EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

When it comes to the cloud, well-studied hackers can easily spot badly configured servers and use them to their advantage. Previously, Pentagon files and national voter ID information has been compromised for this very reason. Is your organization’s set-up feeding this issue?

Research indicates that over 50% of organizations have accidentally left data unsecured within their cloud storage systems.

As Teresa Walsh, global head of intelligence with the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center notes, setting up the cloud is “not exactly like [following] Ikea instructions.”

Due to the ‘shared responsibility model,’ it’s imperative that you know what your organization is responsible for. For example, with AWS, tools are provided for data encryption, but it falls onto the shoulders of a given organization to safeguard the data as it enters and exits the server. This is easily overlooked.

Organizations should also take steps to control who retains access to the data. System administrators frequently make the mistake of enabling “global permissions on servers by using 0.0.0.0/0 in the public subnets.” As a result, the connection remains accessible to any user who’s interested in accessing the system.

In addition, when Secure Shell (SSH) connections are allowed, any person can determine the server location. Access to this information means that cyber criminal can circumvent firewall safeguards, and walk away with large volumes of data.

Other aspects of configuration can lead to breaches as well. To learn more, visit Forbes.

To manage misconfigurations and human error, consider adopting an automated detection and remediation process.