Security Risks in Cloud Computing

Abstract

Any software system is exposed to potential attack. The recent and continuous appearance of vulnerabilities in software systems makes security a vital issue if these systems are to succeed. The detection of potential vulnerabilities thus signifies that a set of policies can be established to minimize their impact. This therefore implies identifying the risks and data to be protected, and the design of an action plan with which to manage incidents and recovery. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an analysis of the most common vulnerabilities in recent years, focusing on those vulnerabilities which are specific to cloud computing. These specific vulnerabilities need to be identified in order to avoid them by providing prevention mechanisms, and the following questions have therefore been posed: What kinds of vulnerabilities are increasing? Has any kind of vulnerability been reduced in recent years? What is the evolution of their severity?