Cloud security teams are facing several challenges, including lenient identity and access management (IAM) practices, which 53% of security executives identified as a top concern. Insufficient access controls are becoming a significant vector for credential theft and data exfiltration. Additionally, the issue of tool sprawl is prevalent, with teams managing an average of 17 different cloud tools, leading to fragmented data and context gaps.

Attackers are increasingly targeting foundational layers of cloud environments, specifically focusing on API infrastructure, identity, and lateral network movement. Notably, API attacks have risen by 41%, making them a primary entry point for sophisticated threats. The speed of these attacks has also increased, with breaches that once took an average of 44 days now occurring in as little as 25 minutes.

SOC teams are struggling to keep up with the surge in cloud-related attacks due to disjointed workflows and isolated data sources. Nearly 30% of respondents reported taking more than a full day to resolve incidents. To improve effectiveness, 89% of organizations believe that cloud and application security must be fully integrated with the SOC, highlighting the need for a more cohesive approach to security management.