Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud
    • Cybersecurity

    Security Risks for Cloud Are Like Those for Non-Cloud Deployments

    By
    Sean Michael Kerner
    -
    April 22, 2014
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      cloud security

      Though the cloud offers a different deployment and consumption model for computing services, many of the same security risks present in non-cloud IT deployments are still in play. That’s the general conclusion of the Spring 2014 State of Cloud Security Report from cloud security-as-a-service vendor Alert Logic.

      “With the growing adoption of the cloud, we would, of course, anticipate an increase in attacks,” Alert Logic’s Chief Security Evangelist Stephen Coty told eWEEK. “The data got interesting when we started analyzing what types of attacks are taking place.”

      For example, the report found that brute-force attacks have increased by 50 percent on a year-over-year basis. Brute-force attacks, which are attempts by hackers to gain access by repeatedly trying different usernames and passwords, now affect 44 percent of its customers, according to Alert Logic.

      Malware and botnet activity in the cloud has increased by 100 percent, but it currently affects only 11 percent of Alert Logic’s customers, Coty said, but added that the increase in on-premise attack vectors moving to the cloud has occurred more rapidly than Alert Logic first thought.

      The study also showed that 44 percent of Alert Logic’s 2,200 customers had their cloud hosting instances subjected to a vulnerability scan from an unauthorized third party. Vulnerability scanning is a common enumeration tactic for attackers to identify potential targets. Vulnerability scanning is also a common tactic used by legitimate security professionals looking to improve security.

      Alert Logic whitelists legitimate scanning activities and they are not counted in the 44 percent of customers that were impacted by vulnerability scanning, Coty said.

      In addition to tracking security trends that affected its own customer base, Alert Logic also operated a honeypot to see what attacks might come in. A honeypot is a technique that involves the use of a seemingly vulnerable piece of technology that is left open to attract attacks.

      Coty noted that 14 percent of malware delivered to Alert Logic’s honeypot network was not detectable by traditional antivirus vendors. “This does not mean that it’s a new and emerging piece of malware,” Coty said. “It just means that there is not signature content for that piece of malware.”

      Alert Logic deployed honeypots around the world and experienced more malware attack volume in Europe than anywhere else.

      “We feel that the malware number speaks to the large population of coders and [the] prices offered for code in the underground market in Europe,” Coty said. “It makes for a free testing bed for code, against local addresses that require quick access.”

      Overall, understanding the shared security model is one of the biggest hurdles with securing cloud environments, Coty said. Security should not be a reason for organizations to be hesitant about moving to the cloud, he added.

      “The [cloud] providers have a responsibility to maintain and patch the foundational services, networks and hosts that they manage,” Coty said. “You, as the customer, are responsible for patching the app layer and certain functions of the host and network.”

      If consumers remember that the cloud is a shared responsibility, they will have a secure space in the cloud, he said.

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and contributor to several leading IT business web sites.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×