Misconfiguration of cloud solutions is often overlooked when companies plan cybersecurity strategies. Cloud apps are typically quick and easy to sign up for. The user often assumes that they don’t need to worry about security because it’s handled.<\/p>
This is an incorrect assumption because cloud security is a shared model. The provider of the solution handles securing the backend infrastructure. But the user is responsible for configuring security settings in their account properly.<\/p>
The problem with misconfiguration is huge. It\u2019s the number one cause<\/a> of cloud data breaches. It\u2019s also an unforced error. Misconfiguration means that a company has made a mistake. It hasn’t adequately secured its cloud application.<\/p> Perhaps they gave too many employees administrative privileges. Or, they may have neglected to turn on a security function. One that prevented the downloading of cloud files by an unauthorized user.<\/p> Misconfiguration covers a wide range of negligent behavior. It all has to do with cloud security settings and practices. A finding in The State of Cloud Security 2021<\/a><\/em> report shed light on how common this issue is. 45% of organizations experience between 1 and 50 cloud misconfigurations per day.<\/p> Some of the main causes of misconfiguration are:<\/p> Use the tips below to reduce your risk of a cloud data breach and improve cloud security.<\/p> Do you know all the different cloud apps employees are using at your business? If not, you\u2019re not alone. It\u2019s estimated that shadow IT use is approximately 10x the size<\/a> of known cloud use.<\/p> When an employee uses a cloud app without authorization, it\u2019s considered \u201cshadow IT.\u201d This is because the app is in the shadows so to speak, outside the purview of the company\u2019s IT team.<\/p> How can you protect something you don\u2019t know about? This is why shadow cloud applications are so dangerous. And why they often result in breaches due to misconfiguration.<\/p> Gain visibility into your entire cloud environment, so you know what you need to protect. One way you can do this is through a cloud access security application.<\/p> The more privileged accounts you have, the higher the risk of a misconfiguration. There should be very few users that can change security configurations. You don\u2019t want someone that doesn\u2019t know better to accidentally open a vulnerability. Such as removing a cloud storage sharing restriction. It could leave your entire environment a sitting duck for hackers.<\/p> Audit privileged accounts in all cloud tools. Then, reduce the number of administrative accounts to a least needed to operate.<\/p> Automation helps mitigate human error. Automating as many security policies as possible helps prevent cloud security breaches.<\/p> For example, if you use a feature like sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365, you can set a \u201cdo not copy\u201d policy. It will follow the file through each supported cloud application. Users don\u2019t need to do anything to enable it once you put the policy in place.<\/p> How secure is your cloud environment? How many misconfigurations might there be right now? It\u2019s important to know this information so you can correct issues to reduce risk.<\/p> Use an auditing tool, like Microsoft Secure Score<\/a>. You want a tool that can scan your cloud environment and let you know where problems exist. It should also be able to provide recommended remediation steps.<\/p> Once you get your cloud security settings right, they won\u2019t necessarily stay that way. Several things can cause a change in a security setting without you realizing it. These include:<\/p> Be proactive by setting up alerts. You should have an alert for any significant change in your cloud environment. For example, when the setting to force multi-factor authentication gets turned off.<\/p> If an alert is set up, then your team knows right away when a change occurs to an important security setting. This allows them to take immediate steps to research and rectify the situation.<\/p> Business owners, executives, and office managers aren\u2019t cybersecurity experts. No one should expect them to know how to configure the best security for your organization\u2019s needs.<\/p> It\u2019s best to have a cloud security specialist from a trusted IT company check your settings. We can help ensure that they\u2019re set up to keep your data protected without restricting your team.<\/p> Most work is now done in the cloud, and companies store data in these online environments. Don\u2019t leave your company at risk by neglecting misconfiguration. Give us a call today to set up a cloud security assessment.<\/p> <\/p>Enable Visibility into Your Cloud Infrastructure<\/h3>
Restrict Privileged Accounts<\/h3>
Put in Place Automated Security Policies<\/h3>
Use a Cloud Security Audit Tool (Like Microsoft Secure Score)<\/h3>
Set Up Alerts for When Configurations Change<\/h3>
Have a Cloud Specialist Check Your Cloud Settings<\/h3>
Improve Cloud Security & Lower Your Chances for a Data Breach<\/h2>