In recent weeks, IT security experts and government agencies have urged organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity in light of the increase in attacks due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. One of the interesting targets for malicious actors are cloud storage services, which attract hackers due to their lack of proper protection and configuration. Recently, researchers have already recorded attempts by cybercriminals to attack cloud databases, and the number of such cases may be increasing.
Why do users prefer cloud storage?
Cloud systems are a relatively inexpensive and convenient way to store and manage data with minimal costs for the IT department. Moreover, they have built-in emergency update tools and are available anytime and anywhere. Databases stored in the public cloud can contain:
business-critical corporate data;
personal information of employees and clients;
highly confidential intellectual and commercial data;
IT information, such as API keys or encryption keys, which can be used in attacks.
The leakage of this data to fraudsters or malicious actors can cause significant damage to the organization, particularly leading to fines from regulatory bodies, increased IT infrastructure costs, reduced productivity and sales volumes, as well as loss of customers and damage to reputation.
Data storage.
What are the common security issues with cloud storage?
Often, users misconfigure clouds and databases, which threatens their security. In particular, after this, they can be easily found using Internet scanning tools. The situation is exacerbated by the use of complex enterprise cloud environments. Most organizations combine local and public or private clouds using solutions from various providers to minimize the risks of compromise. According to a recent report, 92% of users use multi-cloud, and 82% use hybrid cloud.
IT specialists find it difficult to maintain the proper functionality of solutions from different cloud service providers. At the same time, each manufacturer constantly improves their product by adding new features and capabilities. Although this provides organizations with a vast array of detailed options, it also makes it difficult to perform the simplest tasks.
In particular, developers often face difficulties as they frequently lack specialized training in security matters. According to a recent analysis of over a million mobile applications, 14% of those using public cloud services in their server-side disclosed user information due to misconfiguration.
Among the most common setup errors, the following can be highlighted:
lack of access restrictions;
group security policies have numerous permissions;
lack of permission control;
incorrect methods of connecting to the Internet;
incorrect configuration of virtualized network functions.
What is the threat to the security of cloud storage?
Unprotected cloud systems are an attractive target for cybercriminals. In particular, accounts without encryption or password protection are easy to discover and compromise. In fact, researchers have already observed some activity of this kind—specifically targeting cloud databases located in Russia.
This study also showed that out of a random sample of 100 misconfigured cloud databases, 92 were compromised. Thus, there are many risks for organizations – from ransom demands for important information to its publication online and complete destruction.
According to the latest data from researchers, pro-Russian cybercriminal groups are preparing for attacks. Malefactors can combine hacktivism (the use of cyber technologies for social or political purposes) with the monetization of attacks.
In addition, cybercriminals may attempt to completely erase the contents of cloud databases after gaining access to them. In particular, the script discovered in recent cyberattacks resembled the method used during the well-known “Meow” attacks in 2020, when attackers deleted the contents of about 4,000 databases.
Before completely deleting the data, attackers may also attempt to analyze it for confidential information and publish it first to increase the financial and reputational damage to organizations.
Threats to storage facilities.
How to improve cloud storage security
Solving the problem of incorrect cloud configuration is quite challenging. However, there are several tips that can help reduce the aforementioned risks.
Improving the security of cloud environments by incorporating automated security checks and configurations.
Continuous management of settings using special tools.
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