Cloud security risks rise with hybrid environments

As cloud adoption accelerates, businesses face an expanding threat landscape, especially within hybrid cloud environments that combine public and private infrastructure, according to Forbes.

Check Point research highlights that administrative missteps, such as misconfigured non-human identities like API keys and service accounts, are major vulnerabilities. High-profile incidents in 2024, such as the Midnight Blizzard breach of Microsoft Azure and a massive S3 bucket leak in India, underscore the consequences of poor cloud hygiene. The growing reliance on identity and access management and single sign-on systems further complicates security, as attackers exploit these tools for lateral movement and account hijacking. Adding to the complexity, the rise of generative AI and large language models has introduced new risks like LLM-jacking, where adversaries hijack AI resources for financial gain or malicious use. To address these evolving challenges, organizations must adopt AI-driven, prevention-first security strategies and embrace zero trust principles to safeguard both traditional and AI-driven cloud infrastructures.