With the widespread adoption of cloud computing, cloud-based and cloud-specific security threats have become a new challenge IT decision-makers must confront. How can enterprises reap the benefits of the cloud while minimizing the losses caused by cloud threats? Furthermore, we are often asked how enterprises can ensure security and efficiency as they migrate from data centers (IDCs) to data-centric cloud environments.
With the widespread adoption of cloud computing, cloud-based and cloud-specific security threats have become a new challenge IT decision-makers must confront. How can enterprises reap the benefits of the cloud while minimizing the losses caused by cloud threats? Furthermore, we are often asked how enterprises can ensure security and efficiency as they migrate from data centers (IDCs) to data-centric cloud environments.
Major Security Risks in Cloud Computing Services
As a rapidly evolving emerging technology, cloud platforms still lack sufficient security considerations during their design, application, testing, and deployment. In highly concentrated resource environments, cloud platforms are vulnerable to hacker attacks. Compared to traditional enterprise network environments, cloud platforms face greater threats and have a greater impact.
- Infrastructure Risks
Compared to traditional IT infrastructure, cloud computing infrastructure platforms are more complex, with larger equipment volumes and a wider variety of applications. This poses greater challenges to their security management. Based on past security inspections and drills, a large number of high- and medium-risk security vulnerabilities, such as operating system vulnerabilities, configuration errors, and policy failures, still exist in the core software and hardware of some cloud computing infrastructure platforms. Various cloud management platforms and business operation support systems frequently expose security vulnerabilities such as information leakage, unauthorized access, and cross-site scripting. The cloud platform's remote operation and maintenance model and identity authentication mechanism present serious risks during engineering implementation. Cases of VM-hopping attacks and side-channel attacks, resulting from failures in separate storage, memory, and routing mechanisms between tenants of shared physical infrastructure, are common. Cases of large-scale data leaks, resulting from user credentials stolen through phishing and then used to track cloud computing services and conduct local attacks, are increasing. Furthermore, imperfect key management mechanisms for cloud computing services, and the lack of assurance of the compliance, accuracy, and effectiveness of cryptographic technology, have always been a security concern for cloud computing infrastructure platforms.
- Data Security Risks
Data security is one of the ultimate goals of cloud computing service security. It is also a primary consideration for users when selecting a cloud computing service provider. However, current data security risks in cloud computing services remain numerous: Data transmission and sharing often lack encryption or contain flawed encryption mechanisms; third-party calls are transmitted in plain text; and data security protection mechanisms are poorly considered when communicating between different VMs on the same physical server via the server's internal virtual network. These risks can be exploited by attackers, leading to data leaks. A large amount of important and sensitive data in cloud computing infrastructure remains unprotected using encryption technology, creating opportunities for hackers and other criminals to exploit and potentially leak or tamper with information. During cloud service data migration, legacy data is not completely cleared, transmitted data is not effectively protected, and backup data is not properly handled, often leading to data leakage risks. Lax management of open interfaces in development, testing, and production environments has led to frequent data leaks in data migration projects. Excessive collection of user personal information, illegal use of personal information, and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act continue to occur frequently in cloud computing services. Other Risks
Currently, given the inherent potential risks of cloud computing service applications, various national departments have successively issued a number of regulatory policies and compliance requirements. Balancing compliance and risk management is a significant challenge for cloud computing service providers. Furthermore, the complex and diverse nature of cloud applications still lacks a comprehensive and unified security plan and strategy, and the ability to rapidly respond to the risks posed by the evolution of new cloud computing technologies remains limited. Security management issues within cloud computing services, such as data leakage and misuse, and illegal data sharing, also warrant attention. Ensuring Cloud Computing Service
Supply Chain Security
With the development of cloud technology and other emerging technologies, supply chain security is gaining increasing attention. Collaborative efforts are required across every link in the supply chain ecosystem, with attention to supply chain security throughout the design, development, procurement, operation, maintenance, and daily oversight stages.
Developers of information systems, components, or services are required to describe the system's functions, ports, protocols, and services early in the system lifecycle.
Providers of information systems, components, or services are required to conduct security assessments of their supply chain products.
Developers of information systems, components, or services are required to track vulnerabilities even after delivery and notify cloud computing service providers before releasing patches.
Service providers in the supply chain are regularly reviewed and validated, requiring them to comply with information security, confidentiality, access control, privacy, auditing, personnel policies, and service-level requirements and standards.