The survey found that, among the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud users, 56% experienced an increase in cyberattack incidents in their businesses globally compared to the last year, and ransomware hit 67% of them. 59% experienced an increase in the sophistication of cyberattacks, According to the survey by cybersecurity firm Sophos.
For many of these IaaS users, a lack of visibility into their infrastructure, unpatched vulnerabilities, and resource misconfigurations make them susceptible to various types of cyberattacks, including ransomware.
Of those surveyed, only 37% track and notice resource misconfigurations, and only 43% routinely scan IaaS resources for any software vulnerabilities.
Moreover, 65% of cloud users said they do not have visibility of all resources and their configurations, and only 33% said their company has the resources to constantly detect, investigate and remove threats in their IaaS infrastructure.
“Unpatched vulnerabilities and misconfigured resources are both preventable mistakes and avoidable risks that make life easier for attackers. Most attackers are not unstoppable criminal masterminds, but rather opportunistic cyberthugs looking for an easy payday,” said John Shier, a senior security advisor at Sophos.
“However, the survey also found that more advanced IaaS users are twice as likely to report a decrease in attack impact than beginners, suggesting the appropriate defence mechanisms can go a long way in deterring threat actors. For users who need help, we recommend security services that have the 24/7 experts who can detect and quickly respond to active attacks,” he added.
Because of its benefits, the cloud is being used by most businesses nowadays across countries and segments; the biggest challenge for enterprises moving forward with the cloud is security, to secure their IT infrastructure and data. The recent rise in cybersecurity incidents and growing threats with complexities are worrying leaders across industries.
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