Top Cloud Security Threats to Prepare for in 2018

Cybersecurity continues to present a challenge for businesses.

Threats grow in scale and complexity each year, and 2018 promises to be no different. This year, some key issues should move to the top of every security expert’s to-do list.

These are the types of cyber attacks that can cause so much damage that a company goes out of business. Ignoring any of these potential breaches is an accident waiting to happen.

Let’s not forget Equifax, WannaCry, Yahoo, Bad Rabbit and many more hacks that occured in 2017.

The Human Factor Is a Significant Problem

Human error is still the leading threat to cybersecurity.

A crucial mishap can happen to any employee at any given time. That’s why staying vigilant with training and awareness remains a top priority for CIOs/CTOs in 2018.

Programming errors, for example, can impact every user of a system in one fell swoop. Worse, social engineering attacks work because they count on exploiting human nature to gain access to security credentials.

As the stakes continue to rise and hackers can make big money, there’s always a chance that a simple mistake by a person somewhere in the chain will cause a substantial monetary loss. No organization can ever be completely immune to cyber threats, but the ones that implement policies for prevention stand a better chance.

IoT Introduces New Threats

Internet of Things represents a fundamental risk for almost all enterprises. More and more “smart” devices are heading into service.

This development means internet-enabled “things” can come from different vendors and have varying configurations. Some of them will have lax security, which could introduce vulnerabilities into the system.

A multitude of new devices to manage is going to involve more operational oversight for enterprises. Companies without sound cybersecurity policies will need to invest in bolstering their procedures. Strengthening IoT security will require education and adherence to a growing set of best practices.

Companies Are Experiencing an Increase in Blended DDOS Attacks

“Blended DDOS is a threat that’s is growing across the board. This type of attack can render a site unusable, reducing defenses to the point where thieves can easily steal data”, according to Ian McClarty CEO of PhoenixNap Global IT Solutions.

Services that store customer payment information is at risk. Businesses that depend on uptime may also receive this type of attack for extortion purposes.

There are several options to mitigate these types of attacks, and the cost will depend on the solution. Companies continue to face this issue and are now investing more money than ever to stay online. DDOS causes extreme latency, among other topics, and will run the user experience of site visitors.

Evolving Ransomware Grows and Becomes More Destructive

Many criminal organizations are discovering the insane profitability of ransomware attacks.

Most people have critical files on their devices and will pay a ransom to get them back. That simple premise is enough to keep gangs of hackers inventing new malicious code. Now, some of the ransomware is evolving to evade prevention.

This increase in capacity for the virus means that security programs and policies will need evolution on their end. Ransomware will remain a significant issue for coming years, so research and education about prevention is an excellent starting point. It’s important to shore up defenses before an attack happens because they are difficult to return from to normal operations.

Public Cloud Services Are Vulnerable to Abuse

Abuse and Nefarious Use of the Cloud is a growing segment of threats. Public clouds have a lot of users. To facilitate user growth, many of them have lax registration processes. That simplicity comes at a cost. Security at many public clouds is weak. Hackers with stolen credit card information can register accounts and launch attacks.

High profile attacks are happening, and very few cloud service providers are immune. The threats to cybersecurity range from third parties stealing passwords and account information all the way to hidden malware.

Businesses may tend to think that they’re leaving all security issues up to the cloud provider, but they’re still responsible for the loss. Enterprises must implement and use up to date policies and procedures to deal this growing threat.

Insecure Interfaces and APIs Are a Cause for Alarm

Almost all useful web services offer APIs for their customers. However, not all of them have done the necessary work to ensure security.
Install and access your important work applications and software no matter where you from any device(PC/Android/i OS) with a cloud desktop from www.CloudDesktopOnline.com . For cloud related business software such as SharePoint, Office365, try Apps4Rent . APIs allow for a decent amount of insight into a third party service, especially for the inquiring minds of hackers. APIs that don’t have robust frameworks to prevent attacks are vulnerable to a multitude.

Websites that host customer information and have an API must safeguard their queries against revealing too much information. For the most part, robust authentication and encryption policies will prevent API requests from doing damage. Since customers and business have grown to use APIs on a comprehensive basis, securing their interfaces against a growing array of attacks is an ongoing priority.

Malicious Insiders Potenitally Wreak Havoc

One of the biggest cloud security threats comes from insiders.

Those individuals inside of an enterprise may become bad actors who have high levels of security clearance. The workers who already have access to internal system functions are the ones who can unleash the most abuse. New disciplines are arising to meet the demands of this type of problem, but many will require overhauls in corporate culture.

Security systems don’t know what a user’s intention is, at least not so far. However, there is an emerging technology to deal with the problem. Intent-based Access Control aims to find out why a user is making an access request. The traditional method is for systems to grant complete access to those who enter their security credentials correctly.

Now, the process will not be so simple for someone with a malicious idea in mind.

Don’t Forget the Security Mindset

Organizations that want to increase their cloud security will need to change how they think about the subject. Threats are now so frequent and severe that fighting back is a matter of their survival. It’s time that all employees and managers are on the same page. Defending against the constant and evolving nature of cybersecurity breaches requires ongoing diligence.

No matter where your organizations start, it can ramp up and beef up security efforts. Training employees and implementing third-party solutions in the most vulnerable areas is a rational way to begin. More vendors than ever before can assist. Businesses are at a critical juncture where they must take security seriously. Breaches and ransom and other associated losses are so severe that few companies will be able to withstand a significant event.