook the risk employees pose. However, internal threats can lead to information leaks and damage your organization’s reputation.

How do we prevent internal threats?

Preventing insider threats requires a comprehensive approach. Here’s what you can do:

1. Perform an enterprise-wide risk assessment: This helps identify and evaluate vulnerabilities within your organization’s security framework, significantly reducing the risk of insider threats. For example, with Sprinto’s all-in-one risk management solution, you can build remediation machinery that integrates with your existing policies and practices.
2. Use endpoint protection platforms (EPP), including antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall solutions.
3. Enforce Policies and controls: This isn’t just an IT job. It requires a multidisciplinary effort involving HR to define how each employee role interacts with the IT environment.
4. Set up strong authentication measures: To make it harder for attackers to steal credentials, use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and promote safe password practices.
5. Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and the principle of least privilege to limit access to sensitive data and systems.
6. Enforce a strict device usage policy that governs the use of company devices, including restrictions on installing unauthorized software or accessing non-work-related websites.
7. Implement continuous monitoring and logging of network activity, user actions, and system access.
8. Enforce physical security measures, such as access badges, secure workstations, and surveillance in critical areas.

3. Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks involve tricking a victim into taking an action that benefits the attacker. CEOs and senior leadership are frequently targeted, with 13.4% of phishing attacks impersonating someone the victim knows, such as a CEO.  

They are being targeted more because senior leaders often have access to sensitive company information, including financial data, intellectual property, and strategic plans.

The main goal is to steal sensitive data like credit card information or login credentials or to install malware on the victim’s device. Phishing is a common cyber-attack that everyone should be aware of to protect themselves.

How phishing works?

A phishing attack starts with a malicious message disguised as being from a legitimate company.  The more realistic the message looks, the more likely it is to succeed. Whether the campaign is highly targeted or sent to many potential victims, the goal is always to deceive the recipient.

How do you protect against phishing attacks?

User education: Educating users is crucial for protecting your organization from phishing. Training should involve all employees, including high-level executives who are often targeted. Teach them how to recognize phishing emails and what actions to take if they receive one. 

Technology and automation: Only a few cybersecurity solutions can prevent phishing attacks entirely. A layered approach is necessary to reduce the number of attacks and minimize their impact. Investing in GRC automation software can be a smart move. It helps implement the right policies and procedures so your employees don’t f