Research reveals flaws in cloud services

Significant flaws within the implementation of cloud infrastructure services can be putting clients' data in danger.

Research by Context Security said that a vulnerability around data separation allowed its consultants to achieve access to a couple data that was left on other service users' "dirty disks", including fragments of shopper databases and elements of system information.

The vulnerability itself is within the way wherein some providers automatically provision new virtual servers, initialise operating systems and allocate new space for storing. For performance reasons or as a result of errors, safety features to offer separation between different nodes on a multi-user platform sometimes aren't implemented, making it possible to read areas of different virtual disks and so gain access to data which exists with the physical storage provider.

Context said that it tested four providers and located that two of them, VPS.NET and Rackspace, weren't always securely separating virtual servers or nodes through shared harddisk and network resources. In line with Context's responsible disclosure procedures, both providers were immediately informed of the findings.

Rackspace worked with Context to spot and fasten the possible vulnerability, which was found among some users of its now-legacy platform for Linux Cloud Servers. Rackspace reports that it knows of no instance wherein any customer's data was seen or exploited by an unauthorised party.

Context has tested Rackspace's current cloud platform in addition to its new next-generation cloud computing solution in line with OpenStack, and have been in a position to confirm that the protection vulnerability was resolved. Nevertheless it warned other providers that they could be vulnerable in the event that they use popular hypervisor software, and implement it inside the way that Rackspace did before its remediation efforts.

Rackspace has also undertaken efforts with the intention that any data deleted from its physical disk is 'zeroed' to avoid new servers seeing other users, and has taken measures to wash up all existing virtual disks on what's now its legacy cloud server platform.

VPS.NET told Context that it rolled out a patch to unravel the protection issue, but provided no details. It said that its platform relies on OnApp technology that also is utilized by greater than 250 other cloud providers. OnApp told Context that it now allows customers to opt-in to having their data removed securely, leaving thousands of virtual machines at potential risk. OnApp added that it has not taken measures to wash up remnant data left by providers or customers, at the ground that not many shoppers are affected.

Michael Jordon, research and development manager at Context, said: “In the cloud, rather than facing an infrastructure in accordance with separate physical boxes, an attacker should purchase a node from an identical provider and attempt an attack at the target organisation from a similar physical machine and using a similar physical resources.

“This doesn't mean that the cloud is unsafe, and the business benefits remain compelling, however the simplicity of this issue raises important questions on the maturity of cloud technology and the extent of security and testing undertaken in some instances.”