Whether it’s a private, public, or hybrid cloud, you love just about every aspect. Your cloud solution is saving your business time and money so what’s not to love? Unfortunately, the cloud can have a downside and it’s not one you want to ignore.
Hackers frequently target the cloud and this can be disastrous. To help keep your data safe, it helps to know a little bit about your potential threats. This includes identifying the common types of cloud malware so you can take steps to prevent data breaches.
Common Types of Cloud Malware
Overall, cloud computing is secure. Even a public cloud has some security measures to help prevent unauthorized access. Security measures only increase with hybrid and private clouds. When it comes to private clouds you probably expect robust cybersecurity measures. You do get amazing security but hackers can still occasionally get through.
Preventing cyber-attacks from malware is always a key priority but it’s tough to implement protocols when you can’t identify the threat. To help you get up to speed, here’s a quick look at some of the most common types of cloud malware.
Phishing Scams
This type of malware attack has been around since basically the start of email. If your high school offered an introduction to computers course, phishing scams are probably covered. Yep, this type of malware attack is that common.
How the cyber scam works is pretty simple and rather ingenious. A hacker sends a friendly email begging you to open the message or even click on an embedded attachment. Everything looks kosher so you open the email and click on the provided link. Congratulations, you’ve just opened the door for hackers to get into your system.
Phishing scams also aren’t limited to emails. They can come as benign text messages. Training staff to only open emails and texts from trusted sources is a start. You may also want to take it a step further and implement two-factor authentication.
Injection Attacks
This type of malware targets your edge servers. Hackers search for unprotected servers and work on gaining access. Once the hacker gets past an access point, all of your business data is essentially up for grabs. Any type of protected identifiable information (PII) can be accessed, altered, and stolen by cyber thieves.
Unfortunately, the rapid growth of cloud computing is making it easier for hackers. A well-designed injection attack can take out around 100 systems without any trouble. If this sounds scary, it’s probably because it’s frightening. Just imagine what happens to your business if all of its systems go down at once.
To prevent this disastrous issue, it’s usually best to work with a professional managed service provider. Your provider usually has tools in place to help prevent injection attacks.
Trojans
No, we’re not rehashing the details of the Trojan War but hackers are taking a page out of the ancient Greeks war book. Instead of sending a large wooden horse to your business’s front door, hackers are being a little stealthier.
Trojan malware is usually cleverly disguised as beneficial software. You may even get a pop-up telling you to click here to update your current software. As soon as you click on the supplied link and start downloading the software, you’re installing Trojan malware that opens your systems up to hackers.
Avoiding this type of cloud malware is relatively easy. Simply don’t download anything unless it’s from a trusted website.
Ransomware
Ransomware encrypts cloud storage, demanding payment for decryption keys. The 2025 DBIR reports a 37% increase, with SMBs facing 88% of incidents. Attackers use Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) models, hitting public clouds like Azure. Impacts include operational halts and regulatory fines under GDPR.
Cryptojacking
This malware hijacks cloud resources for unauthorized cryptocurrency mining, spiking CPU usage and costs. In serverless setups, it’s stealthy, evading detection for months. Gartner estimates cryptojacking drains $1.5 billion annually from cloud budgets in 2025.
Fileless Malware
Operating in memory without files, this evades signature-based tools. CrowdStrike reports 79% of 2025 breaches are malware-free, relying on living-off-the-land techniques. In clouds, it leverages legitimate scripts to persist across workloads.
Supply Chain Malware
Attackers compromise third-party tools or vendors, injecting malware into cloud pipelines. The 2025 DBIR highlights third-party involvement in 30% of breaches, doubling from 2024. This affects entire ecosystems, as in adaptations of the SolarWinds attack.
AI-Enhanced Malware
Emerging in 2025, this uses AI for polymorphic evasion, mutating code to dodge ML detectors. Per ControlD’s 2025 Malware Trends, AI drives 45% of advanced persistent threats in clouds.
Emerging Cloud Malware Threats in 2025
As cloud adoption hits 95% of enterprises (Gartner 2025), threats evolve with AI and supply chains. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) now dominates, with platforms like LockBit offering cloud-specific kits that encrypt S3 buckets in minutes. Supply chain attacks, inspired by SolarWinds, target CI/CD pipelines—Verizon notes a doubling in third-party breaches. AI-generated phishing crafts undetectable lures, up 50% per CrowdStrike. Prevention: Adopt zero-trust (NIST SP 800-207 updates) and scan dependencies with tools like Snyk. Gartner predicts 45% of breaches will involve AI malware by year-end.
Impacts and Examples: Real-World Case Studies
Cloud malware’s fallout is severe: average breach costs $4.88 million (IBM 2025), with downtime averaging 21 days. Below are three cases illustrating patterns.
| Attack Type | Case Study | Impact | Lessons Learned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injection & Misconfiguration | Capital One AWS Breach (2019, Lessons Persist in 2025) | 100M+ records exposed via SSRF on misconfigured WAF; $190M fine. Recent 2025 echoes in UNC5537 attacks on Snowflake, impacting 160+ orgs with $2M+ losses via infostealer creds. | Enforce least-privilege IAM; regular config audits. NIST urges zero-trust for APIs. |
| Ransomware | Codefinger AWS Ransomware (Early 2025) | Encrypted S3 buckets across multiple firms; $10M+ ransoms. Hits SMBs hardest (88% per DBIR). | Immutable backups; AI monitoring. “Cloud breaches cost $4.5M avg,” says CrowdStrike 2025 report. |
| Supply Chain | Snowflake Infostealer Campaign (Mid-2024, Ongoing 2025) | 160+ orgs via stolen creds; data exfil to attacker S3. Third-party risk in 30% breaches. | Vendor MFA enforcement; continuous scanning. Align with NIST SP 1800-35 for ZTA. |
These underscore the need for proactive defenses amid 2025’s credential-theft epidemic (22% of breaches).
Attacks on Serverless Functions and APIs
The good news is your average hacker probably isn’t going to be able to breach your serverless functions and APIs. The downside is it may be easy work for an advanced hacker. Since most hackers tirelessly work to improve their dubious computing skills, eventually one is going to try their luck with your business.
Your serverless functions are in your cloud environment. Hackers search for any vulnerabilities that may provide an access point. Preventing this type of malware requires a ton of due diligence. Security scanning tools can help pinpoint any vulnerabilities so your IT team can deploy the appropriate patches.
Preventing Cloud Malware Is a Big Responsibility
Hackers never take a break. When one goes down for some rest, dozens of others are ready to step in. Since the cloud presents such an attractive target, keeping virtual systems safe is always a top priority. Constantly monitoring your business cloud is a start but don’t forget about training staff and ensuring you’re always using robust cybersecurity practices. Even a tiny lapse can let hackers get into your cloud.
Advanced Prevention Tools and Best Practices
Leverage these top tools for 2025:
| Tool | Key Feature | Cost Estimate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS GuardDuty | ML-based threat detection for accounts, workloads; scans EBS for malware with no performance hit. | $1-10 per 1M events | AWS-native monitoring; integrates with Lambda. |
| Microsoft Sentinel | SIEM/SOAR for Azure; AI anomaly detection, integrates with MFA. | Pay-per-GB ingested | Multi-cloud analytics; zero-trust enforcement. |
| CrowdStrike Falcon | Cloud-native EDR; stops ransomware/fileless attacks via behavioral AI. | Subscription-based | Endpoint-to-cloud protection; 79% malware-free breach defense. |
| Sysdig Falco | Open-source runtime security for containers/K8s; detects anomalies in real-time. | Free core; enterprise $ | Kubernetes/serverless; pairs with GuardDuty. |
| SentinelOne Singularity | Autonomous XDR; prevents zero-days across AWS/Azure/GCP. | Tiered pricing | Hybrid environments; auto-remediation. |
Implement zero-trust via micro-segmentation and NIST’s 19 ZTA models for custom builds. Start with policy enforcement and continuous auth.
FAQs
What are the most common types of cloud malware in 2025?
Cloud malware includes phishing scams via deceptive emails, injection attacks on servers, Trojans disguised as updates, and emerging ransomware targeting storage. Serverless API exploits are rising too. Stay vigilant with regular scans.
How can businesses prevent phishing attacks in cloud environments?
Train staff on spotting fake links, enforce two-factor authentication, and use email filters like Microsoft Defender. Monitor logs for anomalies and conduct simulations. This cuts risks by 70%, per 2025 cybersecurity reports.
What is injection malware and why is it dangerous for clouds?
Injection attacks insert malicious code into unprotected servers, stealing PII or causing downtime across 100+ systems. In hybrid clouds, it spreads fast. Counter with input validation and managed security tools.
How do Trojans affect serverless cloud functions?
Trojans masquerade as legit apps, exploiting API vulnerabilities to grant hackers backdoor access. This leads to data exfiltration. Prevent by scanning code with tools like AWS Inspector and avoiding unverified downloads.
What role does zero-trust play in cloud malware prevention?
Zero-trust verifies every access request, assuming breaches. It blocks lateral movement in clouds. Implement via micro-segmentation and AI monitoring—essential for 2025 threats like AI-phishing. Reduces breach impact by 50%.
