The cloud has become an increasingly popular platform for software development in recent years. However, as with any new technology, there are security risks associated with cloud computing. In this post, we'll take a look at some of the potential security risks of developing software on the cloud and how to mitigate them.
There are a number of potential security risks associated with developing software on the cloud. These include:
Data breaches: Data stored on the cloud is susceptible to breaches just like any other data. In fact, a study by Symantec found that data breaches are actually more likely to occur in the cloud than on-premises.
Insider threats: Employees of cloud service providers (CSPs) may have access to customer data. This presents a risk if an employee of a CSP were to gain unauthorized access to customer data or were to deliberately leak customer data.
Denial of service (DoS) attacks: DoS attacks can occur when an attacker attempts to overwhelm a system with requests, preventing legitimate users from accessing the system. DoS attacks can be particularly damaging to cloud-based systems because of the shared nature of the cloud.
Malicious code injection: Malicious code can be injected into cloud-based applications via vulnerabilities in the code or the platform. This can allow attackers to take control of the application or access sensitive data.
There are a number of steps that can be taken to mitigate the risk of developing software on the cloud:
Use a reputable CSP: Be sure to do your research when choosing a CSP. Make sure they have a good reputation and that they have robust security measures in place.
encrypt data: Encrypting data at rest and in transit can help to protect it in the event of a breach.
Use identity and access management: Identity and access management (IAM) can help to control who has access to what data. IAM can be used to restrict access to sensitive data to only those who need it.
Implement security controls: Implementing security controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and access control lists can help to protect systems from attacks.
Monitor activity: Monitoring activity on systems can help to detect malicious activity and unauthorized access.
Cloud security is an important consideration for any organization that is using or considering using the cloud for software development. There are a number of potential security risks associated with the cloud, but these risks can be mitigated with the proper security measures in place.