Here at Creative Network Solutions, we are Preston’s leading IT support and network services experts. From secure remote access services to business VoIP, we are the team you can count on. And this is our guide to everything you should know about the cloud security issues for SMB’s.
What are the most common cloud security issues for SMB’s?
SMB’s often face a range of cyber security issues, from a number of different sources. When it comes to cloud services, this is no exception. So what are the specific security issues associated with cloud technology? Well, there are several, including:
- System vulnerabilities
- User error or negligence
- Malicious cyber attacks
Cloud services and system vulnerabilities
Currently system vulnerabilities are one of the biggest causes of cyber security issues in the area of cloud services. This is because, due to the coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented number of people are working from home, relying on cloud technologies for collaboration and projects. Unlike working in an office environment, this type of working has many different access points, and can result in system vulnerabilities. These can be split into different categories, including:
- Misconfiguration vulnerabilities- these are one of the most common types of cloud security vulnerability and often stem from cloud services either being misunderstood by your employees, or from the systems being rolled out too quickly. This can result for example, in a employee sharing confidential folders publicly, because of the way that the cloud system has been setup, and because of a lack of understanding about how this works.
- Access control vulnerabilities- these are vulnerabilities associated with weak passwords and a lack of two factor authentication or authorization.
- Shared tenancy vulnerabilities- the cloud infrastructure itself does have some vulnerabilities, and if cyber criminals know which type of hardware or software you are using, they will be able to exploit the pre-existing vulnerabilities associated with this.
User error or negligence and cloud security issues
As well as the vulnerabilities that emerge from using this software, there are also specific human errors that can lead to weak security and potential issues for SMBs. These include:
- Weak passwords- these can be easily cracked by cyber criminals, granted access through the cloud to your company data and any financial or confidential information.
- Not running updates, especially security ones- updates are essential, but if your staff are using their own devices to connect to the cloud network, these may not be up to date, leaving the system vulnerable to attack.
Malicious cyber attacks on cloud systems
Finally, cloud systems face threats from malicious cyber attacks. These can include:
- Phishing- criminals can secure cloud service access by phishing for credentials. This involves reaching out to your employees with realistic looking content that asks them to re-sign in to their account, or to confirm their details. These details are then stolen, and used to access company cloud storage and data.
- Phishing with malware- this is a specific type of phishing that instead of asking for details, instead encourages people to follow the link, in turn opening infected files that can spread throughout your cloud network.
- Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks- these overload cloud servers or the framework around it to disrupt or take services offline. This is a very popular attack method that has publicly targeted very large companies like the Xbox and PlayStation hack on Christmas Day 2014, but it is also a very real threat for SMBs too.
For more information or advice about your network security, systems, or cloud solutions, why not ask the experts today, here at Creative Network Solutions.