Cloud Computing Security Attacks

Study Notes

Cloud Computing Attacks

Cloud computing attacks refer to malicious activities or security breaches that target cloud-based systems, infrastructure, or services.
These attacks aim to exploit vulnerabilities within the cloud environment to gain unauthorized access, compromise data integrity or confidentiality, disrupt services, or carry out other malicious activities.

Types of Cloud Computing Attacks

Account Compromise: Attackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to user accounts or administrative credentials to infiltrate the cloud infrastructure and compromise data or services.
Data Breaches: Unauthorized access, theft, or exposure of sensitive data stored in the cloud, often exploiting vulnerabilities in cloud storage systems or intercepting data during transmission.
Denial of Service (DoS): Attackers overwhelm cloud resources or networks with excessive traffic or requests, causing system overload and disrupting legitimate user access.
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: Hackers intercept and modify communications between users and cloud services, enabling them to eavesdrop on sensitive information or manipulate data.
Malware and Ransomware: Attackers deploy malicious software within the cloud infrastructure, compromising systems, stealing data, or encrypting files and demanding ransom for their release.
Injection Attacks: Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in cloud applications or databases by injecting malicious code or commands, potentially leading to data theft, unauthorized access, or system compromise.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Attackers inject malicious scripts into web applications hosted in the cloud, allowing them to gain access to sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions.
Virtual Machine (VM) Escape: Attackers attempt to break out of their allocated virtual machine and gain unauthorized access to the underlying host system or other virtual machines.
API Attacks: Attackers exploit vulnerabilities in cloud APIs to gain unauthorized access, manipulate data, or launch other attacks.
Compliance Weakness Attacks: Target vulnerabilities in the legal, regulatory, and security standards applied to the stored and processed data in the cloud.
Insider Threats: Include threats arising from employees or insiders within the cloud computing organization who may engage in data theft or service disruptions.
Dark Side Activities: Involve the misuse of cloud services for illegal or malicious purposes, such as engaging in deep web activities or distributing malware.