2023 THALES CLOUD SECURITY REPORT

 

Latest Context

Cloud security is a big issue for businesses and individuals worldwide, including those in India.

Key Points

• In a survey conducted in 2023 by Thales Cloud Security, which polled around 3,000 IT and security experts from 18 nations, 68% of Indian businesses and 75% of businesses worldwide said that more than 40% of their cloud data is sensitive. In addition, a cloud data breach occurred in 35% of Indian firms the year before.
• Applications for Software as a Service (SaaS) have grown. SaaS apps were regarded as the top target for cyberattacks by 38% of respondents globally.
•  Customers of SaaS (software licensing model) can alter the user interface, add or remove data fields, and access their data on mobile devices.
• SaaS cloud storage is a technique in which digital data, including files, business data, movies, or photographs, are kept on servers in remote places. Examples of SaaS cloud storage include Outlook, Hotmail, and Yahoo! mail.
• Depending on the kind of data, these servers can be accessed either through a public or a private internet connection.
• Several recent cases in India show the hazards of cloud data breaches. For example, a Telegram bot is accused of disclosing personal information on Indian residents who enrolled on the CoWIN portal, the official site for COVID-19 vaccination, in June.
• The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) was looking into the security infrastructure of the platform, according to the Health Ministry, which denied that any data had leaked.
• Although the breaches were remedied when the businesses and authorities were notified, the affected users may still face harsh consequences. Particularly, hostile actors may use personally identifiable information to attack victims' financial holdings and online accounts.

Facts about the Cloud Storage

• Cloud storage is a term that refers to the practice of storing data on remote servers that are accessed via the Internet.
• Without having to worry about the physical location, storage capacity, or upkeep of their own storage devices, it enables users to access their data from anywhere, at any time, and on any device.
• Additionally, it has advantages including scalability, reliability, security, and cost-effectiveness.

• Features:

• Scalability: Users of cloud storage may quickly modify their storage capacity to meet their demands without having to purchase extra gear or software. Additionally, users may benefit from the cloud's elasticity, which allows them to dynamically scale up or down their storage capacity.
• Reliability: Users' data is always available and accessible thanks to cloud storage, even in the case of an emergency or outage. To store data redundantly across various servers and locations, cloud storage companies often use backup and recovery procedures in addition to numerous server and locations.
• Security: By utilising encryption, authentication, authorisation, and auditing methods, cloud storage shields user data from theft or unauthorised access. Cloud storage companies also adhere to several standards and laws governing data security and privacy.
• Cost-effectiveness: Cloud storage lowers the expenses of owning and operating storage equipment, including those related to hardware acquisition, setup, upkeep, upgrades, and power usage. Users may take advantage of economies of scale and lower operating costs while only paying for the storage they utilise.

• Significances:

• Collaboration: No matter where they are or what device they are using, users may exchange and work together in real-time on files and documents using cloud storage. Additionally, users have the option to view their files offline if necessary and sync them across various platforms and devices.
• Productivity: Users' productivity is increased by cloud storage since it gives them access to their data whenever and wherever they need it. Users may make use of the analytics and processing capacity offered by the cloud to process and analyse their data more quickly and effectively.
• Innovation: By enabling users to test out novel concepts and technologies without being constrained by or exposed to the dangers of their storage equipment, cloud storage promotes innovation. Users may make use of the massive resources and services available in the cloud to develop new goods and services.
• Sustainability: By consuming less energy and leaving a smaller carbon footprint than conventional storage systems, cloud storage helps the environment. Cloud storage services also follow environmentally-friendly guidelines, such as maximising resource efficiency and employing renewable energy sources.

• Challenges:

• Compatibility: Some outdated programmes or systems that depend on particular formats or protocols for data storage might not be compatible with cloud storage. Users' existing data sources might need to be integrated or migrated to the cloud storage system they've chosen.
• Performance: Due to network congestion or the distance between the user and the cloud server, cloud storage may experience performance problems like latency or bandwidth restrictions. To enhance the performance of cloud storage, users may need to adopt edge computing strategies or optimise their network architecture.
• Security: Data stored in the cloud might be vulnerable to dangers like cyberattacks or data breaches brought on by malevolent actors or human mistakes. Users might need to follow recommended practices like monitoring their cloud activity logs, using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, encrypting their data in transit and at rest, etc.
• Compliance: Users that must adhere to certain rules or regulations on data sovereignty or retention may encounter difficulties while using cloud storage. Users may need to employ hybrid or multi-cloud solutions to store their data across many countries or regions, or they may need to choose a cloud storage provider that complies with their compliance standards.

• Developments that are shaping the future of cloud storage are:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): By allowing functions like data classification, deduplication, compression, encryption, anomaly detection, and other features, AI and ML are improving the capabilities and functionalities of cloud storage. Users are also getting value and insights from their cloud-stored data thanks to AI and ML.
• Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G: Due to the large volumes of data being generated and sent by numerous internet-connected devices and sensors, IoT and 5G are boosting both the demand for and the supply of cloud storage. Smart cities, driverless cars, telemedicine, and other novel use cases and applications for cloud storage are also made possible by IoT and 5G.
• Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): By establishing decentralised and dispersed networks of nodes that store and verify data transactions, blockchain and DLT offer substitutes for cloud storage. By using encryption and consensus processes, blockchain and DLT are also boosting the security and transparency of cloud storage.
• Edge Computing: By putting data processing and storage closer to the source or consumer, edge computing is enhancing cloud storage by lowering latency and bandwidth use. Edge computing's ability to offer failover and backup options helps increase the availability and dependability of cloud storage.

Conclusion

Data may be stored and accessed via cloud storage, which is practical and affordable. Numerous advantages, including scalability, dependability, security, and flexibility, come with cloud storage. But it also faces several difficulties, including those related to bandwidth, compliance, and privacy. Therefore, before selecting a cloud storage service, customers should thoroughly consider their demands and preferences. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a flexible, developing technology that can adapt to various needs and demands.

 

 

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