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Defending against cloud vulnerabilities with proactive and adaptive defenses

TP - 10.10.2025

Akash Pandey -- Cloud Center of Excellence

 

The cloud has changed the way businesses work. It’s faster, more flexible, and often more cost-effective than traditional IT. But here’s the catch: as more companies move to the cloud, attackers are moving there too.


In fact, according to the CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report, cloud intrusions went up by 75% in 2023. And it’s not just random hackers. There’s been a 110% increase in attacks from groups that specifically target cloud systems. The message is clear: the cloud security is powerful, but it’s not invincible. To get the benefits without the risks, you need to understand the most common vulnerabilities and how to protect yourself from them.

 

What are a few cloud misconfigurations?

 

The number one cause of cloud breaches is mistakes. Leaving a storage bucket open to the public, giving users more access than they need, or forgetting to secure backups can all create easy openings.

How to defend:

- Make “private by default” your standard
- Regularly review your infrastructure code for errors
- Use secure protocols (like HTTPS) and keep software up to date
- Automate configuration checks so human mistakes get caught early.

Insecure APIs
APIs are essential but they can also be weak spots if not secured. They can be exploited with injection attacks or by abusing overly generous permissions.

How to defend:
- Always validate and sanitize inputs
- Limit how much data APIs return
- Use a web application firewall (WAF) to filter out bad traffic

Lack of visibility
With workloads spread across multiple platforms and regions, many businesses don’t have a full picture of what’s running where. That “blind spot” makes it hard to spot threats in time.

How to defend:
- Use cloud-native monitoring and visibility tools
- Continuously assess your security posture
- Keep a centralized inventory of assets and configurations

Shadow IT
Sometimes teams spin up cloud resources on their own, outside of IT oversight. These “rogue” projects may move fast, but they usually skip important security checks.

How to defend:
- Run regular audits to catch unauthorized resources
- Apply consistent policies across the board
- Monitor in real time to detect new devices and services as they pop up

Poor access management
The easiest way into a cloud environment? Steal valid credentials. Once attackers have access, weak controls let them move around and do damage.

How to defend:
- Follow the “least privilege” principle by giving people only the access they actually need
- Regularly review and clean up access rights
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive accounts

Insider threats
Not all risks come from the outside. Employees, contractors, or partners with legitimate access can pose risks, whether intentional or accidental.

How to defend:
- Immediately revoke access when someone leaves the company
- Monitor user activity for unusual behavior
- Restrict access so no single individual has too much power

Zero-day vulnerabilities
These are weak spots that no one knows about until attackers exploit them. By the time developers patch them, damage is already done.

How to defend:
- Stay plugged into threat intelligence updates
- Apply patches quickly once available
- Use behavior-based monitoring

Human error
The biggest vulnerability can sometimes be a simple mistake. Something as simple as skipping a security setting or forgetting to turn something off can all open the door to attackers.

How to defend:
- Train employees on security basics
- Automate checks wherever possible
- Use templates and guardrails to make secure choices the default

Redefining security for the cloud era

 

The same speed and flexibility that makes cloud powerful can also introduce risk if left unmanaged. By focusing on these common weak spots, you can dramatically reduce your exposure. At TP, cloud security is about people, processes, and continuous vigilance. That’s why our cloud-as-a-service (CaaS) offering is designed to give organizations both flexibility and peace of mind. 


Don’t let Cloud security slow down innovation. In the right hands, it can create a foundation for your teams to move quickly and safely, knowing your data and systems are protected. 


Contact us to learn more.

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