How to Perform a Cloud Security Assessment: 6-Point Checklist

Meanwhile, 15% of initial attack vectors in security breaches stem from cloud weaknesses. These figures make one clear: securing your cloud environment needs continuous oversight and proactive risk management.

So, how do you ensure your cloud infrastructure is protected against misconfigurations, compliance gaps, and evolving cyber threats? The answer lies in a comprehensive cloud security assessment.

In our new article, we discussed the nuances of cloud security assessment with Eduard Agavriloae, Director of Cloud R&D at OffensAI, AWS Community Builder, and AWS Offensive Security Expert.

Key takeaways

• The critical components of a cloud security assessment checklist.
• The benefits of conducting one.
• Structured step-by-step process to safeguard your cloud environment and improve your cloud security posture.
• Relevant statistical data and insights.

What is Cloud Security Assessment?

A cloud security assessment is a checkup for your cloud infrastructure to find vulnerabilities, understand potential risks, and implement proper security controls. Its main goal is to analyze how your cloud setup is configured, who has access, how data is protected, and whether your security measures meet industry rules and regulations.

Regular security assessments help prevent data breaches, protect sensitive information, and keep business operations running smoothly. Whether your company uses public, private, or hybrid cloud services, these assessments are essential to stay ahead of new security threats and compliance requirements.

Why cloud security assessments are important

Many companies assume that cloud providers handle all security tasks, but that’s not the case. Under the shared responsibility model, businesses must manage their own security settings, monitor access, and ensure compliance.

What are the biggest misconceptions companies have about cloud security?

It must be assuming that, because it requires authentication, their cloud environment is hard to be compromised. Businesses should remember that there was a time when companies didn’t perform internal network penetration testing for the same reason.

Looking at the amount of ransomware happening in the world, I think we can agree that doing security assessments in a post-breach scenario can help you mitigate the breach and its impact.

I’ve seen environments that once you got in, it was essentially game over for them. Be proactive and verify your security before the attackers will. This is the approach we use in offensai.com.

The real cost of security gaps

Ignoring cloud security can have serious consequences. Here’s what the latest data reveals:

• Human error remains the biggest security risk, responsible for 68% of data breaches – often due to misconfigurations or phishing scams.
• Cyberattacks disrupt business operations – 70% of breaches cause major or very significant disruptions.
• Fixing vulnerabilities takes companies an average of 55 days to patch just half of their critical security flaws.
• Cybercrime is getting more expensive – global costs are expected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by the end of 2025.
• Data breaches are costly – the average breach in 2024 cost $4.88 million.

Components of a Cloud Security Assessment

Cloud security gaps aren’t always obvious, but they can lead to serious breaches if left unchecked. A cloud security assessment helps identify risks, tighten access controls, and strengthen overall protection. Here’s what it involves:

Documentation review and interviews

This component involves checking security policies, system settings, and compliance documents. It also includes interviews with key team members to help understand how security is managed and identify potential gaps.

Automated and manual testing

Automated tools scan for common security issues, while manual testing looks for deeper problems that automated scans might miss. Using both methods ensures a more thorough security check.

Cloud configuration and access control review

This component includes reviews of cloud configurations to ensure security settings are correct. It checks for open access, unnecessary permissions, and misconfigurations that could put data at risk.

Threat intelligence and risk analysis

This part helps determine how vulnerable the system is by reviewing security risks and attack patterns. It identifies threats and their possible impact on business operations.

Recommendations and final report

Recommendations rank security issues by urgency and severity and provide advice on how to deal with them. The focus is on fixing critical risks first and strengthening overall security.

A final report summarizes the assessment, highlighting key risks, recommended actions, and next steps. This document serves as a roadmap for improving cloud security and preventing future threats.

What are the most common misconfigurations found during cloud security assessments, and how can businesses address them?

There are two answers to this question: the real one and one of interest. The real answer is that the most common misconfigurations I’ve encountered are low risk findings like “S3 Bucket does not enforce HTTPS communication”, “Security contact details not set,” and a few others. These small issues can add up and pose an issue when combined, but in most cases, they don’t represent an imminent risk.

However, the answer of interest is about those common findings that, if exploited, bring a high impact in the target environment. By far the biggest misconfiguration I’m observing is not following the Principle of Least Privilege, followed by insufficient monitoring and logging. These misconfigurations can lead to privilege escalation and an extended area of compromise, all happening without the proper mechanism of detection or incident response.

Businesses should assess their environment periodically and check if all the permissions granted to their identities are used to their full extent and limit them otherwise. Ideally, businesses should implement the Principle of Least Privilege from the start, as it is uncomfortable to change production configuration after deployment.

Additionally, businesses should make sure that the activity in their cloud environment is properly monitored across all accounts, regions, and resources so that they can detect unusual activity or perform incident response procedures.

Key Benefits of a Cloud Security Assessment

Security threats in the cloud often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Small mistakes, like an open storage bucket or unmonitored security alerts, can lead to serious data breaches. A cloud security assessment helps businesses catch these risks early, strengthen defenses, and save money in the long run.

Security investment optimization and cost-efficiency

Not all cybersecurity measures provide equal protection. A security assessment helps businesses invest in the right areas, strengthening defenses without overspending. It is the best way to adjust your cybersecurity budget to your actual needs.

Why is this important? Sometimes, companies investing in expensive security software found, after an assessment, that their biggest risk was actually poor access management. Instead of overspending on new tools, they can tighten access controls and significantly improve security at a lower cost.

Preventing mistakes before they cause harm

Misconfigurations, like open databases or weak access controls, can expose sensitive data. A security assessment finds these issues and fixes them before they become a problem. Catching them early helps businesses avoid costly breaches and regulatory fines.

Making sure no critical alerts are missed

Security alerts can get lost in the noise, making it easy to overlook real threats. A security assessment helps filter and prioritize important warnings so businesses can respond on time.

In November 2023, Idaho National Laboratory's HR system was hacked, exposing employees' personal data. Had they performed cloud security assessments, security experts would have updated their alert systems so the laboratory had more chances to get critical warnings and react to them in time.

Reducing downtime and improving reliability

Unsecured systems are more likely to be targeted by cyberattacks, leading to outages. Identifying and fixing weak spots ensures smoother operations and fewer disruptions.

In 2024, a misconfiguration in Amazon Web Services’ Application Load Balancer authentication exposed over 15,000 web applications to potential attacks. Those who conducted regular cloud security assessments had more chances to identify and correct such vulnerabilities promptly. It prevented potential service disruptions and maintained operational continuity.

Full control over access to valuable data

Too many employees having unnecessary access increases security risks. A security assessment review can help your team detect overly permissive users and limit access to only those who truly need it, reducing insider threats.

How can businesses ensure they are investing in the right security measures without overspending?

Make your security strong enough so that it would not be worth the attacker’s time to breach you. Start by applying a good security architecture, automate everything, enforce MFA everywhere, log and monitor as much as possible.

Keep the production environment separate from dev/stage, don’t deploy all your solutions in a single environment, don’t use long-term access credentials and perform at least one cloud security configuration review on each environment. Most of these measures are free, and they offer a strong security basis for both prevention and mitigation.

Now, if you are, let’s say, a Crypto Exchange, then you should expect to be attacked by nation state actors. Overspending is not the problem here, but rather, the efficiency of your security.

If you don’t have a cloud offensive security expert in your team, then consult with one. Check how good your controls are against something closer to a real threat. Even more, check what happens if the account of one of your developers gets compromised by doing an assumed breach cloud security assessment.

It all comes down to who you are trying to protect yourself from and how much you are willing to invest to stop them.

6 Steps for Conducting a Cloud Security Assessment

A cloud infrastructure security assessment helps businesses find security weaknesses, define remediation strategies to cover revealed vulnerabilities, and ensure their cloud environment is protected against cyber threats. Following a structured approach ensures nothing is overlooked.

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Defining the scope of the assessment

Here, the cybersecurity team clearly outlines what needs to be assessed, including cloud environments, applications, databases, user access, and compliance requirements. Setting clear objectives prevents unnecessary work and keeps the assessment focused on real security risks.

For example, if the goal is to secure customer data, the assessment should prioritize database security, encryption, and access management rather than focusing on less critical assets. Clearly defining the scope also ensures compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

Step 2. Identifying cloud assets

At this step, the task of the security team is to list everything running in the cloud – servers, storage buckets, databases, applications, and APIs. Knowing exactly what assets exist helps uncover security gaps and ensures that every part of the cloud environment is protected.

Without a complete inventory, businesses risk leaving assets unmonitored and unsecured. Many cloud security breaches happen because of forgotten or unprotected resources. Mapping out all cloud assets helps organizations better track their security status, identify outdated systems, and apply consistent security policies across all environments.

Step 3. Evaluating security risks and controls

At this step, security specialists review the security measures already in place and check for weaknesses. This includes access control settings, encryption, firewalls, and authentication methods. Strong security practices like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and least privilege access should be enforced to minimize risks.

Assessing security controls ensures that security policies are not just in place but are also effective. Even if a company has firewalls and encryption, they may not be configured appropriately or regularly updated. A thorough evaluation and cloud computing risk assessment also help identify inconsistencies, such as users with excessive access permissions or outdated security protocols that increase the risk of cyberattacks.

Step 4. Testing the cloud environment for weaknesses

Here, the security team conducts tests to find vulnerabilities before attackers do. This includes:

• Automated scans to detect common misconfigurations
• Penetration testing to simulate real-world cyberattacks and uncover weak spots

Regular security testing helps businesses catch problems before hackers do. Automated scans quickly find common issues, while manual testing digs deeper to spot hidden risks. Using both methods gives a more complete picture and lowers the chances of a security breach.

Step 5. Creating a plan for fixing security issues and strengthening defenses

After identifying risks, cybersecurity specialists create a plan to fix them based on their severity and urgency. Critical security flaws should be addressed immediately, while lower-risk issues can be handled over time. That’s why it is essential to align security improvements with compliance requirements and industry standards.

Having a structured approach to remediation ensures that the most dangerous vulnerabilities are addressed first. It also helps businesses plan long-term security improvements by identifying recurring security gaps. Besides proposing patches, cloud application security assessment may provide instructions on training employees, updating policies, and ensuring security measures are properly enforced.

What are the most commonly overlooked security alerts that could lead to major breaches?

When a cloud identity, like a user, is used from an unknown IP address, especially from another country. This should be a big giveaway that something is going on and automation should be in place for instantly revoking the identity’s access. Worst case? The cloud engineer can’t use their account for a few hours. Best case? You just prevented a cloud breach.

However, attackers can evade this by routing the credentials through a cloud server like an EC2 instance or simply using them from a compromised server owned by the same company. But the cloud is still new for attackers and most of them are keeping it simple and easy to detect.

Step 6. Making cloud security an ongoing process

Cyber threats change quickly, so the best practice is to perform security assessments regularly – not just once. Setting up continuous monitoring and scheduling periodic security reviews helps businesses stay ahead of new threats and compliance updates.

Regular assessments help ensure that new cloud services, user accounts, and updates do not introduce security risks. So, the main purpose of this step is to make security an ongoing effort. This way, you’ll be better equipped to handle growing threats. Organizations can stay proactive rather than reactive by making security part of everyday operations.

Why Choose TechMagic for Your Cloud Security Assessment?

Cloud security requires more than basic checks. It demands a proactive approach to identifying risks and strengthening defenses. We provide expert guidance, thorough security testing, and ongoing protection to keep your cloud environment safe.

Detecting vulnerabilities before they become threats

Our cloud penetration testing services simulate real-world cyberattacks to find security gaps in your system. Instead of relying only on automated scans, we conduct hands-on testing to uncover risks that attackers might exploit.

Covering all aspects of cloud security

Our cybersecurity team assesses web applications, mobile platforms, networks, and cloud environments to ensure complete protection. A security assessment should leave no blind spots, and our approach ensures every layer of your system is secure.

Providing continuous protection, not just one-time fixes

Cyber threats change quickly, and security should develop with them. Our managed security services monitor and protect your applications during development and deployment. This helps businesses maintain strong security as their cloud environment grows.

Bringing certified expertise to every assessment

Our team includes certified security professionals with experience in cloud security, penetration testing, and security automation. We help businesses identify weaknesses, strengthen their defenses, and stay compliant with security standards.

We provide more than a security assessment. We offer expert insights, hands-on testing, and long-term protection to help businesses keep their cloud infrastructure secure and resilient.

Final Thoughts

Cloud security is not something you set up once and forget. Threats are constantly developing, and even tiny mistakes – like a misconfiguration or an overlooked alert – can lead to serious consequences. A cloud computing security risk assessment helps businesses stay one step ahead by identifying vulnerabilities, improving security controls, and ensuring compliance.

Like locking your doors at night, regularly checking your cloud environment keeps your data safe from unwanted intruders. The best security strategy is proactive, not reactive – waiting until a breach happens can cost millions and damage your reputation. Making security assessments a regular part of your operations strengthens your defenses and avoids unnecessary risks.

At the end of the day, staying secure is about being prepared. A well-executed cloud security assessment gives you the confidence that your business is protected, your data is safe, and your systems are running smoothly. Don't wait for trouble to come knocking – take action now to keep your cloud environment secure.

FAQ

1. What is a cloud security assessment?

   The cloud security assessment process is a detailed review of your cloud environment to identify security risks, misconfigurations, and compliance gaps. It examines access controls, data protection measures, and overall security settings to ensure they align with industry standards. By conducting regular assessments, businesses can prevent data breaches, strengthen their defenses, and maintain smooth operations.

2. What are the three categories of cloud security?

   Cloud security covers three key areas: an organization's cloud infrastructure, applications, network security, and data. Infrastructure security focuses on protecting cloud servers, networks, and storage from unauthorized access. Application security ensures that cloud-based apps are free from vulnerabilities like data leaks or malware. Data security protects sensitive information through encryption, secure storage, and strict access controls. These elements work together to create a secure and well-protected cloud environment.

3. How much does a cloud security risk assessment cost?

   The cost of a cloud risk assessment depends on factors like the size of your cloud environment, the complexity of your infrastructure, and the level of testing required. Smaller businesses with fewer cloud resources may pay less, while larger organizations with complex cloud setups might require more in-depth assessments at a higher cost. Investing in regular security assessments can help prevent costly breaches and ensure long-term cloud security.