Migrating to the Cloud (using services such as Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud) has become the standard for modern businesses. It is flexible, fast, and you get rid of the dusty physical servers in the storeroom. But there is a huge mindset trap: many managers believe that, once the data is moved to the Cloud, security is the provider's responsibility.
This is a fatal mistake. In 2026, most cloud data breaches are not caused by hackers breaking into Amazon's servers, but by Configuration Errors made by the data owners themselves. At Altanet Craiova we help companies understand the shared responsibility model.
What Does a Cloud Misconfiguration Mean?
Imagine the Cloud as a huge warehouse of ultra-secure rented safes. Amazon gives you the sturdiest safe in the world, with titanium walls. But if you (the customer) leave the safe door ajar or leave the key under the doormat, thieves will walk in without forcing anything.
The most frequent mistakes we encounter are:
- Public S3 Buckets: Storage spaces (buckets) are mistakenly set to "Public" instead of "Private". This way, anyone who finds the link can download your entire customer database, without a password.
- Excessive permissions (IAM): Employees or applications are given "Administrator" rights when they would only need "Read" rights. If an employee account is compromised, the hacker has full access.
- Lack of MFA: Cloud console administration accounts are not protected by two-step authentication.
The Shared Responsibility Model
You must remember just one thing: the Cloud provider secures THE CLOUD (the physical infrastructure, the cables, the buildings), but you must secure WHAT YOU PUT IN THE CLOUD (the data, the applications, the passwords, the settings).
How Do You Secure Your Cloud Infrastructure?
You don't need to be an AWS expert to take the basic measures, but you need rigour:
- Periodic configuration audit: Use automated tools (such as AWS Security Hub or Azure Defender) that scan the account and tell you: "Warning, this folder of invoices is visible to the whole planet!".
- The principle of least privilege: No user and no application should have access to all resources. Give strict access to what they need to do their job.
- Encrypt your data: Even if someone manages to steal the files, if they are encrypted ("at rest"), they are useless to hackers.
To better understand who has to guard what, you can consult the official guide from Microsoft on Shared Responsibility in the Cloud.
Conclusion
The Cloud is secure, but it is not magic. A single checkbox ticked wrongly in a configuration menu can be the equivalent of leaving the company door open overnight. Check the settings before you upload the data.
Does your company use Cloud services and you are not sure whether the security settings are correct? We can carry out an infrastructure audit and provide IT services for secure configuration. Visit our contact page and make sure your cloud has no holes.
This material is part of the Altanet educational series on digital safety. Want to know what other risks you are exposed to this year? See The Complete List of Cyber Threats in 2026.