Can cloud computers be easily hacked?

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Getting a new storage device to store our data – these days are gradually fading out. Thanks to Cloud services, people have discovered a new way to store their data and information at a much cheaper price. No additional expense, no extra physical space and best of all, no tension! That is the convenience of Cloud services. This technology has come out as a blessing in disguise for most of us and has indeed eliminated storage space concerns. But, have we ever thought of how safe actually cloud services are? Well, not most of us! We think, by just a simple drag-drop process our data are safe. But, are they really safe? 

No is the answer:

 

Well, we now have understood that cloud computers can be easily hacked. The recent security breaches of popular websites like Gmail and Sony PlayStation network clearly indicate that the clouds are truly vulnerable to attacks and threats. We are now at a point where cloud computing has become more of a fashionable statement used for product promotion than convenience. We have witnessed many tech giants and corporate integrating their products with cloud services. A new cloud service means a new platform to show off their hacking skills. It is believed that it is the hackers who get rejoiced first when a firm or a company announces a new cloud service followed by the users. 

What do hackers look for in a cloud?

 

1. Password:

 

It is claimed that most of the individual hacks occur due to poor password structuring. Hackers mostly use their password dictionary or use brute force attack techniques to decode the password and start their work. Thus, if your cloud service requires you to have a password, make sure that you generate a proper one with lots of symbols and codes. 

2. Mother cloud:

 

It is the general tendency of hackers to put in very little effort and retrieve the data. So, they usually avoid hacking individual spaces and preferably go for the heart of the cloud service. This gives them a better chance to invade on the ample number of individual spaces with minimal efforts. 

3. HTTPS or HTTP:

 

The ‘S’ stands for a Secured connection in HTTPS. This ensures that whenever a data is being sent to the website or the service, it is properly encrypted and is invulnerable to attacks. Though many services provide HTTPS connection, there are some that intentionally or unintentionally remove the secured connection, making your data less secured and creating a larger space for hacks. 

Can this be stopped?

 

Cloud services are a new concept in the IT industry. They have not yet been fully understood by many. Moreover there are no standard procedural rules or conventions for the operation. So, stopping it will indeed take some time. Few things that companies can do to minimize the attacks can be, appointing or consulting White Hat hackers to find the possible loopholes in hacking and come up with patches to resolve them. Moreover, biggies who offer cloud services should ensure their domain is safe and secure. Even the smallest bit of storage space is OK, but it should be a secured one, because there is no point in offering several GBs of storage space without any data security. And, it is also up to the users who use the cloud service to be safe from their perception. Frequent change of passwords, proper data encryption and use of security suites will be helpful. So, let’s hope the day comes when hackers tiresomely ask “God! Can the Cloud computers be hacked? 

This is a guest post by Travis Ramsy of Buycharter.com, a site that offers savings and current information on charter communications, as well as charter.com services

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Why You Need Virtualization

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An organization’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing path of technology is one thing that helps it become successful. This is true because most companies operate under the wing if technology, and many organization’s objectives are to provide some kind of technological service or product.

Because of this basic need across the world, virtualization has grown to a point where it is being adapted, in some form or another, by many if not most digital organizations. The main benefits of virtualization can be summed up into two main areas:

• Efficiency
• IT flexibility

The reason virtualization allows for greater flexibility is because of what it is, a tool that reduces the number of servers needed to fulfill computing tasks. This, as you can imagine, can save a company a lot of direct and indirect financial resources. Some companies operate under hundreds of servers and virtualization technology has allowed them to reduce that number significantly.

The reason virtualization allows for greater IT flexibility is because of its ability to free up resources that would otherwise be spent managing such operations. It also allows an organization to take the first step towards to relying on another form of virtualization, i.e. cloud computing.

There are many virtualization partners that have emerged in recent years and there are plenty of resources online to aid in a company’s adaptation into such technologies. Really, if your company is not virtualized in some way at this point, you’re behind the times.

There are many who would contend the security of virtualized tools, but for the most part it is as normal as any other software security issue. Cloud computing, on the other hand, is heavily debatable on whether or not it is a secure solution. Overall, virtualization security has developed enough to the point where most people can trust it. There are some really big players in the virtual security field, which accounts for much of the trust people have in such programs.

There really are many benefits to using virtualization technology today. It’s like when you had to convince your grandma that using a cell phone is so much more convenient than a land-line, once she learned how to use it. There are countless examples like that where adapting to the growth and changes in technology can really help a company out, if they will just give it a try. There’s always going to be that learning curve, but that’s never too difficult to get through.

To learn more about virtualization, including topics like virtualization security, please visit www.virtualizationpractice.com.