3 Threat analysis in cloud computing
Cloud provides an ideal environment for botnets. First, cloud has rich and elastic computing resources, such as storage, bandwidth and processors, which are easy to access. Attackers can compromise a cloud-based server as their C&C server or lease high performance virtual machines with stolen credit card information. Second, hackers can easily deploy C&C servers and stepping-stones in cloud, dynamically change them to new domains, and delete their virtual images to remove evidence of their activities. Third party VPNs, proxies and SSH tunneling are commonly used stepping-stones, across which bot masters access C&C server and hide their identities. Finally, clouds are convenient for bot masters to select multiple cloud service providers in multiple domains and countries, and that makes the trace back very difficult.