Top 10 Cloud Security Threats in 2024

Understanding the most common cloud security threats is the first step toward protecting your organization. Here are the top 10 threats you need to be aware of in 2024.

1. Misconfiguration and Inadequate Change Control

Misconfiguration remains the leading cause of cloud data breaches. Common issues include:

• Publicly accessible storage buckets
• Overly permissive security groups
• Disabled logging and monitoring
• Default credentials left unchanged

2. Lack of Cloud Security Architecture and Strategy

Many organizations rush to the cloud without a comprehensive security strategy. This leads to fragmented security controls and visibility gaps.

3. Insufficient Identity, Credential, Access and Key Management

Weak IAM practices expose organizations to significant risks:

• Shared credentials
• Lack of multi-factor authentication
• Overprivileged accounts
• Poor key rotation practices

4. Account Hijacking

Attackers use phishing, credential stuffing, and other techniques to gain unauthorized access to cloud accounts. Once inside, they can access sensitive data, deploy malware, or use resources for cryptocurrency mining.

5. Insider Threats

Whether malicious or accidental, insider threats pose a significant risk. Employees with legitimate access can:

• Exfiltrate sensitive data
• Accidentally expose resources
• Fall victim to social engineering

6. Insecure Interfaces and APIs

Cloud services expose APIs that, if not properly secured, can become attack vectors. Common API security issues include:

• Lack of authentication
• Insufficient input validation
• Verbose error messages
• Missing rate limiting

7. Limited Cloud Usage Visibility

Shadow IT and unauthorized cloud usage create blind spots. Without visibility, you can't secure what you don't know exists.

8. Abuse of Cloud Services

Attackers leverage cloud resources for malicious purposes, including hosting phishing sites, launching DDoS attacks, or mining cryptocurrency using compromised accounts.

9. Shared Technology Vulnerabilities

Multi-tenant cloud architectures share underlying infrastructure. Vulnerabilities in hypervisors or shared components can potentially affect multiple customers.

10. Data Loss and Leakage

Data can be lost or leaked through:

• Accidental deletion without backup
• Ransomware attacks
• Improper data handling procedures
• Third-party data processing

Mitigating These Threats

To protect against these threats:

1. Implement automated configuration scanning
2. Develop a cloud security strategy before migration
3. Enforce strong IAM policies with MFA
4. Monitor for suspicious account activity
5. Implement zero-trust security principles
6. Secure all APIs with authentication and validation
7. Deploy cloud access security brokers (CASBs)
8. Regularly audit cloud resource usage
9. Keep all systems patched and updated
10. Implement comprehensive backup and recovery procedures