Cyber Security Threat Summary:
Toyota, the automobile manufacturer, apologized for leaking customer records online due to a misconfigured cloud environment. This is the second time Toyota has apologized for a cloud leak in recent weeks. The company said the leak was caused by "insufficient dissemination and enforcement of data handling rules." Toyota said there is no evidence that the data has been misused. The misconfigured cloud system was discovered during a wider investigation of Toyota Connected Corporation's (TC) cloud systems.

As was the case with the previous two cloud exposures, this latest misconfiguration was only discovered years after the fact. Toyota admitted that records for around 260,000 domestic Japanese service incidents had been exposed to the web since 2015. The data recently exposed was innocuous, according to Toyota, and included only vehicle device IDs and some map data update files.

Security Officer Comments:
The recent news emphasizes the crucial significance of ensuring robust cloud security measures, not just during data transmission, but also when data is at rest. It appears that the initial misconfiguration, which led to the first data breach, was not fully resolved, consequently leading to a second breach. Such breaches have become alarmingly frequent, often stemming from oversights in cloud storage configurations that enable unauthorized access to data. Opting to store data locally on company-owned assets offers the advantage of potentially greater data security, given that similar configuration errors and other safeguards are properly addressed. However, leveraging cloud storage provides benefits such as enhanced flexibility and availability of essential resources for critical operations.

Suggested Correction(s):
Cloud security is vital because it safeguards data stored in the cloud from unauthorized access, theft, or manipulation. It ensures compliance with data protection regulations, protects against cyber threats, and addresses the shared responsibility between cloud service providers and customers. By implementing robust cloud security measures, organizations can maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their sensitive information, preventing legal issues, financial losses, and reputational damage.

Link(s):
https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/05/security_in_brief/