Overview
Incorrect security settings on cloud storage can leave data exposed. Misconfigured cloud storage buckets refer to storage instances, such as Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage, that are incorrectly set up to allow public access or insufficient access controls. These misconfigurations are often due to human error, default settings, or lack of expertise in cloud security. When storage buckets are not properly secured, sensitive data, such as customer information, personal details, or proprietary business data, may be exposed to the public or unauthorized users. Attackers can exploit these misconfigurations to access, modify, or delete data stored in the cloud.
Risk factors
Misconfigured cloud storage buckets can arise from:
- Cloud storage buckets configured with public access or overly permissive policies, often due to user error.
- Improperly configured access control lists (ACLs) that allow unauthorized users to read, write, or delete data.
- Storing sensitive data in cloud buckets without encryption, increasing the risk of data theft if access is compromised.
- Lack of monitoring or alerting for unauthorized access or changes to cloud storage configurations.
- Lack of bucket versioning, increasing the risk of data loss from deletions or overwrites.
- Granting excessive permissions to third-party applications or users.
- Failure to rotate or secure access keys used for programmatic bucket access.
Consequences
If an attacker successfully exploits misconfigured cloud storage buckets, the following could happen:
- Data exposure: Sensitive data, such as personal information, financial records, or business documents, could be publicly accessible.
- Data theft: Attackers could download exposed data and use it for malicious purposes, such as identity theft or fraud.
- Data manipulation: Attackers could modify or delete data stored in the misconfigured cloud storage bucket, leading to data integrity issues or business disruptions.
- Regulatory penalties: Data exposure due to misconfigurations could lead to non-compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR or CCPA, resulting in fines.
- Business impact: Attackers could cause operational disruptions (such as downtime) or the incurring of recovery costs from data manipulation.
Solutions and best practices
To mitigate the risks associated with misconfigured cloud storage buckets, organizations should implement the following security measures:
- Secure access controls: Ensure that cloud storage buckets are properly configured with strong access control policies that limit access to authorized users only.
- Encryption of data: Encrypt data both at rest and in transit to protect against unauthorized access, even if the bucket is misconfigured.
- Cloud configuration audits: Regularly audit cloud storage configurations to identify misconfigurations and correct them promptly.
- App shielding: App shielding can add additional protection to mobile apps that use cloud storage by detecting unauthorized access attempts and encrypting sensitive data.
- Two-factor authentication: Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accounts with access to cloud storage.
- Cloud-based security: Use cloud-native security tools (e.g., AWS GuardDuty, Google Cloud Security Command Center) to detect misconfigurations.
- Restrict access: Restrict cross-account or third-party access through explicit policies.