Misconfigurations (when cloud computing assets are set up incorrectly, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized access, data breaches, and operational outages) and inadequate change control top the list of cloud security threats in 2024, up from third place the previous year. The shift to cloud computing has clearly amplified configuration management challenges, making it imperative for entities to adopt cloud-specific configurations.
That's one of the findings of the Cloud Security Alliance's (CSA) Top Threats to Cloud Computing in 2024 report, which highlights the evolving cloud security landscape and looks at the critical areas where organizations should focus their efforts.
CSA’s Key Threats Working Group conducted the research in two phases. First, they conducted an in-person survey among group members to identify potential cloud security issues, based on their previous 2022 report. After discussions and evaluations, they selected 28 issues for further analysis. In the second phase, more than 500 security professionals participated in an online survey to rank these issues in order of importance, using a sliding 10-point scale. This process revealed the top four threats for 2024, highlighting the shift in focus from traditional cloud security concerns to more nuanced and complex challenges.
This year's report also highlighted the four biggest threats: identity and access management (IAM), insecure interfaces and APIs, and lack of cloud security architecture and strategy.
Identity and Access Management
Identity and access management has slipped to second place in 2024, but it remains a critical concern. Identity and access management ensures that only authorized individuals can access cloud resources after proving their identity. However, challenges such as excessive permissions, impersonation, and poor encryption management still exist, making identity and access management a complex and evolving issue in the cloud security space.
There has been a shift towards zero-trust architecture and software-defined perimeters (SDP), reflecting the increasing importance of identity and access management (IAM) in cloud environments. Incorrect IAM settings can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance.
Insecure interfaces and APIs
Insecure APIs and interfaces moved from second to third place in this year’s report. As entities adopt more and more microservices, securing them becomes critical. APIs are the backbone of cloud services, enabling interactions between machines and humans. However, insufficient authentication mechanisms, encryption, and poor session management can make them easy targets for attacks.
In 2023, 29% of web attacks targeted APIs, underscoring their appeal to criminals. The consequences of insecure interfaces are severe, ranging from unauthorized access to theft of sensitive data and service disruption. Strong authentication, encryption, input validation, and continuous monitoring are essential to securing APIs and interfaces.
Inadequate cloud security strategy selection/implementation
Ranking fourth for the second year in a row is the issue of poor cloud security strategy selection/implementation. As businesses move to the cloud, they often fail to develop a comprehensive security strategy that addresses the unique challenges of cloud environments. This neglect can lead to inconsistent security policies, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit.
A well-defined cloud security strategy should include risk assessments, security controls, and ongoing monitoring to protect cloud resources. Organizations must also ensure that their security architecture aligns with their overall business objectives and regulatory requirements. Failure to do so can result in data breaches, operational outages, and financial losses.
Other threats listed were:
Insecure third-party resources Insecure software development Inadvertent cloud exposure System vulnerabilities Limited cloud visibility/monitoring Unauthenticated resource sharing Advanced persistent threats
Proactive Mitigation Strategies
The report also provided some key mitigation strategies to address these threats:
Integrating AI throughout the software development lifecycle: Leveraging AI early in the development process—such as code reviews and automated vulnerability scanning—helps security teams identify and address security issues before code is deployed.
Use AI-powered offensive security tools: These advanced tools mimic attacker behavior to root out vulnerabilities in cloud configurations, identity and access management protocols, and APIs. This proactive approach helps entities stay one step ahead of potential threats and strengthen their defenses.
Cloud-native security tools: As more applications and workloads move to the cloud, organizations need security tools specifically designed to protect these environments. These tools provide enhanced visibility and control over solutions designed for on-premises use, promising a more effective way to manage cloud security.
Zero Trust Security Model: The zero trust model imposes continuous authentication and the principle of least privilege access. This model has become the standard for cloud security, using strict authentication and limiting access to only what is necessary.
Automation and orchestration: To address the complexities of cloud security at scale, automating security processes and workflows is critical. Automation simplifies tedious routine tasks and improves efficiency, allowing businesses to manage their security more effectively.
Addressing the Security Skills Gap: The cybersecurity skills gap is a thorn in the side of the security industry. Companies in both the public and private sectors need to invest in training and development initiatives to build skills and expertise and implement ongoing education and awareness programs to keep their teams well prepared.
Key trends to watch out for
The report also highlights some of the key trends that it believes will shape the future of cloud security and emphasizes the need for entities to stay informed of these trends and adapt their defenses accordingly to maintain strong cloud security. These trends include:
Evolving Attacks: Malicious criminals will continue to refine their existing tools and develop more sophisticated tools, including artificial intelligence, to slip past cloud defenses. These new technologies will fuel a proactive security posture that adds continuous monitoring and threat hunting to the mix. Supply Chain: All businesses today rely on networks of external partners, and the increasing complexity of cloud ecosystems will expand the attack surface. To address supply chain vulnerabilities, companies must expand their security solutions to their partners. Tightening Regulations: Regulations are evolving, and regulatory bodies will introduce stricter regulations on data privacy and security, and companies will need to adapt cloud security accordingly. Ransomware as a Service (RaaS): RaaS lowers the barrier of entry for unskilled cybercriminals to execute ransomware attacks against cloud environments. Companies must implement robust data backup and recovery solutions and strong access controls.
As cloud computing evolves, so do the threats that organizations must deal with. Organizations can protect their assets, maintain compliance, and ensure business continuity in an increasingly complex cloud environment by adopting recommended mitigation strategies and continually improving their cloud security practices.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this article and other articles by guest authors are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Tripwire.
