Cloud computing has become a foundational component of modern digital infrastructure, yet its rapid expansion has increased exposure to sophisticated cyber adversaries, particularly Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). These threat actors exploit cloud-native weaknesses through multi-stage, covert operations that often evade traditional security controls. This study evaluates the resilience of cloud environments against APT campaigns by integrating adversary emulation, intrusion detection, and vulnerability assessment into a unified workflow. Using MITRE Caldera, we emulate APT29 behaviours on an AWS EC2 environment and examine Snort's detection capabilities alongside Nessus vulnerability findings. The results reveal detection blind spots, challenges in persistence and lateral movement, exploitable system weaknesses, and limitations in network-only monitoring. The study contributes a practical, reproducible methodology for assessing cloud readiness against APTs, highlights the importance of layered defences, and provides recommendations for strengthening cloud security architectures, improving detection fidelity, and enhancing organisational preparedness against persistent cyber threats.
- The impact of emerging cloud security threats : a focus on advanced persistent threats
- Austin OrumwenseProfessor Celestine Iwendi - University of Greater Manchester, ComputingAdejoke Ogundare
- 2026 International Conference on Cognitive Systems and Computer Interaction (ICoSCI)
- International Conference on Cognitive Systems and Computer Interaction (ICoSCI2026) (Virtual/Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, 15/01/2026–16/01/2026)
- IEEE
- 9958652108841; 9798331568146
- Open via UKRI policy for UK authors and in line with the Universities Read Plus open access agreement with IEEE
- Computing
- English
- Conference proceeding