cloud server security Archives

How to Secure Your Cloud Infrastructure Security in the Philippines

Chinmay Choudhary / June 10, 2025

Cloud solutions are being used more in the country than ever before. More than 85% of enterprises aim to be fully in the cloud by 2025. The country’s data center market is expected to increase at a rate of 13% CAGR up to 2025. Still, the industry’s rapid growth creates new risks. Almost 84% of Philippine organizations were affected by breaches in 2024, and 32% said they reported incidents in the Philippines, who want to learn how to secure cloud infrastructure security. It describes what cloud infrastructure security entails, suggests practices that comply with the Philippines’ rules, such as the Data Privacy Act, highlights regional issues, and advises companies on what to consider when selecting a cloud security service. What Is Cloud Infrastructure Security? All the steps, technologies, and processes that keep server, storage, database, networking, and application security in cloud environments are collectively known as cloud infrastructure security. Both the security of on-site data centers and that of virtual systems utilized on AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are included in it. In contrast to the traditional setup, cloud server security is based on a model where some responsibilities are shared. As a consequence, cloud providers are responsible for the security of hardware, storage, and the global cloud infrastructure. Once information, applications, and records are in the cloud, the business must take responsibility for them by ensuring their security. Key elements involved in how to secure cloud infrastructure include: Securing all layers of the cloud stack enables a business to prevent unauthorized access, thereby protecting against data breaches and service outages. Why It’s Critical in the Philippines The stakes for cloud security service are particularly high in the Philippines, where regulatory enforcement and cyber risks are both on the rise. These risks in context are compelling for Philippine-based organizations to go beyond elementary security controls and adopt a more formal, audit-ready process for protecting cloud infrastructure security. Explore our insights on Infrastructure Security in Cloud Computing 10 Best Practices to Secure Cloud Infrastructure In the Philippines, with the rapid digital transformation of industries such as fintech, healthcare, and ecommerce, cloud infrastructure security is an imperative. The next 10 cloud infrastructure security best practices were derived from expert opinions on platforms such as Cisco, CrowdStrike, Medium, and Spot.io and have been tailored to meet both global standards and local conditions. 1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) No account, particularly admin or DevOps, must be based on only a password. Authenticator apps are preferable to SMS because of the increasing risk of SIM swap fraud in Southeast Asia. 2. Enforce Least Privilege Access Refrain from granting sweeping access to new employees or cross-functional teams. For BPOs and high-turnover startups, quarterly automated access reviews help eliminate legacy permissions. 3. Use IAM Controls and a Zero Trust Architecture All identities, whether human or machine, need to be verified and authorized. Role-based access using AWS IAM or Azure AD is required. All internal traffic must be treated as untrusted until it is authenticated. 4. Encrypt Data at Rest and in Transit Under the Philippine Data Privacy Act, encryption is now required. Encrypt stored data using AES-256 and data in transit using TLS 1.2 or later to safeguard customer data and stay compliant. 5. Monitor Logs and Perform Ongoing Auditing Employ centralized logging tools such as AWS CloudTrail or GCP Cloud Security Audit Logs. Complement these with real-time alerts for detecting suspicious activity, such as attempts to access from outside Southeast Asia. 6. Harden Configurations and Apply Patches Promptly Default settings are commonly used as an attack vector. Implement CIS benchmarks on operating systems and containers. For companies still using legacy systems, establish a patch schedule to mitigate vulnerabilities. 7. Employ CASB and CSPM for Shadow IT and Risk Visibility Cloud Access Security Brokers can identify unauthorized tools being utilized by employees. Cloud Security Posture Management tools help monitor misconfigurations within multi-cloud setups, particularly for hybrid teams that utilize AWS and Azure. 8. Secure Endpoints and Container Runtimes Laptops and mobile clients connecting to cloud platforms should be secured with EDR agents such as CrowdStrike Falcon or SentinelOne. Implement container runtime protection using tools like Sysdig to safeguard workloads. 9. Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Scanning External penetration testers can emulate actual attacks against APIs, cloud functions, and access policies. Frequent vulnerability scans will identify problems before attackers can exploit them. 10. Train Teams and Enforce Cloud Usage Governance Most breaches are the result of human error. Train employees to recognize phishing, limit file-sharing access, and track third-party SaaS applications integrated into your cloud environment. Common Mistakes to Avoid Even strong companies can get caught up in minor issues that compromise their cloud security. Most of the time, these problems arise because of being overconfident, having bad visibility, or using incorrect ways of thinking about cloud-native security. 1. Neglecting IAM hygiene Giving away too many privileges, ignoring access to departed users, and relying solely on a few passwords are widespread mistakes. Most of the time, shadow identities are overlooked until regular audits are conducted in CI/CD. 2. Delaying or skipping patches It is not uncommon for organizations to delay or verlook patches for containers, Kubernetes clusters, and SaaS applications, as they can cause disruptions. Unfortunately, it does not take long for attackers to find known vulnerabilities using bots after news of them is made public. 3. Relying only on perimeter defenses Firewalls and VPNs are useful against internet threats, but you should watch for problems within your network from any rogue activity or password problems. Not all clouds come with threat detection based on behavior, which might leave you unaware of some significant dangers. 4. Lack of a governance cycle Since cloud infrastructure security evolves constantly, a governance cycle may be missing. Leaving tools installed, test environments unattended, and executing permissions unnecessarily tend to increase risks. If API usage, configurations, and access are not regularly audited, more problems are likely to develop. 5. Misunderstanding the shared responsibility model Most companies do not realize that the shared

Cloud Security Testing

What is Cloud Server Security? Key Threats & Challenges

Chinmay Choudhary / May 27, 2025

Cloud computing has caused businesses to change how they handle data, adjust their systems and deliver services. With critical jobs increasingly being handled in the cloud, attention to cloud server security is even greater these days. The latest 2024 Cloud Security Report by Cybersecurity Insiders revealed that 61% of organizations suffered a cloud security incident during the previous year which demonstrates the rising concern about cloud security. According to the 2024 Cloud Security Report from ISC2, 96% of IT and cybersecurity specialists are extremely concerned about security in public cloud environments. They show why it is so important to strongly protect cloud servers. Because more organizations are moving to the cloud, knowing about the main risks and problems is very important for keeping data secure and operations stable. Here, we discuss cloud server security, why cyber attackers are heading toward cloud infrastructure, the top issues you should be aware of, and proven steps you can implement to enhance your organization’s security. Read our recent blog on cloud security service What Is Cloud Server Security? Cloud server security uses different tools, policies and methods to guard virtual servers placed in the cloud. Servers tend to support important business operations, store vital records and link to multiple internal and outside parties. Cloud servers are different from on-premises servers, as all they are hosted on CSP’s shared infrastructure, for example, AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud. As a result, both the provider and the customer have roles to play in security: the provider handles the core security and the customer looks after anything extra they deploy. It consists of operating systems, applications, particular configurations, access controls and data. Core Objectives of Cloud Server Security: Common Cloud Server Security Practices Cover a Range of Assets: Cloud servers need protection from more than only outside threats. It also covers the risk of insecure configurations, too high privileges and missing updates inside the organization. Failure to deal with any of these factors can allow attackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Why Cloud Servers Are Targeted Attackers find cloud servers particularly attractive because they may contain important customer data, confidential business approaches and distributed access credentials. Since these systems are online, scale well and are connected to each other, they are both useful and vulnerable. 1. High-Value Data Concentration Large and sensitive data are what’s often stored on cloud servers: It only takes one poorly configured cloud environment to allow attackers access to much of this data. 2. Broad Attack Surface There are many different entry points possible with cloud systems: Every component of hardware and software needs to be set up, kept an eye on and secured. Often, overlooked settings can work as open invitations for the audience. 3. Automation and Scale Threat actors commonly use automation to look for vulnerable elements in cloud setups, such as open S3 buckets, unbarrier SSH ports, and a badly configured Kubernetes dashboard. Scaling in the cloud can be easy, but failing to monitor and manage it can also quickly make a business vulnerable. 4. Shared Responsibility Confusion A lot of organizations do not fully grasp how their responsibilities differ from those of their cloud service providers. Users have the task of managing their own applications, even while CSPs secure the infrastructure. If this division isn’t understood, access control and data encryption can be lost. 5. Weak or Default Configurations In cloud environments, having rules set wrong and start-up credentials in place are among the top security threats. Examples include: Unrecognized weaknesses are commonly exploited by applying techniques known to the public and free scanning tools. Common Threats to Cloud Server Security Cloud environments are complex, fast-changing, and highly connected. This makes them vulnerable to a broad range of attack vectors. Below are the most common and high-impact threats affecting cloud server security today: 1. Misconfigurations Misconfigured cloud storage, security groups, or IAM policies are among the top causes of cloud data breaches. These errors can lead to: Example: Leaving an S3 bucket accessible without authentication or binding a virtual machine to all IP addresses via port 22. 2. Insecure APIs Cloud services rely on APIs for provisioning, automation, and communication between components. If not secured properly, APIs can expose endpoints to attackers. Common issues include: These vulnerabilities allow attackers to gain unauthorized access or extract data. 3. Insider Threats Internal actors with privileged access can intentionally or unintentionally compromise systems. Risks often arise from: Cloud logs may not capture enough detail unless configured properly, making insider activity harder to trace. 4. Credential Theft and Account Hijacking Weak passwords, exposed keys, and hardcoded credentials can lead to full cloud account compromise. Attack methods include: Once inside, attackers often escalate privileges and move laterally across services. 5. Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks Even scalable cloud infrastructure can be overwhelmed by high-volume or application-level DoS attacks. Impacts include: Cloud-native protections like AWS Shield or GCP Armor are useful, but only if endpoints are configured to use them. 6. Data Breaches Data breaches in cloud environments can result from unauthorized access, weak encryption, or insecure data transfer practices. Cloud servers are often the initial entry point for wider data exfiltration or exposure incidents. Latest Penetration Testing Report Download Key Challenges in Securing Cloud Infrastructure Although security tools are available in cloud platforms, real-life cloud security continues to cause various issues for organizations. A lot of these issues are caused by limited visibility, the complexity of architectural systems and clients and providers both being accountable. 1. Understanding the Shared Responsibility Model The infrastructure is secured by the provider, but customers have to look after the security of all they deploy inside it. Virtual machines, containers, restrictions on access and encryption are all part of this. Common pitfall: Many people fall for the trap of assuming cloud security vendors secure their applications and workloads automatically. 2. Complexity in Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Environments Many companies now have their data and applications available in various cloud environments and on-site servers. It adds meaningful difficulty to

Cloud security

Cloud Security Best Practices For AWS, Azure, And GCP

Chinmay Choudhary / April 24, 2025

A recent 2022 report by Check Point revealed that a notable percentage of businesses, about 27%, witnessed a security incident in their public cloud infrastructure during the previous year. Nearly a quarter of the incidents, i.e., 23%, resulted from security misconfigurations within the cloud infrastructure. To secure their cloud infrastructure, businesses must implement some of the best practices in cloud security. These steps cannot prevent every attack, but they play an important role in enhancing defense, protecting data, and setting solid cloud security best practices in place. List of 10 Cloud Security Best Practices By adopting the following best practices for any cloud security architecture, organizations can cut down the risk of security breaches and considerably improve their overall security posture. 1. Identity and Access Management (IAM) The initial cloud security best practice uses IAM tools and processes for controlling access to different services and resources in the cloud and forms the basis of cloud security best practices. It is similar to user and group management on a local computer or server. In the same way you would limit access to local resources, IAM is utilized to regulate access to cloud data security and services. IAM Core Principle: Least Privilege and Zero Trust The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) and Zero Trust provide the users with limited rights to accomplish their tasks. It guarantees that the users will not have extra access, limiting potential cloud security threats. 2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Let’s see how the MFA functions in the real world to be among the best practices of cloud security: 3. Data Security Protеcting sеnsitivе data during transit and at rеst mеans еnsuring confidеntiality, intеgrity, and availability whеn data is storеd on thе cloud. Data at Rest Data in rest implies it is stored on file systems, databases, or storage media. The following is how different mechanisms are employed to safeguard such data against breaches and unauthorized access. 4. Network Security Various cloud infrastructure security and solutions can be implemented to make the network and data secure as far as integrity and usability are concerned. Network security is important in protecting data and applications in the cloud. Each of the big cloud security providers – AWS, Azure, and GCP – has its collection of tools and practices to protect data as it travels within and between their networks. Here are some cloud security best practices to take advantage of the same: 5. Cloud Resource Update Keeping the cloud infrastructure up to date is a must for security and performance. AWS, Azure, and GCP all have their own cloud security best practices and cloud security tools for assisting businesses with patching and updating their cloud resources. Latest Penetration Testing Report Download 6. Logging and Monitoring System logs (application, server, and access logs) give valuable insights into the health, performance, and security of your cloud resources. Some information on how you can make use of the same as one of the cloud security best practices: AWS Amazon CloudWatch Logs: AWS’s main logging product, CloudWatch Logs, enables the storage and access of log files from multiple services such as EC2 instances, Lambda functions, etc. Although some services, such as AWS CloudFront, are unable to stream directly into CloudWatch, there are workarounds available, such as sending data to an S3 bucket and then using Lambda to copy data over to CloudWatch. Logs Insights: Logs Insights features a query language for logs that allows complex queries to be written once and used as required. CloudWatch also provides “metric filters” for predefined terms and patterns to evaluate log data over time. Azure Azure Monitor Logs: Azure’s logging facility enables the use of the Kusto Query Language (KQL) to query log data. It also provides features such as Log Analytics, Log Alerts, and custom chart visualization. Azure Monitor Metrics: The service enables near real-time usage through logging lightweight numerical values to a time-series database. GCP Cloud Logging: GCP’s logging service of first choice offers visualization of common log data, custom log-based metrics, forwarding of logs to other GCP services, storage for log buckets, and a Logs Explorer for querying logs using Google’s Logging Query Language. Cloud Monitoring: It is GCP’s basic monitoring service, which can export Cloud Armor data for further analysis. 7. Backup and Disaster Recovery Data safety is important. Here’s how leading cloud providers provide strong solutions for disaster recovery and backup. AWS It uses CloudEndure for cloud disaster recovery, providing: Continuous replication of data. Affordable staging. Automated machine conversion to AWS compatibility. Point-in-time recovery. Azure Azure Site Recovery, powered by InMage technology, offers: On-demand VM creation at the time of recovery. Non-disruptive testing. Customized recovery objectives and plans. GCP Rather than a packaged DRaaS, GCP provides: Detailed DR planning documentation. Services such as Cloud Monitoring and Cloud Deployment Manager. Partnered solutions based on GCP infrastructure for DRaaS. Note: All the providers highlight the need to periodically test and update disaster recovery plans to maintain data safety. 8. Security Audits To have a strong security stance, regular security audits and assessments of your cloud environment are crucial. Large cloud vendors provide built-in tools and suggest certain cloud application security best practices to help organizations achieve their security and compliance requirements: AWS Amazon Inspector is the security assessment tool of AWS. It scans applications for vulnerabilities and best practices deviations. It has support for compliance standards such as ISO 27001 and PCI DSS. It makes recommendations to enhance security and compliance. Azure Azure Security Centre supports ongoing security evaluation, with actionable security suggestions. It provides enhanced threat protection for all Azure services. It is compliant with standards such as ISO 27001 and PCI DSS. GCP Trust and Security Center provides insights into the security posture of GCP resources. It provides best-practice-based recommendations. It is compliant with leading compliance standards. Qualysec Qualysec’s Pentest runs 9000+ tests that include OWASP Top 10, CVEs, and SANS 25 checking. It checks pages behind the login form and scans for single-page apps and progressive web apps. It is ISO 27001,

cloud server security

How to Secure Your Cloud Infrastructure Security in the Philippines

What is Cloud Server Security? Key Threats & Challenges

Cloud Security Best Practices For AWS, Azure, And GCP

Pabitra Kumar Sahoo

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