Cloud computing and cloud storage have become the backbone of all digital services in the modern era. With companies looking to reduce their physical footprint and save costs, there is an increase in demand for cloud storage. Cloud computing and storage does provide flexibility and ease of operations.
However, with most companies shifting to the cloud platforms, there is a sense of complexity that adds a layer of security challenges. Moreover, with the advent of shadow IT, i.e., the use of IT infrastructure by departments other than the IT departments poses significant security challenges as far as security in the cloud is concerned.
Complex and opaque ownership
One of the biggest security challenges in the cloud is ensuring data integrity and data validation due to complex and opaque ownership structures. Rival firms might have similar and identical data of the customers stored on third-party cloud services.
Now since the ownership structure is opaque, any security leak in cloud storage might directly translate to business loss and even lead to companies being wiped out. Granted that there are stringent security protocols, companies might try to take advantage of the slightest bug in cloud applications. Hence it becomes really important for these companies to train their employees regarding the security policies. There are plenty of online Cyber Security courses from where upskilling can be done.
Moreover, the authority responsible for the security of the entire cloud infrastructure is known; however, for individual slots in cloud storage, the guard might be opaque, leading to high-security risks.
Access rights and use of cloud infrastructure
Within an organization, multiple departments might access the data for a different purpose. Hence this would give rise to a shadow IT set up. In such a scenario, any mistake in data computing or lax in security by one department might have repercussions across all the departments.
Particularly in the case of non-IT guys’ data security while using cloud computing and cloud infrastructure might be breached, leading to several challenges. In such a scenario developing a holistic and comprehensive intracloud security infrastructure remains the only challenge.
Ransomware deployment in the cloud infrastructure
With the advent of cloud computing, there has also been an increase in the development of a new breed of computer viruses that can disrupt cloud services. So, if the entire cloud infrastructure gets impacted, then the individual business will also get affected for apparently no fault of theirs.
One such virus is ransomware, which can significantly disrupt cloud services at multiple levels. The tricky part of ransomware is that they can remain inactive for an extended period and remain undetected. As the algorithms and cloud structure mechanisms become complicated, the ransomware starts reading the environmental land-attack changes when the opportunity arrives. Moreover, a particular variety of ransomware in cloud applications affects only a specific section of the algorithm, making it difficult to cleanse the entire ecosystem.
Cloud Apps: The chink in the Armor
Cloud apps have been a great boon to access data and process data from remote locations. However, when the same cloud apps are hosted on a local server, it can lead to severe challenges given the complexity of the process and the rise of shadow IT or cloud platforms. Whenever an employee goes outside the encrypted protocol to host the cloud apps on a local server, the entire cloud infrastructure is put at risk as ransomware. Other bugs can easily be transported to the cloud. Moreover, the app itself might get tweaked and contains a section of the ransomware.
Furthermore, the data associated with these cloud apps cannot be bereft of security risks and might lead to data theft. Shadow IT practices have been one of the critical reasons for data theft due to and from the movement of the cloud apps from the cloud computing environment to the local server.
Configuration errors
Each section of cloud storage and cloud computing is encrypted at various levels and y by different unique keys to add multiple layers of security. However, configuration errors might occur due to numerous remains like changing domains, local and host server movement, new encryption methods, etc. Such configuration errors due to various encryption keys and methodology pose a significant security challenge for cloud computing.
Conclusion
Cloud computing and services have greatly amplified and revolutionized the scope of digital services. However, with the rise of complex algorithms and shadow IT security challenges have also increased exponentially.