Security Threats in Cloud Computing within the Saudi Arabian government sector

Abstract

Cloud computing has revolutionised digital infrastructure. The adoption of cloud technologies by the Saudi Arabian government in line with the goals of the Vision 2030 plan presents security challenges that must be addressed. This research examines the security threats faced by organisations in the Saudi Arabian government sector during this transition through a quantitative, structured questionnaire-based study completed by 120 employees in the government sector to gauge the prevalence and nature of these security challenges. The results revealed that 43.3% of respondents encountered security issues within cloud-based systems, with the same proportion experiencing data breaches. 53.3% reported no unauthorised access and 62.5% highlighted concerns with insecure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The findings of this study may be offset by its focus on the Saudi Arabian governmental sector as this limits its generalisability across regions or sectors (private or non-governmental. Considering the identified gaps in cloud computing understanding and the recognised need for hands-on training, it is recommended that the Saudi Arabian government sector invests in interactive, role-specific training modules. Emphasis should be placed on face-to-face seminars and practical workshops to foster the immediate application of cybersecurity knowledge