Cloud misconfiguration is one of modern cybersecurity's most overlooked yet dangerous pitfalls. It's easy to assume that signing up for a cloud application means security is provided along with the service, but that's a costly misconception. While cloud providers secure the underlying infrastructure, it's up to you to configure your account settings, permissions, and data protections properly.
Missteps in cloud configuration are not rare. They're the leading cause of cloud data breaches. You may find it interesting that this research from Gartner reports that misconfiguration-related issues are responsible for 80% of all data security breaches, and up to 99% of cloud environment failures will likely result from human error through 2025. These incidents are often the result of simple oversights: granting too many users administrative rights, leaving critical security features disabled, or failing to monitor for unauthorized access.
The risks are amplified by the sheer complexity of today's cloud environments. Many organizations juggle multiple cloud providers and hundreds of APIs, making it too easy for settings to slip through the cracks. According to recent statistics, nearly 23% of cloud security incidents stem from misconfiguration, and more than half of organizations lack sufficient restrictions on access permissions.
Common causes of cloud misconfiguration include:
Inadequate oversight and regulation
Gaps in security knowledge among staff
Overwhelming complexity of cloud APIs
Lack of proper monitoring
Careless insider actions
Insufficient understanding of cloud security responsibilities
Don't let your organization become another statistic. Please continue reading to learn actionable steps for reducing your risk of cloud data breaches and taking cloud misconfiguration seriously before it leads to a costly incident.
A comprehensive view of your cloud environment is critical to ensure full control over its use. An effective way to achieve this is through a cloud access security application, which offers detailed insights into usage patterns across all platforms.
Not only does it provide an overview of the applications being used within the organization, but with recommendations on how to properly secure any vulnerabilities found, companies can be sure that their data remains safe and secure.
Keeping track of cloud application usage can be tricky, with many employees using unauthorized applications that are left out of the purview of IT teams. Without adequate oversight and regulation of these apps' configuration settings, businesses can be exposed to data breaches and other cyber threats.
It provides an overview of all the apps in use, making it easy for even those without technical knowledge to audit and secures their data. With detailed recommendations on securing any vulnerabilities found, your business can feel confident that it is protected against potential threats.
Businesses that operate with cloud-based services should restrict the number of privileged accounts (also known as administrative accounts) to ensure increased security of sensitive data. Privileged accounts often access many systems and features, including modifying settings, deleting data, and viewing confidential information. By limiting the number of privileged accounts, businesses can reduce their risk of unauthorized access to confidential data or malicious activities on their network.
When determining the appropriate number of privileged accounts for a business, consider the following:
Businesses can protect themselves from threats and enhance security by taking these steps.
Automating security policies is a surefire way to reduce the likelihood of cloud-related cyber breaches. Automating your security policies reduces the likelihood of human mistakes, and your cloud environment remains safe from malicious actors.
For example, by utilizing a feature like Microsoft 365's sensitivity labels, you can create a "do not copy" policy that will remain in effect across all supported cloud applications. As soon as this policy is implemented by you, users do not need to take any other action - it's automatic!
The automated policies in this tool can configure virtually unlimited security policies to any group or type of data created within the Microsoft 365 environment. Security in this environment can be almost virtually assured.
Identifying and fixing misconfigurations within your cloud environment is vital to minimize potential risks. So, how secure is your cloud system? How many errors have you encountered thus far? Knowing this data can help protect the safety of your company.
Microsoft Secure Score is a great auditing tool, as it can scan your cloud environment and direct you to any existing flaws while providing useful remediation instructions. Use this reliable resource to identify potential security issues and take the right steps toward efficiently rectifying them.
Even after ensuring your cloud security settings are precisely where you want them, these values can change without warning. Be cognizant of the following issues which can cause adjustments in settings:
· An employee with special rights changed those settings by mistake.
· A 3rd party plug-in can cause a change in something.
· Software updates
· A malicious hacker that has gained access to a privileged user's credentials
Take the necessary steps to avoid any potential security risks by setting up alerts. With an alert in place, your team can be notified as soon as a significant change takes place within your cloud environment - like disabling multi-factor authentication. This way, you will always have peace of mind knowing they are one step ahead and can respond quickly if needed.
Business professionals, executives, and administrators likely lack the technical knowledge to configure cybersecurity properly in their organization. There's no need for them to be expected to understand how best to protect your business from threats online.
To ensure that your data is safe and secure, it's best to consult a cloud security specialist from a reputable IT company. With their assistance, you can know that your settings are properly configured without hindering your team's productivity.
Many organizations conduct their work in the cloud and entrust it with sensitive data. Neglecting to configure Cloud settings properly can leave your business vulnerable - don't let that happen! Call us today if you need help setting up a cloud security assessment, or invite your Cloud specialist into the office this week so they can take care of it. We're ready when you are.