Common Cloud Vulnerabilities and How to Fix Them

Cloud security issues are a growing concern for businesses, with common vulnerabilities including misconfigurations, weak identity and access management (IAM), insecure APIs, and cloud sprawl. These gaps can lead to data breaches, financial losses, and compliance penalties. Here’s what you need to know:

Misconfigurations: Account for 82% of cloud security incidents, such as public storage buckets or overly permissive roles.
Weak IAM: Nearly 90% of breaches stem from stolen credentials, often due to inactive accounts, poor access controls, or exposed secrets.
Insecure APIs: APIs with weak authentication or exposed keys are a frequent entry point for attackers.
Cloud Sprawl: Untracked accounts, orphaned resources, and shadow IT create blind spots that are challenging to secure.

Solutions:

Automate Detection: Use tools like CSPM to identify and fix misconfigurations.
Strengthen Access Controls: Enforce least privilege, multi-factor authentication, and regular access reviews.
Secure APIs: Deploy API gateways, use strong authentication, and continuously test for vulnerabilities.
Centralize Monitoring: Consolidate logs and use SIEM tools for better visibility.

Managed security services can provide 24/7 monitoring and expert support for businesses lacking in-house resources. Addressing these vulnerabilities with proactive measures is essential to reduce risks and protect sensitive data.

Cloud Security Vulnerabilities Statistics and Impact

Cloud Misconfigurations: How to Identify and Prevent Them

Cloud misconfigurations rank high among security threats, with a staggering 82% of enterprises reporting incidents caused by simple configuration errors. These mistakes often involve scenarios like unintentionally making a storage bucket public or assigning overly broad administrative access through improper IAM role settings. For instance, public storage buckets and overly permissive roles can open the door for attackers, requiring no advanced skills to exploit. Let’s take a closer look at common misconfiguration issues and how to address them.

Typical Misconfiguration Issues

Misconfigurations can expose organizations to serious risks, including:

Public storage buckets: Around 17% of organizations configure Amazon S3 buckets to allow public GET (read) access. This can lead to the exposure of sensitive customer data, financial records, or internal documents.
Overly permissive IAM roles: Using wildcard permissions or trust policies that unintentionally allow external accounts to assume roles can result in unauthorized access.
Other vulnerabilities: Open security groups exposing databases or administrative ports (e.g., SSH, RDP), missing encryption on sensitive data, and weak or unchanged default passwords. These issues often stem from human error, limited expertise in cloud security, and the challenges of managing diverse cloud environments with inconsistent security settings.

Addressing these risks requires a proactive and structured approach.

How to Fix Misconfigurations

To mitigate the risks of misconfigurations, implement a multi-layered strategy:

Automated Detection Tools: Use Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) platforms to continuously scan cloud environments for vulnerabilities like public storage buckets, open ports, missing encryption, or excessive permissions. These tools provide prioritized remediation steps and can integrate with ticketing systems and CI/CD pipelines to catch issues before they reach production.
Least Privilege Access: Regularly review and restrict user and service permissions. Remove unused accounts, enforce fine-grained Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for administrators. For storage services, adopt a "private-by-default" policy, blocking public access unless explicitly necessary, and enforce encryption for data at rest and in transit.
Regular Security Audits: Perform formal configuration reviews at least quarterly, with continuous monitoring in between. These audits should include a complete inventory of cloud assets, verification of IAM permissions, identification of public-facing endpoints, and checks to ensure encryption and logging are enabled.
Managed Security Services: If in-house expertise is limited, consider using managed security providers like ESI Technologies. They offer 24/7 monitoring and can quickly address misconfigurations.

Weak Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Weak identity and access management (IAM) practices can open the door to major cloud security vulnerabilities. Nearly 90% of cloud-native data breaches are tied to stolen credentials. Instead of exploiting software flaws, attackers now often target valid identities – like user accounts, service accounts, and API keys. With legitimate credentials in hand, they can move through your cloud environment, escalate privileges, and access sensitive data – all while staying under the radar of most security systems.

Modern IAM issues include overly permissive roles, missing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical accounts, and exposed secrets like API keys or OAuth tokens in code repositories. A 2025 report revealed that 36% of plaintext secrets found in repositories are active and stored in the main branch. This means attackers can immediately use them to call APIs, extract data, or even deploy malicious workloads. Additionally, inactive accounts from former employees or old test projects can act as unnoticed entry points for attackers. In today’s landscape, focusing on credential security is more critical than ever.

Common IAM Problems

Several recurring IAM issues are worth noting:

Overly permissive roles and wildcard permissions: These can grant excessive administrative rights, allowing attackers to manipulate sensitive data, create privileged accounts, or even deploy cryptominers.
Inactive and orphaned accounts: Accounts left behind by former employees, outdated service accounts, or temporary contractors often retain high-level permissions. These unmonitored accounts are easy targets, especially for organizations with high employee turnover.
Lack of multi-factor authentication: Many privileged accounts still rely on passwords alone, leaving them vulnerable to phishing, credential stuffing, and brute-force attacks. With the rise of AI-enhanced phishing in 2025, single-factor authentication poses an even greater risk.
Exposed secrets: Hard-coded access keys, tokens, and passwords in application code or public repositories are frequently discovered by automated bots. When these credentials are long-lived and lack proper rotation, attackers can maintain ongoing access.

How to Improve IAM Security

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-layered approach:

Start with role-based access control (RBAC) and the principle of least privilege. Use a deny-by-default model, granting only the permissions necessary for specific job functions like "Cloud Database Operator" or "DevOps Engineer." Assign roles via groups rather than individuals, and segregate production, development, and test environments with narrowly scoped roles. Regular access reviews can help identify and remove dormant accounts, reducing unnecessary risks.

Next, enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative and high-value accounts. Extend MFA to all users where practical, prioritizing phishing-resistant methods like FIDO2 security keys or WebAuthn. These methods offer stronger defense than SMS-based MFA, which is vulnerable to SIM swaps and fatigue attacks. Requiring MFA for high-risk actions, such as modifying IAM policies or accessing production data, adds an extra layer of security.

Use secrets management tools to centralize and encrypt credentials, keys, and tokens. Replace hard-coded secrets by dynamically retrieving them from a secure secret manager at runtime. Short-lived, automatically rotated credentials are far safer than static ones. Integrate secret retrieval into your CI/CD pipelines to ensure plaintext credentials are never stored long-term.

Finally, improve account hygiene by automating the cleanup of inactive identities. Sync IAM processes with HR systems to automatically create, update, or remove accounts as employees join, change roles, or leave. Keep track of all third-party identities – like vendors and SaaS integrations – and grant them limited, time-bound access. Regular audits can ensure unused accounts are promptly disabled or deleted.

For organizations without in-house cloud security expertise, managed security services like ESI Technologies can be a valuable resource. They provide 24/7 monitoring, real-time alerts, and IAM audits. These services can also help deploy and manage MFA, implement RBAC, and set up secure secrets management systems. With continuous monitoring, they can detect and respond to account takeover attempts quickly and effectively.

Insecure APIs and Cloud Endpoints

APIs are the backbone of modern digital services, connecting systems, powering mobile apps, and enabling SaaS integrations. However, this interconnectivity also creates vulnerabilities. Along with misconfigurations and weak Identity and Access Management (IAM), insecure APIs and cloud endpoints have become a major weak spot in cloud infrastructure. The rapid adoption of SaaS and AI integrations has only made the issue worse, exposing endpoints that are often poorly secured. A single flawed API can give attackers direct access to critical internal systems, bypassing traditional security measures like firewalls.

This is not a niche problem – it’s widespread. For example, 23% of cloud security incidents are tied to misconfigurations, which often include insecure APIs or publicly exposed services. Unlike conventional network attacks, API exploitation can be hard to detect. Attackers frequently use stolen credentials or exposed keys to make seemingly legitimate API calls. These calls can allow them to access sensitive data or modify configurations without raising red flags. Since cloud environments are heavily reliant on APIs, a single compromised endpoint can lead to cascading breaches and service interruptions.

Common API Security Weaknesses

APIs tend to have a few recurring flaws that make them prime targets for attackers. Here are some of the most common vulnerabilities:

Weak or missing authentication: Many APIs still allow anonymous access, rely on shared API keys embedded in URLs, or fail to implement multi-factor authentication for admin functions. Even when authentication is in place, poor authorization checks or excessive permissions often let attackers access data they shouldn’t or perform unauthorized actions.
Unvalidated input: This can lead to injection attacks, server-side request forgery (SSRF), or deserialization bugs, potentially allowing remote code execution or unauthorized data access.
Exposed API keys: Alarmingly, many API keys remain active in repositories. Once attackers find these keys, they can quickly exploit them to extract data or deploy malicious workloads.
Lack of rate limiting: Without proper rate limiting, APIs can fall victim to automated attacks, such as credential stuffing or brute-force attempts.
Other vulnerabilities: Publicly accessible admin interfaces, weak or missing TLS encryption, and verbose error messages that reveal sensitive internal details like database schemas or file paths.

Additionally, many organizations fail to centralize logging and monitoring for API activity. This lack of visibility makes it difficult to detect and respond to abuse until significant damage has already occurred.

How to Secure Your APIs

Securing APIs requires a multi-layered approach. Here are some key steps you can take:

Strengthen authentication and authorization: Use OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for user-facing APIs. For machine-to-machine communication, implement mutual TLS or signed requests (HMAC). Enforce multi-factor authentication for all admin accounts, and adopt a least-privilege access model by creating narrowly scoped roles and permissions. API tokens and service accounts should only have access to the resources and actions they absolutely need.
Use API gateways or WAFs: Deploying an API gateway helps centralize critical functions like authentication, TLS termination, rate limiting, and input validation. These gateways also provide unified logging and analytics, making it easier to spot unusual patterns like spikes in query volumes or large data exports. Many cloud providers offer built-in API management tools that integrate with IAM and DDoS protection.
Implement rate limiting and abuse detection: Set limits on requests per user, IP, or token to prevent brute-force attacks and credential stuffing. Monitor for suspicious activity, such as unusual error rates or resource enumeration attempts, and ensure alerts are integrated with your SIEM or managed detection and response tools.
Secure secrets: Store API keys and tokens in dedicated secret management systems instead of embedding them in source code or config files. Rotate keys regularly and use short-lived tokens to minimize exposure risks.
Test and validate continuously: Regularly perform vulnerability scans and penetration tests focused on API-specific issues like broken access controls or authentication bypass. Use tools that support OpenAPI or Swagger specs to test endpoints systematically. Maintain an inventory of all APIs, including shadow APIs that may have been deployed without proper security oversight.

For businesses in the U.S., managed security services can simplify these efforts. Providers like ESI Technologies offer 24/7 monitoring, real-time alerts, and advanced tools to help integrate API logs into centralized monitoring systems. They also support fine-tuning access controls and conducting regular security tests. By incorporating these safeguards into your overall cloud security strategy, you can build a more resilient defense against API threats.

Managing Visibility and Cloud Sprawl

As businesses increasingly rely on multiple cloud providers and SaaS applications, keeping track of everything running in these environments becomes a real challenge. This issue, often referred to as cloud sprawl, arises when teams create cloud accounts, launch resources, and adopt new tools without centralized oversight. The result? A lack of clear visibility into the overall infrastructure. According to Check Point, the growing complexity of cloud environments is outpacing current security strategies. The fragmented nature of multi-cloud and SaaS setups often leads to inconsistent protections, making it harder to secure assets that organizations might not even realize exist.

The consequences of limited visibility are serious. If companies don’t know where their data and services are located, they can’t secure them effectively or respond quickly to incidents. Cybercriminals often exploit unmonitored accounts and forgotten resources that may still have access to sensitive systems. On top of that, unapproved applications – commonly known as shadow IT – create new vulnerabilities, while unused resources can quietly rack up costs. This lack of control undermines both security and compliance efforts.

Common Visibility Problems

Some of the most frequent visibility challenges include:

Untracked cloud accounts and subscriptions: These are often created using personal or departmental credit cards, bypassing corporate oversight. SaaS applications that connect to company identity providers or data sources without proper security reviews also fall into this category.
Orphaned resources: Virtual machines, storage buckets, databases, and serverless functions can remain active long after projects end, creating unnecessary risks and costs.
Incomplete inventories: Third-party integrations and APIs, including marketplace add-ons and low-code/no-code automations, may expose sensitive data if overlooked.
Gaps in logging and monitoring: Misconfigured or disabled audit logs in certain accounts or regions can leave organizations blind during incident investigations.

Inconsistent security policies across cloud providers add another layer of risk. Variations in password rules, multifactor authentication (MFA) requirements, and network controls can leave some environments more vulnerable than others. For example, Orca Security‘s 2025 State of Cloud Security report reveals that 62% of organizations have at least one vulnerable AI package in their cloud setup, and nearly one-third of cloud assets affected by Log4Shell remain publicly accessible. These findings highlight how limited visibility into software and exposed services can allow known threats to linger.

How to Improve Cloud Oversight

Tackling visibility challenges requires a well-structured approach. Start by creating a centralized cloud asset inventory that covers all accounts, subscriptions, regions, services, and SaaS applications. Leverage native cloud management tools and consolidated billing to track all linked accounts. To go further, deploy Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) platforms. These tools continuously scan cloud APIs to provide a comprehensive view of resources, configurations, and exposure risks.

For managing SaaS applications, consider using a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) to uncover unapproved SaaS usage. Reviewing identity provider and single sign-on logs (like those from Azure AD or Okta) can also reveal connected SaaS apps, including those that are rarely used or abandoned. This approach helps identify shadow IT, enabling organizations to formally approve frequently used tools and integrate them with single sign-on and MFA systems.

Implementing strong governance policies is key to controlling cloud sprawl in the long term. New cloud accounts and subscriptions should be provisioned through a centralized team or automated landing zone that enforces baseline controls, logging, and network standards. Mandatory tagging – such as assigning attributes for ownership, environment, data classification, and cost center – ensures every asset is accounted for and auditable. Limiting the regions and services teams can access, especially for regulated data, and standardizing security baselines (like encryption and logging requirements) across providers also strengthens control.

To streamline monitoring, centralize logs and telemetry from all clouds and SaaS platforms into a SIEM or data lake. Normalize schemas for cross-environment correlation and prioritize alerts based on risk and context. Focus on critical events – those that combine exposure with sensitive data – rather than minor deviations, and use automated runbooks to handle repetitive tasks. For example, suspicious virtual machines can be quarantined automatically, or unapproved SaaS domains can be blocked.

For organizations that lack the resources for continuous monitoring, managed security services can fill the gap. Providers like ESI Technologies offer 24/7 monitoring, real-time alerts, and advanced solutions to ensure consistent oversight across even the most intricate cloud environments.

Conclusion: Creating a Strong Cloud Security Plan

Main Points to Remember

Securing the cloud isn’t something you can set and forget – it’s an ongoing process that demands attention across several critical areas. Misconfigurations top the list of threats, contributing to a staggering 82% of enterprise cloud security incidents, as highlighted by Check Point’s research. These vulnerabilities often stem from well-known risks that remain unaddressed. Weak identity and access management is another major concern, as it allows attackers to escalate privileges and move freely within systems. Implementing multi-factor authentication and least-privilege policies is crucial to mitigate this risk. Additionally, insecure APIs have become a favorite target for attackers, especially as businesses adopt more SaaS tools and integrate cutting-edge technologies. Lastly, poor visibility and the unchecked growth of cloud environments create blind spots where threats can linger undetected – recent studies have uncovered vulnerabilities across numerous cloud setups.

The nature of cloud vulnerabilities is constantly shifting, with new services and auto-scaling instances introducing fresh risks. Attackers are quick to exploit these changes, often using automation and AI to identify weaknesses within hours. This makes it clear that one-time security measures won’t cut it. To effectively combat these threats, organizations need to prioritize continuous monitoring, conduct regular configuration audits, and employ automated remediation tools as part of their cloud security strategy.

How Managed Security Services Can Help

Given these challenges, a robust security plan requires more than just tools – it needs expert oversight and continuous vigilance. Many U.S. businesses simply don’t have the internal resources to handle 24/7 monitoring or respond to incidents quickly. That’s where managed security service providers (MSSPs), like ESI Technologies, come into play. These providers bridge the gap by offering round-the-clock monitoring, real-time alerts, and advanced security solutions, all without the need to build an in-house security operations center. They consolidate data from multiple clouds and security tools into a unified platform, helping to reduce alert fatigue by focusing only on the most critical incidents.

Beyond monitoring, MSSPs bring deep expertise in areas such as cloud security architecture, identity and access management, API protection, and incident response. For example, ESI Technologies combines its experience in surveillance systems, access control, and managed security services to help businesses align their physical and cyber defenses. They also assist with meeting industry-specific compliance requirements and tailoring security architectures to fit each organization’s unique risks and needs. For companies managing sensitive data under regulations like HIPAA, PCI DSS, or SOX, partnering with a provider like ESI ensures access to audit-ready logs, documented controls, and the continuous oversight that today’s regulators and insurers increasingly expect.

FAQs

What steps can businesses take to avoid cloud misconfigurations?

To reduce the risk of cloud misconfigurations, businesses should consider using automated security tools. These tools can quickly spot and fix errors, saving time and minimizing risks. Alongside this, conducting regular security audits helps uncover vulnerabilities before they become serious issues.

Implementing the principle of least privilege is another key step. This approach limits user access to only what’s necessary for their role, cutting down on potential misuse or accidental changes.

Adding multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a smart way to strengthen account security, making it harder for unauthorized users to gain access. Finally, keeping a close eye on your cloud environment through continuous monitoring can help catch suspicious activity as it happens, allowing for quick responses to potential threats.

What are the best ways to improve Identity and Access Management (IAM) in cloud environments?

To bolster Identity and Access Management (IAM) in cloud environments, a few key practices can make a big difference. Start with enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) – this adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to verify their identity in more than one way. Next, apply the principle of least privilege access, ensuring users only have the permissions necessary for their roles. This reduces the risk of accidental or malicious misuse of access.

It’s also important to regularly review and audit permissions. This helps you spot and fix any instances of unnecessary or excessive access. Using role-based access control (RBAC) can simplify the process of managing permissions by assigning roles with predefined access levels. Combine this with enforcing strong password policies to minimize the likelihood of unauthorized access.

Lastly, automating access management tasks and keeping a close eye on access logs can help you detect and respond to potential threats quickly. Together, these steps can go a long way in strengthening your cloud security.

What steps can businesses take to manage cloud sprawl and improve visibility?

To tackle cloud sprawl and improve visibility, businesses should rely on centralized cloud management tools. These tools provide a clear overview of resources across platforms, making it easier to monitor and control usage. Keeping an updated inventory of all cloud assets and performing regular audits can highlight unused or underutilized resources, helping to streamline operations and reduce waste.

Automating tasks like resource provisioning and de-provisioning is another smart move. This minimizes manual errors and avoids unnecessary resource allocation. On top of that, enforcing strict access controls ensures that only authorized personnel can make changes, boosting both efficiency and security within the cloud environment.