SECURITY RISKS OF CONFIGURATION ERRORS IN CLOUD ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Cloud technologies have expanded the flexibility and accessibility of information systems, but they have also introduced a distinct set of security challenges. Among these, configuration errors are consistently cited as a primary cause of security incidents across cloud deployments. This paper examines the origins, categories, and consequences of configuration errors in the three primary cloud service models - IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. It draws on documented incidents and industry data from IBM, Gartner, and CrowdStrike to illustrate how misconfiguration produces concrete financial and operational harm. Detection and prevention approaches - including automated security tooling, cloud-native monitoring, and continuous auditing - are evaluated with the goal of identifying strategies organizations can realistically apply.