The adoption of cloud in the UK is growing at a fast pace, with £10.5 billion spent on cloud services in 2024 and spending going up by almost 30% annually since 2020, as stated in a CMA report. The majority of businesses are moving to the cloud to save costs, work faster, and scale effortlessly.
But as the usage of cloud solutions grows in the region, so do the security related challenges because most businesses rush to adopt new technologies without any plans of how to keep their data safe against threats. From phishing scams and weak access controls to AI-powered attacks, the threats are becoming smarter and more complex.
In this blog, we’ll look at the top five cloud security challenges for UK businesses and ways to stay secure while enjoying all the benefits the cloud offers.
Top Cloud Security Challenges and What You Can Do About Them
1. Phishing Scams
Phishing attacks are still among the biggest challenges, with nearly 85% of UK businesses affected, as reported in The Cyber Security Breaches Survey. These attacks usually start with a simple email/message that looks genuine but are sent to trick you to sharing a password or clicking on a link. Once they get in, they can steal your company’s crucial data or even lock your systems for ransom.
Recommended action:
- Train your employees to recognize fake emails/links
- Use multi-factor authentication so that even if one password is stolen, your system stays safe
- Use trusted email security tools to automatically block suspicious links/messages
2. Weak Identity & Access Management
Many companies do not manage user roles inside their cloud environment. If any of your team members have unnecessary permissions than they need, or if your old accounts are not removed, it can become easy to attack your systems. Even one weak password or shared key can put your company’s whole system at risk.
Recommended action:
- Follow the “least privilege” rule — give access only to those who truly need it
- Use strong, regularly rotated passwords & enable centralized identity management
- Make use of tools like Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems & automatic key rotation
3. Cloud Misconfiguration
A small mistake in cloud settings can cause a big problem. For example, a public storage folder that was meant to be private can expose customer data. Such configuration mistakes are one of the most common reasons for data breaches worldwide.
Recommended action:
- Use monitoring tools that scan your cloud setup regularly (these tools send alerts if something is wrongly configured)
- Run security checks every month & always apply safe settings when you add new services
- Consider using Cloud security services in the UK to help detect, prevent, and correct misconfigurations quickly while ensuring compliance with local data protection standards.
4. Shadow IT
Shadow IT is one of the most dangerous cloud security challenges for UK businesses. It happens when employees use apps or cloud tools that are not approved by their company. They might do it to work faster, but these apps can put sensitive data at risk because they are not monitored or secured.
Recommended action:
- Share a list of approved tools with your team and inform everyone why using unapproved apps is risky
- Use tools that track what software is being used in your organization so that nothing is hidden
5. AI-Driven Threats
According to a report shared by SAP, UK’s AI investments are expected to grow by approximately 40% in the next 2 years. However, cybercriminals are also using AI to their advantage. They now create fake emails, deep-fake videos, and even find weak points in your systems faster than humans can react.
Recommended action:
- Use AI-based tools for security to watch your system 24×7 and spot unusual activities at early stages
- Keep your software updated & ensure that your AI systems are trained to detect false/harmful data
What are the Key Benefits of Cloud Security?
Spending on your cloud security is not just about avoiding attacks, but it helps your business in many ways such as:
- Prevention of financial losses from any unexpected breaches
- Staying compliant with important laws/regulations like GDPR
- Building trust with your customers & improving loyalty
- Keeping your business operations smooth & worry-free
However, to reap all the benefits, it’s important that your organization makes cloud security a long-term investment to ensure growth and confidence.
Securing Your Cloud with IDS Tech Solutions
Moving your business operations to cloud comes with various risks. Most cloud security challenges for UK businesses stem from adopting cloud services quickly without a solid strategy. They usually miss out on aspects such as defining roles, access policies and safety rules. Tackling all these issues from the start can help your teams avoid mistakes, preventing all sorts of data leaks, and staying compliant with regulations like GDPR.
IDS Tech Solutions supports businesses in making your cloud secure. We guide you step by step to build a simple strategy, use the right security tools, and monitor your cloud for any risks.
Connect with us to get a personalized assessment of your cloud systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Cloud security simply means protecting your data, apps, and systems that are hosted in the cloud environments from threats such as:
- Phishing
- Hacking
- Accidental leaks
Shadow IT means using apps/cloud tools that are not authorized/approved. These tools are not usually monitored/secured, which can expose your organization’s sensitive data.
Here are a few steps that your business must take:
- Define a solid cloud security strategy
- Assign roles & responsibilities
- Set up access policies & safety rules
- Review security measures regularly
- Take guidance from experienced cloud security partners
They allow companies to scale efficiently, reduce downtime, prevent losses, keep your customer data safe, and ensure regulatory compliance.
When you hire a team for cloud security services, you can expect them to help protect your data and keep your systems safe. These services usually include the following:
- Protection of your data, applications, and cloud systems from threats
- Regular monitoring and alerts for unusual activity
- Identity and access management to control who can access what
- Help with configuring cloud settings safely
- Guidance on following laws and regulations like GDPR
- Support from experts to create a clear and effective cloud security strategy