Ethical hacking plays a crucial role in cloud computing by identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities within cloud infrastructures. Ethical hackers scan cloud environments to detect flaws, helping businesses patch these issues before malicious attackers can exploit them. Their work includes checking for broken authentication services, unintentional data exposure, and suggesting countermeasures against various cyber threats.

Cloud computing has become a prime target for cyberattacks due to its widespread adoption, with 98 percent of companies utilizing some form of cloud services. Despite its perceived security advantages, 40 percent of businesses reported experiencing a cloud data breach in the past year. This highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures, including ethical hacking, to protect cloud resources.

Ethical hackers should be familiar with various cloud service models, including Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Additionally, understanding different cloud setups like public, private, and hybrid clouds is essential. Knowledge of emerging technologies such as containers and serverless computing is also beneficial for addressing security challenges in cloud environments.