Source URL: https://medium.com/anton-on-security/google-cloud-security-threat-horizons-report-11-is-out-253b9eae8451?source=rss—-8e8c3ed26c4c—4
Source: Anton on Security – Medium
Title: Google Cloud Security Threat Horizons Report #11 Is Out!
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Summary: The text provides a reflection on a Threat Horizons Report (#11) that details alarming trends in cloud security threats, including the risks posed by overprivileged accounts, credential vulnerabilities, API attacks, and inadequate identity management. It emphasizes persistent issues echoing past years while also highlighting emerging threats that security professionals should address.
Detailed Description: The content discusses critical findings from the Threat Horizons Report and reflects on various security challenges faced by organizations, particularly those utilizing cloud services. The key insights include:
– **Overprivileged Service Accounts**: A significant percentage (46.4%) of security alerts stem from overprivileged accounts, indicating that excessive permissions lead to increased vulnerabilities.
– **Credential Vulnerabilities**: Credential-related vulnerabilities continue to be a primary entry point for attackers, though there has been a slight decrease in their frequency. The text underscores that misconfiguration remains a prevalent problem in cloud security.
– **Rise in Compromised APIs and UIs**: There has been a notable increase in attacks targeting APIs and user interfaces, indicating a shift in focus for threat actors and highlighting the necessity for improved API security measures.
– **Insecure Private Keys**: A rising number of incidents involve the search and exploitation of insecure private keys, stressing the need for better management practices for these critical credentials.
– **Lateral Movement**: After gaining initial access, over half of the threat actors attempted lateral movements within environments, showcasing the need for heightened internal defenses.
– **Changing Tactics in Identity Compromise**: Attackers are adapting their strategies, now often using stolen post-authentication tokens and cookies, moving beyond traditional vulnerabilities like password theft.
– **Common Identity Compromise Methods**: Tactics such as credential stuffing, phishing, and brute-force attacks remain prevalent, combining vintage and modern attack strategies. Enhanced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is noted as a helpful defense but not foolproof.
– **Targeting of Insecure Databases**: Security gaps in databases that hold sensitive business and personally identifiable information make them attractive targets for threat actors.
– **Extortion Tactics**: The report highlights the trend of extortion through data leaks, where attackers expose stolen data as a means of coercion, signifying emerging threats to organizational integrity regardless of where data is stored.
– **Notable Threat Actor Strategies**: The use of stolen cookies to compromise cloud service accounts illustrates sophisticated attack methods that incorporate traditional credentials with modern exploitation techniques.
Overall, these insights underline a critical need for organizations to reassess their cloud security practices, reinforce access controls, and stay abreast of evolving threats to remain resilient against cyberattacks.