The Cloud Security Myth

A common idea you may hear today in the world of business is that using cloud architecture system means that you are automatically 100% protected from threats online. After all, providers like Google and Microsoft invest billions in securing their platforms. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth, and cloud tools really only secure a part of the picture. You, your employees, and your business will still share the largest burden of responsibilities for how these tools are used, and this is where most breaches occur. Over-reliance on cloud tools has turned SMEs that focus on these into easy targets. Indeed, CrowdStrike observed a 95% increase in cloud exploitation from 2021 to 2022 and a 288% jump in cases involving threat actors directly targeting the cloud. 

This misunderstanding may arise from how Google, Microsoft, and Amazon market their cloud services. These companies claim they have world-class security in their systems – which is true – and that your data is safe with them. These services are difficult to hack (but not impossible), but if their clients mismanage their own security, a breach will occur. Look at it like this – Using Google Drive is like storing your money in a bank vault. The bank has world-class locks and guards. But, if an employee gives away their key or leaves the door open, the money still disappears. Truthfully, 100% security does not exist, and anybody trying to sell you the idea of “100%” is making a claim that is not credible. 

With these points in mind, let’s make a closer inspection of some threats evident when relying on cloud tools.

The 5 Real Risks of Relying Only on Cloud Tools

1. Phishing and Credential Theft

One of the most common misconceptions is that using Google Drive or Microsoft 365 makes you immune to cyber attacks. In reality, attackers rarely try to “hack Google” directly. Instead, they go after the people who use it. Phishing remains one of the most effective techniques. A well-crafted email or text message can trick an unsuspecting employee into clicking a fraudulent link that looks almost identical to the real login page. Once they enter their username and password, the attacker instantly gains access to company emails, calendars, and files stored in the cloud. From there, they can quietly exfiltrate sensitive information, impersonate staff, or spread further phishing messages within your organisation. Even with the strongest infrastructure security in place, a single compromised set of credentials can be all it takes to undermine your entire cloud environment. Spear-Phishing, in which the hackers write personalised emails to specific companies, are also written for companies which are growing in terms of marketing. For example, hackers will often do research on details about CEOs, CFOs, COO and more and then impersonate this person to get details from other employees. This crafty technique is highly succesful, and is known as social engineering.

2. Misconfigured Sharing Settings

Cloud platforms make it incredibly easy to collaborate, but that convenience often comes at a cost. One of the most common security pitfalls is misconfigured sharing permissions. Many employees, when under pressure to quickly share a document, simply set the link to “Anyone with the link.” What feels like a harmless shortcut is, in practice, equivalent to publishing the file to the open internet. Sensitive business data, from financial records to customer information, has been exposed this way, sometimes even discoverable by search engines if left unchecked. The problem is amplified in larger organisations, where files are shared across multiple teams and projects, and visibility over who has access becomes increasingly blurred. Without regular audits and strict policies, confidential information can easily leak outside the company walls, leaving you vulnerable to data theft, compliance breaches, and reputational damage. Perhaps this may seem far-fetched, and one may think “My employees would never make a mistake like this” – It occurs more often than you would like to think.

3. Insider Threats

Not all cyber risks come from the outside. In fact, some of the most damaging incidents are caused by people within the organisation. Insider threats can take many forms: a disgruntled employee deliberately exfiltrating sensitive data, a well-meaning staff member accidentally sharing the wrong document, or an ex-employee who still has access to company files because their account was never properly disabled. Cloud platforms make collaboration simple, but they also make it remarkably easy to download, copy, and redistribute information without raising alarms. Unlike external attacks, insider threats can be harder to detect because the activity often appears “authorised” on the surface. Without proper access controls, logging, and monitoring, an insider can move large amounts of data with little oversight. The result can be reputational harm, regulatory fines, or even the permanent loss of intellectual property, all caused by someone who already had a legitimate seat at the table.

4. Third-Party App Integrations

Cloud platforms are designed to be flexible, and many organisations connect Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 with third-party applications such as project management tools, CRMs, or productivity plug-ins. While these integrations can improve efficiency, they also expand the attack surface. Every app connected to your environment requires a level of access, often including permission to read, write, or modify files and emails. If one of those external services is poorly secured or becomes compromised, it can serve as an open door for attackers to move into your organisation. The danger is that these risks are easily overlooked, as integrations often feel routine or convenient. In practice, granting broad permissions without regular oversight is like issuing spare keys to your office without keeping track of who holds them. Without thorough vetting, ongoing monitoring, and periodic audits, businesses can expose themselves through tools they barely remember authorising. This has even occurred in instances where Microsoft themselves have verified the application!

5. Compliance and Visibility Gaps

While cloud platforms offer strong baseline security, they do not automatically provide the depth of monitoring and oversight most organisations require. Detailed logs, anomaly detection, and data loss prevention tools are not switched on by default, and in many cases they require additional licensing or third-party solutions. This lack of visibility creates blind spots: unusual activity such as mass file downloads, suspicious logins from foreign locations, or repeated failed login attempts may go unnoticed until a serious incident is already under way. For businesses operating in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, or government, this presents a further problem, as compliance frameworks demand demonstrable evidence of access control, auditing, and incident reporting. Relying solely on cloud defaults risks both regulatory penalties and reputational harm. To stay compliant and secure, organisations need proper monitoring, alerting, and governance layered on top of their cloud services.

What Companies Should Have in Place

Using Google Drive or Microsoft 365 is a strong foundation, but it’s not enough. To truly protect your organization, you should:

• Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for every account.
• Use role-based access controls and the principle of least privilege.
• Perform regular audits of file sharing and permissions.
• Deploy endpoint protection on all devices that access company data – More on this below.
• Create and rehearse an incident response plan.
• Provide ongoing security awareness training to employees.

How SaferNet Can Help

This is where SaferNet comes in. While providers like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon secure the cloud itself, SaferNet protects the devices and people who connect to it. Our always-on VPN shields every connection, while built-in malware and ransomware blocking stops threats before they reach your environment. Just as importantly, SaferNet extends visibility across all endpoints, giving administrators early warning of suspicious behaviour; whether it’s a compromised login, a misused device, or an employee accidentally exposing data.

We are also harnessing cutting-edge AI to identify unusual patterns in user behaviour. By learning what “normal” looks like for each employee, our system can flag deviations such as late-night logins, unexpected data transfers, or access attempts from atypical locations. This proactive approach ensures that threats are detected and contained before they escalate into a full-scale breach. Combined with access controls and training, SaferNet provides the missing layer of security that cloud tools alone cannot deliver.

Conclusion

The cloud has transformed the way businesses operate, but it has not eliminated cyber risk. Relying solely on providers such as Google or Microsoft can give a dangerous illusion of safety, when in fact the real vulnerabilities lie in human error, misconfiguration, and the unseen gaps that attackers exploit. True security requires a layered approach — combining the resilience of the cloud with strong endpoint protection, vigilant monitoring, and proactive employee training.

SaferNet was built to fill that gap. By protecting every connection, blocking malicious traffic, and using AI to spot unusual behaviour before it becomes a breach, SaferNet provides the oversight and control that cloud platforms alone cannot.

If your business is ready to move beyond the “cloud security myth” and build a truly robust defence, learn more about SaferNet here.