Cloud and mobile deployments are the weakest links

April 2019 Information Security

Check Point Software has published the third instalment of its 2019 Security Report. It highlights how threat actors are increasingly targeting the weakest, least protected points in an organisation’s IT infrastructure – their public cloud and mobile deployments. 

The third instalment of the 2019 Security Report reveals the key cyberattack trends used by criminals to target enterprise cloud and mobile estates during 2018. It also reveals enterprise IT and security teams’ key security concerns about these deployments. Highlights of the third instalment include:

• 18% of organisations globally had a cloud security incident in the past year: the most common incident types were data leaks / breaches, account hijacks, and malware infections.

• The top four public cloud security threats: IT professionals rated misconfiguration of cloud platforms, leading to data loss or breaches as the biggest threat, cited by 62%; followed by unauthorised access to cloud resources (55%); insecure interfaces and APIs (50%); hijacking of accounts or data traffic (47%).

• 30% of IT professionals still consider security is the responsibility of the cloud service provider: this worrying finding negates recommendations that cloud security should follow the mutual responsibility model, in which security is shared by both the cloud provider and the customer.

• 59% of IT professionals do not use mobile threat defences: a majority of organisations have not deployed mobile security solutions capable of detecting leading threats including mobile malware, fake or malicious apps, man-in-the-middle attacks and system vulnerabilities.

• Only 9% of IT professionals consider threats on mobile a significant security risk: yet malware can propagate from unprotected mobile devices to organisations’ cloud- or on-premise networks, exploiting this weak link in enterprise security defences.

“The third instalment of our 2019 Security Report shows just how vulnerable organisations are to attacks targeting their cloud and mobile estates, because there is a lack of awareness of the threats they face and how to mitigate them. Nearly 20% of organisations have experienced a cloud incident in the past year, it’s clear that

criminals are looking to exploit these security gaps,” said Zohar Alon, head of cloud product line, Check Point Software Technologies. “By reviewing and highlighting these developments in the report, organisations can get a better understanding of the threats they face, and how they prevent them impacting on their business.”

For full report go to: https://research.checkpoint.com/vol-3-2019-security-report/





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

71% of organisations suffered an identity breach
News & Events Information Security
The State of Identity Security 2026 report from Sophos finds human error and poor non-human identity management are the root causes of most attacks, as agentic AI accelerates the risk.

Read more...
Cyber resilience is the real defence
Security Services & Risk Management Information Security Infrastructure
Cyber resilience has evolved into a form of strategic agility, ensuring that when an interruption occurs, the business does not just survive; it snaps back into place before the market even notices a pause.

Read more...
You will not get your files back with VECT
Information Security
If the newbie to the ransomware scene, VECT, comes knocking at your organisation’s door, do not pay the ransom! The decryption keys simply do not exist. They were discarded at the moment of encryption by the malware itself.

Read more...
Industrial sector is a primary cyber target
Information Security
Threats in industrial environments are distributed with striking uniformity: APT-driven incidents constitute 17,8%, malware 14,9% and social engineering 13,9%. This pattern suggests that industrial organisations attract a broad range of adversaries with different capabilities and objectives.

Read more...
Key attributes of an effective cybersecurity leader
BlueVision Information Security
In an evolving technology landscape, an effective cyber leader must combine technical acumen, foresight, and adaptive leadership to mitigate risks, and risks can only be mitigated once accurately identified and remedial processes are in place.

Read more...
Employees are SA’s biggest cyber threat
Security Services & Risk Management Information Security
South Africa experienced a 46% increase in insider cyber risk in 2026, surpassing the global average of 44%. What is more, 63% of South African companies surveyed expect insider-driven data losses to increase.

Read more...
Surge in AI-enabled cybercrime and a 389% increase in ransomware
News & Events Information Security
Cybercrime no longer functions as a series of isolated campaigns; it operates as a system, with malicious hackers operating across an end-to-end life cycle and compressing the attack life cycle with shadow agents.

Read more...
Tackling enterprise security ‘tool sprawl’
NEC XON Information Security
South African ICT solutions provider NEC XON is advocating a shift away from fragmented cybersecurity toolsets towards unified platforms, arguing that ‘tool sprawl’ is undermining the effectiveness of enterprise security operations.

Read more...
SilverFox campaign targeting companies in South Africa
Information Security News & Events
The APT campaign involved disguising malicious files as documents related to tax violations. Upon infection, attackers could gain remote access to affected devices and exfiltrate sensitive organisational data.

Read more...
Q-Day is closer than you think
Information Security
The accelerated 2029 quantum computing deadline turns current encryption into a looming crisis as Google brings its internal post-quantum cryptography migration deadline forward to 2029.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.