August 20, 2025
Author: Kat Calejo
A lot of businesses think moving to the cloud automatically means moving to a secure setup. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
Cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google do a great job of securing their own infrastructure, but what happens inside your account? That’s on you.
And if you assume “the cloud’s got it covered,” you’re probably leaving doors wide open for attackers.
In this post, we’ll break down what cloud security really looks like, where most businesses miss the mark, and what you can do to protect your data before it’s too late.
The Cloud Isn’t Set-It-and-Forget-It
Here’s the thing: moving to the cloud doesn’t magically make your business secure.
Yes, providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google have serious security baked in. But their responsibility only goes so far. They secure the cloud itself, the data centers, the infrastructure, the backbone. What they don’t secure is how you use it.
That part? It’s on you.
Think of it like renting a condo in a gated community. The property management makes sure the gates are locked and the grounds are safe, but if you leave your front door wide open, that’s going to be your problem if someone breaks in.
The same goes for the cloud: if your team isn’t configuring access controls, patching software, and monitoring activity, you’re basically leaving the front door unlocked.
Common Gaps Businesses Miss
A lot of companies assume, “We moved to the cloud, so we’re secure.” But the cloud doesn’t magically lock itself down. In fact, some of the biggest breaches you read about come from businesses overlooking small but critical details.
Here are a few of the most common pitfalls we see:
Misconfigured settings: One wrong checkbox in AWS or Azure can make private data publicly accessible. It’s usually not dramatic; sometimes it’s as simple as forgetting to restrict who can view a storage bucket. But to an attacker, that’s an open door.
Weak access controls: If too many people have admin-level access, one compromised account could expose your entire environment. Least privilege is the rule for a reason.
Unmonitored activity: Without logs and alerts in place, suspicious behavior can fly under the radar for weeks or months. By the time you notice, the damage is already done.
Shadow IT: Teams love to move fast, which often means spinning up cloud tools on their own. That agility is great for productivity, but it also creates blind spots your IT team doesn’t know to secure.
Individually, these might not seem like dealbreakers. But together? They create the kind of gaps attackers look for. And the scary part is, most businesses don’t realize they’ve left themselves exposed until something goes wrong.
How to Close the Gaps
The good news? Most of these risks aren’t about buying another shiny tool. They’re about tightening up what you already have and making security part of your day-to-day operations.
Here’s where to start:
Review configurations regularly: Don’t “set it and forget it.” Cloud providers update features all the time, which means yesterday’s safe setting could open you up tomorrow.
Enforce least privilege access: Not everyone needs the keys to the kingdom. Limit access based on roles, and use MFA everywhere you can.
Turn on logging and alerts: If you’re not watching activity in real time, you’re basically flying blind. Monitoring tools give you visibility so you can act fast when something looks off.
Create guardrails for new tools: Make it easy for teams to get the cloud apps they need without going rogue. A clear process keeps innovation moving without leaving security behind.
The point is, cloud security isn’t automatic, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming either. A few smart guardrails can turn your cloud from a risk into a real advantage.
The Bottom line
Cloud security doesn’t manage itself. Misconfigurations, over-privileged accounts, and shadow IT can sneak up on you fast, turning your cloud from a business enabler into a business risk.
That’s where NTS comes in. We don’t just throw tools at the problem; we give you clarity, control, and confidence in your cloud. From tightening up configs and monitoring activity to building the guardrails your team needs to stay productive and secure, we act as an extension of your business.
With NTS, you get more than a partner who understands cloud technology; you get one who knows how to make it work for your business without slowing you down.
Ready to stop guessing about your cloud security? Let’s talk.