Blog
June 6, 2024

Understanding, Managing and Reducing Your Cloud Attack Surface

This article aims to guide you through the concept of cloud attack surfaces, highlight the challenges you might face, and offer effective strategies for securing your cloud environments.

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Key Points

  • Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility lead to increased security risks and make it difficult to manage cloud environments effectively.
  • Misconfigurations and over-permissioning are common vulnerabilities that can result in data breaches and unauthorised access.
  • Human error and social engineering pose significant threats, as employees may inadvertently compromise security through mistakes or manipulation.
  • Metomic provides data security tools to enhance cloud security, improve visibility, monitor misconfigurations, enforce data security policies, and educate employees.

As your organisation increasingly migrates into the cloud, understanding and managing the cloud attack surface has never been more critical.

With the rapid expansion of cloud environments, organisations have been finding that entry points into their digital ecosystems have multiplied, making cloud attack surface management more complex and essential.

By understanding and implementing comprehensive attack surface management practices, you can better protect your digital assets and reduce security risks.

What is a cloud attack surface?

Simply put, it's all the potential entry points that attackers can exploit in your cloud environment to get access to your systems and data. With the rapid adoption of cloud services, managing this attack surface has become more challenging and crucial than ever.

There’s also far more than you might think. The average enterprise now uses over 1,400 distinct cloud services.

While this incredible flexibility and scalability are game-changers, they also mean there are more doors for potential attackers to sneak through. And each new service adds to the complexity of your digital ecosystem, making it much tougher to keep everything visible and under control.

That's why understanding cloud attack surface management is essential. Without a clear grasp of what an attack surface is and how it evolves with your cloud usage, you're likely to miss critical security gaps.

Challenges in cloud security

Navigating the world of cloud security presents several significant challenges that every organisation needs to be aware of and address effectively.

1. Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility

One of the biggest issues you might face is cloud sprawl. The more cloud services you use, the harder it becomes to maintain visibility over all your assets. In fact, only 23% of organisations report having full visibility over their cloud environment. This lack of visibility can leave your organisation exposed to potential threats that you might not even be aware of.

2. Increased risk of misconfigurations and mispermissioning

Another challenge is the increased risk of misconfigurations and over-permissioning. Misconfigured storage buckets could inadvertently expose sensitive data, while over permissioned user accounts could grant unauthorised access to critical systems. (in fact, Microsoft have found that human and machine-based user identities only use 1% of their granted permissions in their daily functions).

3. Complexity of managing cloud security across platforms

Securing multiple cloud platforms adds another layer of complexity. Each platform has its own security features and configurations, making it challenging to maintain a consistent data security posture. Effectively managing cloud security means enforcing consistent cloud security policies and practices across all platforms.

4. Human factors

Finally, don’t underestimate the human factor. Human error and social engineering (which makes up 98% of all cyber attacks) significantly contribute to cloud security risks. Employees might unintentionally expose sensitive information or fall victim to phishing attacks. And with enterprises experiencing an average of 23.2 cloud-related threats per month, it’s clear that constant vigilance is needed to protect against these risks.

By understanding and addressing these challenges, you can strengthen your organisation’s cloud security and better protect your digital assets.

Opportunities for improving cloud security

Amid the challenges, there are significant opportunities to enhance your cloud security. Here’s how you can take proactive steps to protect your organisation:

1. Implementing comprehensive cloud security policies

Effective security policies should cover access controls, data protection, network segmentation, incident response, and regular security audits. Having these policies in place means that all team members know their roles and responsibilities, minimising security risks and keeping your data safer.

2. Using advanced tools for attack surface management

Leveraging advanced tools for attack surface management is crucial. These tools can help you gain comprehensive visibility over your cloud environment and monitor for any vulnerabilities. Often, when enterprises conduct their first automated scan, they discover their attack surface is 30% larger than expected. Using these tools means you can identify and address hidden threats, ensuring a more secure cloud infrastructure.

3. Educating employees on best security practices

A lack of employee training contributes to 80% of all data breaches, so educating your employees on best security practices is essential. Ensure that your training includes practical tips on recognising phishing attempts, securing personal devices, and following proper data handling procedures. When your team is well-informed, they become your first line of defence against security breaches.

Solutions and recommendations

Tackling the challenges of cloud security head-on requires practical solutions for fortifying your cloud environments, such as:

  1. Visibility and monitoring: One of the first steps in securing your cloud is achieving comprehensive visibility. Using advanced tools for attack surface management can help you gain a clear picture of all the cloud services in use within your organisation. Regular monitoring for misconfigurations and inappropriate permissions is essential. Given the nearly 600% annual growth in vulnerable cloud attack surfaces, staying vigilant and proactive is more critical than ever.
  2. Data security: Implementing strict data security policies and ensuring strict compliance is another crucial aspect. Regular audits are necessary to know precisely what data resides in your cloud platforms and to verify that it is adequately protected. It's alarming to note that in Palo Alto’s Unit 42 Attack Surface Threat Report, 80% of medium, high, or critical exposures in the organisations analysed were observed on assets hosted in the cloud. By maintaining strict data security policies, you can significantly mitigate these risks.
  3. Human factor management: Educating your employees about security best practices and potential threats is indispensable. Regular training sessions can help your team recognise and respond to security threats, reducing the likelihood of human error. Empowering your workforce with the knowledge to protect your cloud environment makes them an integral part of your attack surface management strategy.

How Metomic can help

Metomic offers advanced cloud security solutions tailored to tackle the challenges of modern cloud environments.

Here's how Metomic can assist:

  • Gain visibility into cloud environments: Metomic’s platform is designed to detect sensitive data in SaaS applications like GitHub, Google Drive, and Slack.
  • Monitor and manage misconfigurations and permissions effectively: Metomic triggers alerts for critical risk issues like exposed secrets or credentials, ensuring swift action can be taken.
  • Implement and enforce data security policies: Metomic helps ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR, and can redact certain information containing PII.
  • Educate employees on security best practices and mitigate human risks: Metomic empowers employees to act as a "Human Firewall" by providing real-time notifications and alerts, enabling them to take proactive actions to secure sensitive data and enhancing their role in defending against data breaches.

Metomic services are designed to significantly reduce an organisation's cloud attack surface and enhance its overall security posture, ensuring a strong defence against the complexities of cloud security.

Conclusion

Understanding cloud attack surface management is crucial in a threat landscape where the cloud attack surface continues to grow.

By gaining insight into the complexities of cloud security and implementing effective strategies, organisations can mitigate risks and safeguard their sensitive data.

Data security solutions like Metomic can help you to gain visibility and control over your cloud infrastructure, enhancing your organisation's security posture.

Ready to take the next step in securing your cloud environment? Take a virtual platform tour to see how Metomic can help protect your organisation against evolving threats.

Table of content
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents

Rich Vibert

CEO & Co-founder

Rich Vibert is CEO and Co-founder of Metomic

Key Points

  • Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility lead to increased security risks and make it difficult to manage cloud environments effectively.
  • Misconfigurations and over-permissioning are common vulnerabilities that can result in data breaches and unauthorised access.
  • Human error and social engineering pose significant threats, as employees may inadvertently compromise security through mistakes or manipulation.
  • Metomic provides data security tools to enhance cloud security, improve visibility, monitor misconfigurations, enforce data security policies, and educate employees.

As your organisation increasingly migrates into the cloud, understanding and managing the cloud attack surface has never been more critical.

With the rapid expansion of cloud environments, organisations have been finding that entry points into their digital ecosystems have multiplied, making cloud attack surface management more complex and essential.

By understanding and implementing comprehensive attack surface management practices, you can better protect your digital assets and reduce security risks.

What is a cloud attack surface?

Simply put, it's all the potential entry points that attackers can exploit in your cloud environment to get access to your systems and data. With the rapid adoption of cloud services, managing this attack surface has become more challenging and crucial than ever.

There’s also far more than you might think. The average enterprise now uses over 1,400 distinct cloud services.

While this incredible flexibility and scalability are game-changers, they also mean there are more doors for potential attackers to sneak through. And each new service adds to the complexity of your digital ecosystem, making it much tougher to keep everything visible and under control.

That's why understanding cloud attack surface management is essential. Without a clear grasp of what an attack surface is and how it evolves with your cloud usage, you're likely to miss critical security gaps.

Challenges in cloud security

Navigating the world of cloud security presents several significant challenges that every organisation needs to be aware of and address effectively.

1. Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility

One of the biggest issues you might face is cloud sprawl. The more cloud services you use, the harder it becomes to maintain visibility over all your assets. In fact, only 23% of organisations report having full visibility over their cloud environment. This lack of visibility can leave your organisation exposed to potential threats that you might not even be aware of.

2. Increased risk of misconfigurations and mispermissioning

Another challenge is the increased risk of misconfigurations and over-permissioning. Misconfigured storage buckets could inadvertently expose sensitive data, while over permissioned user accounts could grant unauthorised access to critical systems. (in fact, Microsoft have found that human and machine-based user identities only use 1% of their granted permissions in their daily functions).

3. Complexity of managing cloud security across platforms

Securing multiple cloud platforms adds another layer of complexity. Each platform has its own security features and configurations, making it challenging to maintain a consistent data security posture. Effectively managing cloud security means enforcing consistent cloud security policies and practices across all platforms.

4. Human factors

Finally, don’t underestimate the human factor. Human error and social engineering (which makes up 98% of all cyber attacks) significantly contribute to cloud security risks. Employees might unintentionally expose sensitive information or fall victim to phishing attacks. And with enterprises experiencing an average of 23.2 cloud-related threats per month, it’s clear that constant vigilance is needed to protect against these risks.

By understanding and addressing these challenges, you can strengthen your organisation’s cloud security and better protect your digital assets.

Opportunities for improving cloud security

Amid the challenges, there are significant opportunities to enhance your cloud security. Here’s how you can take proactive steps to protect your organisation:

1. Implementing comprehensive cloud security policies

Effective security policies should cover access controls, data protection, network segmentation, incident response, and regular security audits. Having these policies in place means that all team members know their roles and responsibilities, minimising security risks and keeping your data safer.

2. Using advanced tools for attack surface management

Leveraging advanced tools for attack surface management is crucial. These tools can help you gain comprehensive visibility over your cloud environment and monitor for any vulnerabilities. Often, when enterprises conduct their first automated scan, they discover their attack surface is 30% larger than expected. Using these tools means you can identify and address hidden threats, ensuring a more secure cloud infrastructure.

3. Educating employees on best security practices

A lack of employee training contributes to 80% of all data breaches, so educating your employees on best security practices is essential. Ensure that your training includes practical tips on recognising phishing attempts, securing personal devices, and following proper data handling procedures. When your team is well-informed, they become your first line of defence against security breaches.

Solutions and recommendations

Tackling the challenges of cloud security head-on requires practical solutions for fortifying your cloud environments, such as:

  1. Visibility and monitoring: One of the first steps in securing your cloud is achieving comprehensive visibility. Using advanced tools for attack surface management can help you gain a clear picture of all the cloud services in use within your organisation. Regular monitoring for misconfigurations and inappropriate permissions is essential. Given the nearly 600% annual growth in vulnerable cloud attack surfaces, staying vigilant and proactive is more critical than ever.
  2. Data security: Implementing strict data security policies and ensuring strict compliance is another crucial aspect. Regular audits are necessary to know precisely what data resides in your cloud platforms and to verify that it is adequately protected. It's alarming to note that in Palo Alto’s Unit 42 Attack Surface Threat Report, 80% of medium, high, or critical exposures in the organisations analysed were observed on assets hosted in the cloud. By maintaining strict data security policies, you can significantly mitigate these risks.
  3. Human factor management: Educating your employees about security best practices and potential threats is indispensable. Regular training sessions can help your team recognise and respond to security threats, reducing the likelihood of human error. Empowering your workforce with the knowledge to protect your cloud environment makes them an integral part of your attack surface management strategy.

How Metomic can help

Metomic offers advanced cloud security solutions tailored to tackle the challenges of modern cloud environments.

Here's how Metomic can assist:

  • Gain visibility into cloud environments: Metomic’s platform is designed to detect sensitive data in SaaS applications like GitHub, Google Drive, and Slack.
  • Monitor and manage misconfigurations and permissions effectively: Metomic triggers alerts for critical risk issues like exposed secrets or credentials, ensuring swift action can be taken.
  • Implement and enforce data security policies: Metomic helps ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR, and can redact certain information containing PII.
  • Educate employees on security best practices and mitigate human risks: Metomic empowers employees to act as a "Human Firewall" by providing real-time notifications and alerts, enabling them to take proactive actions to secure sensitive data and enhancing their role in defending against data breaches.

Metomic services are designed to significantly reduce an organisation's cloud attack surface and enhance its overall security posture, ensuring a strong defence against the complexities of cloud security.

Conclusion

Understanding cloud attack surface management is crucial in a threat landscape where the cloud attack surface continues to grow.

By gaining insight into the complexities of cloud security and implementing effective strategies, organisations can mitigate risks and safeguard their sensitive data.

Data security solutions like Metomic can help you to gain visibility and control over your cloud infrastructure, enhancing your organisation's security posture.

Ready to take the next step in securing your cloud environment? Take a virtual platform tour to see how Metomic can help protect your organisation against evolving threats.

Key Points

  • Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility lead to increased security risks and make it difficult to manage cloud environments effectively.
  • Misconfigurations and over-permissioning are common vulnerabilities that can result in data breaches and unauthorised access.
  • Human error and social engineering pose significant threats, as employees may inadvertently compromise security through mistakes or manipulation.
  • Metomic provides data security tools to enhance cloud security, improve visibility, monitor misconfigurations, enforce data security policies, and educate employees.

As your organisation increasingly migrates into the cloud, understanding and managing the cloud attack surface has never been more critical.

With the rapid expansion of cloud environments, organisations have been finding that entry points into their digital ecosystems have multiplied, making cloud attack surface management more complex and essential.

By understanding and implementing comprehensive attack surface management practices, you can better protect your digital assets and reduce security risks.

What is a cloud attack surface?

Simply put, it's all the potential entry points that attackers can exploit in your cloud environment to get access to your systems and data. With the rapid adoption of cloud services, managing this attack surface has become more challenging and crucial than ever.

There’s also far more than you might think. The average enterprise now uses over 1,400 distinct cloud services.

While this incredible flexibility and scalability are game-changers, they also mean there are more doors for potential attackers to sneak through. And each new service adds to the complexity of your digital ecosystem, making it much tougher to keep everything visible and under control.

That's why understanding cloud attack surface management is essential. Without a clear grasp of what an attack surface is and how it evolves with your cloud usage, you're likely to miss critical security gaps.

Challenges in cloud security

Navigating the world of cloud security presents several significant challenges that every organisation needs to be aware of and address effectively.

1. Cloud sprawl and lack of visibility

One of the biggest issues you might face is cloud sprawl. The more cloud services you use, the harder it becomes to maintain visibility over all your assets. In fact, only 23% of organisations report having full visibility over their cloud environment. This lack of visibility can leave your organisation exposed to potential threats that you might not even be aware of.

2. Increased risk of misconfigurations and mispermissioning

Another challenge is the increased risk of misconfigurations and over-permissioning. Misconfigured storage buckets could inadvertently expose sensitive data, while over permissioned user accounts could grant unauthorised access to critical systems. (in fact, Microsoft have found that human and machine-based user identities only use 1% of their granted permissions in their daily functions).

3. Complexity of managing cloud security across platforms

Securing multiple cloud platforms adds another layer of complexity. Each platform has its own security features and configurations, making it challenging to maintain a consistent data security posture. Effectively managing cloud security means enforcing consistent cloud security policies and practices across all platforms.

4. Human factors

Finally, don’t underestimate the human factor. Human error and social engineering (which makes up 98% of all cyber attacks) significantly contribute to cloud security risks. Employees might unintentionally expose sensitive information or fall victim to phishing attacks. And with enterprises experiencing an average of 23.2 cloud-related threats per month, it’s clear that constant vigilance is needed to protect against these risks.

By understanding and addressing these challenges, you can strengthen your organisation’s cloud security and better protect your digital assets.

Opportunities for improving cloud security

Amid the challenges, there are significant opportunities to enhance your cloud security. Here’s how you can take proactive steps to protect your organisation:

1. Implementing comprehensive cloud security policies

Effective security policies should cover access controls, data protection, network segmentation, incident response, and regular security audits. Having these policies in place means that all team members know their roles and responsibilities, minimising security risks and keeping your data safer.

2. Using advanced tools for attack surface management

Leveraging advanced tools for attack surface management is crucial. These tools can help you gain comprehensive visibility over your cloud environment and monitor for any vulnerabilities. Often, when enterprises conduct their first automated scan, they discover their attack surface is 30% larger than expected. Using these tools means you can identify and address hidden threats, ensuring a more secure cloud infrastructure.

3. Educating employees on best security practices

A lack of employee training contributes to 80% of all data breaches, so educating your employees on best security practices is essential. Ensure that your training includes practical tips on recognising phishing attempts, securing personal devices, and following proper data handling procedures. When your team is well-informed, they become your first line of defence against security breaches.

Solutions and recommendations

Tackling the challenges of cloud security head-on requires practical solutions for fortifying your cloud environments, such as:

  1. Visibility and monitoring: One of the first steps in securing your cloud is achieving comprehensive visibility. Using advanced tools for attack surface management can help you gain a clear picture of all the cloud services in use within your organisation. Regular monitoring for misconfigurations and inappropriate permissions is essential. Given the nearly 600% annual growth in vulnerable cloud attack surfaces, staying vigilant and proactive is more critical than ever.
  2. Data security: Implementing strict data security policies and ensuring strict compliance is another crucial aspect. Regular audits are necessary to know precisely what data resides in your cloud platforms and to verify that it is adequately protected. It's alarming to note that in Palo Alto’s Unit 42 Attack Surface Threat Report, 80% of medium, high, or critical exposures in the organisations analysed were observed on assets hosted in the cloud. By maintaining strict data security policies, you can significantly mitigate these risks.
  3. Human factor management: Educating your employees about security best practices and potential threats is indispensable. Regular training sessions can help your team recognise and respond to security threats, reducing the likelihood of human error. Empowering your workforce with the knowledge to protect your cloud environment makes them an integral part of your attack surface management strategy.

How Metomic can help

Metomic offers advanced cloud security solutions tailored to tackle the challenges of modern cloud environments.

Here's how Metomic can assist:

  • Gain visibility into cloud environments: Metomic’s platform is designed to detect sensitive data in SaaS applications like GitHub, Google Drive, and Slack.
  • Monitor and manage misconfigurations and permissions effectively: Metomic triggers alerts for critical risk issues like exposed secrets or credentials, ensuring swift action can be taken.
  • Implement and enforce data security policies: Metomic helps ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR, and can redact certain information containing PII.
  • Educate employees on security best practices and mitigate human risks: Metomic empowers employees to act as a "Human Firewall" by providing real-time notifications and alerts, enabling them to take proactive actions to secure sensitive data and enhancing their role in defending against data breaches.

Metomic services are designed to significantly reduce an organisation's cloud attack surface and enhance its overall security posture, ensuring a strong defence against the complexities of cloud security.

Conclusion

Understanding cloud attack surface management is crucial in a threat landscape where the cloud attack surface continues to grow.

By gaining insight into the complexities of cloud security and implementing effective strategies, organisations can mitigate risks and safeguard their sensitive data.

Data security solutions like Metomic can help you to gain visibility and control over your cloud infrastructure, enhancing your organisation's security posture.

Ready to take the next step in securing your cloud environment? Take a virtual platform tour to see how Metomic can help protect your organisation against evolving threats.

Rich Vibert

CEO & Co-founder

Rich Vibert is CEO and Co-founder of Metomic

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