Are cloud misconfigurations impacting your security?

One of the top causes of security breaches in cloud environments is misconfigurations. Businesses can significantly reduce the risk of misconfigurations in their cloud environment by following best practices that we have outlines in this blog.  

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way that businesses handle their data and applications giving them more flexibility than traditional on-premises infrastructure such as the ability to scale resources quickly and easily. But with great power comes great responsibility, and misconfigurations in the cloud environment can have a big impact on the overall security and stability of a company’s data and applications. 

What is a Misconfiguration in a Cloud Environment ? 

First, let's talk about what we mean by misconfiguration when we’re talking about  cloud computing. A misconfiguration in a cloud environment can happen anywhere that access to resources is controlled, for example: security policies, account or role permissions, network settings, or storage settings. Misconfigurations can range from minor errors, such as a mislabeled resource, to major issues, such as improperly configured firewalls or unrestricted access to sensitive data.  

Impact of Misconfigurations 

As stated in an article by CloudTech, the research from Zscaler's "2022 Cloud (In)Security Report" shows that 98.6% of organizations have concerning misconfigurations that cause critical risks to data and infrastructure. The impacts of misconfigurations in the cloud can be significant and bring businesses to a grinding halt. An exploited misconfiguration can result in data loss, corruption or unintended exposure of private information. When this happens the consequences to a company can include substantial financial costs and reputational damage. In the case of publicly traded companies, the financial impacts can include significant declines in stock price. Below we have listed some of the ways that these misconfigurations can seriously impact a business’ day-to-day operations.  

Data Breaches: Misconfigurations in a business’ cloud environment access controls can leave their systems vulnerable and allow attackers to access sensitive data and systems. Once they have access, attackers can inject malware or launch ransomware attacks - resulting in data breaches.  

Compliance Violations: When there are Misconfigurations in access controls or storage settings businesses can struggle with non-compliance with data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).  

Downtime: In network settings or storage settings, misconfigurations can cause outages that lead to downtime or a disruption of a business’ overall operations. This downtime can men lost productivity, revenue, and customer dissatisfaction.  

How to Mitigate Misconfigurations in Cloud Environments  

Mitigating misconfigurations requires a combination of DevOps philosophies encompassing people, processes, and technology. Below we’ve listed some best practices to consider.  

1. Limit user access to only what is necessary to perform their job functions. This can help you prevent accidental or intentional misconfigurations that can lead to data breaches. 
2. Automated tools like configuration management tools, infrastructure as code (IAC), and continuous monitoring can help you to ensure that configurations are consistent and secure across all instances. 
3. Use virtual private clouds (VPCs), firewalls, and other network security tools to limit access to cloud resources and protect against unauthorized access and data breaches. 
4. Regularly review and audit configurations to make sure that they are up to date and that there are no misconfigurations that could compromise security. 
5. Encrypt data at rest and in transit to help you prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. To do this you can use cloud-native encryption tools or third-party encryption solutions. 
6. Make sure that all of your employees are aware of cloud security best practices, including how to identify and report potential security threats. 
7. Regularly apply security patches and updates to all cloud resources to stay protected against known vulnerabilities. 

We’re excited to use our cloud and DevOps expertise to help organizations define and grow their environments. Learn about our other cloud offerings, or contact us today.