Cloud
Online cloud services enable ubiquitous data processing capabilities and online file backups provide additional level of data security. In general, the cloud can be defined as provision of services or access to programs stored on online servers in a way enabling users to access them all over the world by e.g. web browser or a dedicated application client.
Examples of the most popular cloud services:
- Amazon Web Services
- Google Drive
- Disk
- One Drive (Microsoft)
- Dropbox
- iCloud
Threats and Risks Associated with Cloud Services
Cloud-based solutions and environments face many threats and most of them are the same as in traditional network environments. Considering the gargantuan amounts of data stored on cloud servers, these servers with critical content are becoming increasingly popular targets of cybercriminals.
Risks associated to utilization of cloud-based services:
- Confidentiality: Information disclosure is a frequent risk in cloud-based solutions. Therefore, it is imperative to consider not only the amount but the sensitivity of data stored in the cloud as well.
- Availability: Availability represents another crucial risk as your data may become temporarily or in worst case permanently unavailable. Therefore, it is imperative to periodically create also offline backups of data stored in the cloud e.g. on an external HDD or DVD.
(Author: GOV CERT SK, translated by SK-CERT with author’s permission)
