7. Data exfiltration

Frequently overlooked, data exfiltration is a significant cloud security threat. “Data exfiltration refers to the electronic transmission of data from a cloud environment to an unauthorized external location,” says John Henley, principal consultant at technology research and advisory firm ISG. “This could occur in several ways, including the exploitation of a vulnerability, misconfigurations, or compromised credentials.”

Data exfiltration can lead to the theft of sensitive information, such as personal identity data, financial information, intellectual property, or confidential corporate data. “The consequences of data exfiltration on monitoring, remediation, and legal actions can be long-term and far-reaching,” Henley warns.

Antagonists may use stolen intellectual property or trade secrets to gain a competitive advantage that leads to future market-share erosion or the ability to dominate a market. Meanwhile, operational disruption can result in downtime, lost productivity, and costs incurred to rebuild operations.