Introduction
Long-lived credentials have emerged as a critical security concern for organizations operating on major cloud platforms. These credentials, which do not expire, pose significant risks when leaked or compromised due to their widespread presence across source code, container images, build logs, and application artifacts. The growing reliance on long-lived credentials is often accompanied by the use of unmanaged users and outdated access keys, further exacerbating security vulnerabilities.
Overview of Long-Lived Credentials
Long-lived credentials are a persistent issue across all major cloud platforms, including Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure. These credentials grant organizations unparalleled control over their cloud environments but also introduce significant risks when misused or exposed. The report highlights that 46% of organizations continue to utilize unmanaged users with long-lived credentials, underscoring the need for immediate action to mitigate these risks.
Prevalence of Long-Lived Credentials
The findings reveal a worrying trend where many organizations are still using access keys older than one year. For instance:
- Google Cloud: 62% of service accounts have access keys older than one year.
- AWS: 60% of IAM users utilize outdated credentials.
- Microsoft Azure (Entra ID): 46% of applications use access keys that are at least a year old.
These statistics highlight the widespread adoption of long-lived credentials and the potential for their misuse, particularly in large-scale deployments where such credentials may remain unused or underutilized despite being older.
The Growing Risk of Credential Compromise
The report underscores the critical nature of credential management, asserting that the primary cause of most cloud security incidents is compromised credentials. Organizations must prioritize secure identity management to safeguard against these risks.
The Role of Short-Lived Credentials
In contrast to traditional long-lived credentials, short-lived credentials offer a dynamic and unpredictable access window, significantly reducing the risk of compromise. By leveraging such credentials, organizations can minimize the time an attacker has to exploit sensitive data or services before the credentials expire.
The Rise of Cloud Guardrails
To combat the growing threat posed by long-lived credentials, cloud guardrails have emerged as a critical tool for enhancing security. These mechanisms automatically apply access controls across entire buckets or instances, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and ensuring that only authorized users can interact with sensitive resources.
Adoption Rates Are On the Rise
The adoption rate of cloud guardrails has surged in recent months. Today, 79% of S3 buckets are protected by account-wide or bucket-specific guardrails, up from 73% a year ago. This increase reflects the growing recognition of these controls as essential for mitigating credential risks and safeguarding cloud environments.
Risks Associated with Sensitive Permissions
In addition to the risks posed by long-lived credentials, organizations must also be vigilant about sensitive permissions granted to EC2 instances on AWS and VMs in Azure. The report highlights that:
- AWS EC2 Instances: 18% of instances have access to sensitive project data, presenting a significant risk of unauthorized access if these credentials are compromised.
- Google Cloud VMs: 33% of VMs grant access to critical project assets, further emphasizing the need for robust security measures.
Third-Party Permissions: A Double-Edged Sword
The report also sheds light on third-party integrations and their associated risks. Third-party permissions are often misconfigured or exploited by malicious actors, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data. Key findings include:
- Third-Party Integrations: 10% of integrations grant vendors access to all organizational data, enabling attackers to exploit these vulnerabilities for unbounded access.
- Confused Deputy Attacks: 2% of integration roles do not enforce the use of External IDs, leaving them vulnerable to ‘confused deputy’ attacks where unauthorized users gain access by impersonating legitimate users.
The Need for Proactive Security Measures
The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of adopting modern authentication mechanisms and leveraging short-lived credentials to minimize risks associated with credential compromise. Organizations must also remain vigilant in monitoring third-party permissions and regularly auditing their cloud environments to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly.
In summary, the widespread use of long-lived credentials poses significant security risks for organizations across all major cloud platforms. By implementing robust security practices, such as leveraging short-lived credentials and adopting proactive measures like cloud guardrails, businesses can mitigate these risks and ensure the continued safety of their cloud environments.
