CrowdStrike is an American cybersecurity technology company which specializes in cloud workload and endpoint security, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response services. The company has played a key role in investigating several high-profile cyberattacks, including those on Sony Pictures and the Democratic National Committee.
The CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report illuminates several key trends regarding cybersecurity cloud attacks and risks, highlighting a landscape that is increasingly characterized by sophisticated and stealthy cyber activities. MetaFend has created a breakdown of the key points related to cloud security trends from the report:
Increased Cloud Intrusions
The report notes a 75% increase in cloud intrusions, pointing to a significant rise in the targeting of cloud environments by adversaries. This trend underscores the critical importance of securing cloud infrastructures as organizations continue to migrate their operations and data to cloud platforms.
Cloud as a Prime Battleground
Cloud-conscious adversaries are leveraging global cloud adoption to their advantage, making the cloud a primary focus for their attacks. The use of valid credentials to access victims’ cloud environments, followed by the deployment of legitimate tools to execute attacks, makes it challenging for defenders to distinguish between normal user activity and a breach. This approach emphasizes the need for robust identity and access management strategies, along with continuous monitoring of cloud environments for signs of compromise
Identity-Based Attacks and Generative AI
The report highlights a surge in identity-based attacks, with adversaries increasingly using generative AI to enhance their phishing and social engineering tactics. This includes buying legitimate credentials from access brokers and employing techniques like SIM-swapping and MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) bypass to gain initial access. The adoption of generative AI by adversaries introduces new levels of sophistication in crafting convincing social engineering campaigns, significantly raising the stakes in the battle against unauthorized access.
Recommendations for Mitigation
Given these trends, organizations are advised to adopt a multi-layered security strategy that includes enhanced vigilance in cloud environments, rigorous identity and access management controls, and a proactive approach to monitoring and securing the software supply chain.
Regular security assessments, including penetration testing, are essential to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by adversaries.
At MetaFend, we're ahead of the curve, offering state-of-the-art cloud security solutions that meet these challenges head-on. We focus on helping organizations protect their cloud environments proactively.
The full CrowdStrike report can be accessed directly from the CrowdStrike's website here.
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