Why Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing are Critical for Cloud Security?

Cloud-based cybersecurity attacks are constantly growing. Per reports, they had increased by 47-49 percent in 2022! The cloud is known for its security. But cloud-based networks have always been on the attackers’ radar. One reason is that cloud services rely on APIs to communicate with applications. These APIs are susceptible to cyberattacks. Attackers can launch DoS attacks and inject codes to cut through the cloud server and steal data.

So, should companies refrain from moving to the cloud? No. Cloud computing is the future and is here to stay for long. No technology is foolproof. Cloud isn’t an exception to it. Thus, instead of avoiding the cloud, one can tighten the security around it in various ways. Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT) is an effective one. But what is VAPT, and how is it critical for cloud security? Here’s the answer.

What is Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT)?

Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing are two types of vulnerability testing. As the name suggests, vulnerability assessment enables companies to discover vulnerabilities in their system. But the assessment does not help companies differentiate between flaws that attackers can exploit to harm the system and those that cannot.

Penetration testing helps find exploitable defects and shortcomings and assess each one’s severity. The test simulates an actual attack to evaluate the damage the latter can cause. When combined, both these tests help companies get a comprehensive picture of the defects in an application or their cloud network and associated risks.

5 Reasons VAPT is Critical for Cloud Security

Cloud networks are prone to attacks. You’ve already seen why. But VAPT can help companies keep their cloud environment secure. Penetration testing for the cloud is termed cloud penetration testing. Let’s see why it is crucial for cloud security.

1. Misconfigured Servers

Cloud service misconfigurations are among the most common vulnerabilities. The most common types include data encryption, improper permissions, and distinguishing between public and private. Cloud penetration testing helps expose these vulnerabilities by safely simulating a server attack and identifying various defects.

2. Redundant Software

Obsolete or outdated software can have unimaginable outcomes, as they aren’t competent enough anymore and hence easy prey for attackers. Sometimes, the problem is at the root, where software providers don’t plan to employ an effective and prompt update system. But in some cases, users are to be blamed, as many turn off automatic updates, thus blocking crucial updates and allowing data to clog. A long-term solution to this concern is upgrading the working program to the latest version.

3. Insecure APIs

APIs are frequently used in cloud services to transfer data across multiple applications. But insecure APIs can result in massive data leaks. When HTTP methods like PUT, POST, and Erase are used wrongfully in APIs, attackers might upload malware or delete data. Besides, incorrect access restrictions can also result in API compromises. Cloud penetration testing can help discover all of it.

4. Unsafe Coding Practices

Many companies try to save as much as possible on cloud infrastructure development. But often, doing that involves bad coding techniques. Many cloud services have been compromised due to such vulnerabilities that cloud penetrating helps identify.

5. Poor Credentials

Last but not least, weak credentials! Attackers can use automated tools to make password guesses and trespass the cloud account if it has an obvious password. That can allow them to take over the account. While it is advisable to have a strong and unguessable password, cloud penetration testing can help validate the strength of an account’s credentials and thus help the company save itself from a potential attack.

Need expert VAPT or cloud penetration testers? Connect with FidelSoftech at [e-mail] to know more.