AWS, GCP and Azure: The 3 Biggest Cloud Service Providers in 2024 (2024)

There’s a lot of talk these days about which public cloud platform is best for an organization. But what many people don’t realize is that when it comes to cloud security, there isn’t necessarily a clear winner. Each of the big three providers—AWS, Azure, and GCP—has its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. So how do you decide which platform is right for your business?

This article compares and contrasts the security features offered by each provider so you can make an informed decision about which platform is right for you. We will also go through how to choose the best cloud security certification that will further your career as acertified cloud security professional.

AWS, GCP, and Azure are the three biggest cloud service providers in the world. All three offer a variety of security features to their customers, but there are some key differences between them.

AWS

• AWS is the market leader in cloud services, with a 37% market share (Holori, 2021).
• Its main USP related to security is the comprehensive suite of security features, which include data encryption, DDoS protection, and identity and access management (IAM).
• It also has a strong focus on compliance, with over 90 compliance certifications.

Azure

• Azure is the second largest cloud provider, with a 23% market share (Holori, 2021).
• Its main USP in terms of security is the robust identity management system, which includes multi-factor authentication and single sign-on.
• It also has a number of compliance certifications, including ISO 27001 and HIPAA.

GCP

• GCP is the third largest cloud provider, with a 9% market share (Holori, 2021).
• Its main USP when it comes to security is its tight integration with Google’s other products, which makes it easy to deploy a comprehensive security solution.
• It also offers several unique security features, such as per-user activity monitoring and customer-managed encryption keys.

Data breaches are becoming more and more common, with large companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft being affected in recent years. Here is a look at some of the biggest data breaches that have happened at these three companies in the past five years.

1. Amazon: In 2019, Amazon had a data breach that affected over 100 million customers. This breach exposed customer names, email addresses and phone numbers. Amazon did not disclose how the breach occurred, but it is believed that hackers were able to gain access to Amazon’s systems through a third-party vendor (TechCrunch, 2022).
2. Google: In 2016, Google was hit by a data breach that affected over 1 million customers. This breach exposed customer names, email addresses, birthdates and gender information. Google blamed the breach on a “bug” in its system that allowed hackers to gain access to its systems (Check Point Software, 2016).
3. Microsoft: In 2019, Microsoft had a data breach that affected over 250 million customers. This breach exposed customer names, email addresses and password hashes. Microsoft blamed the breach on a “misconfiguration” in its system that allowed hackers to gain access to its systems (LifeLock Norton, 2022).

These are just a few of the many data breaches that have happened at large companies in recent years. Data breaches can have a major impact on customers, so it’s important for companies to take steps to protect their data.

It’s a common misconception that security is solely the responsibility of the IT department. In reality, security is a shared responsibility between IT and the employees of an organization. Both groups need to be aware of the potential risks and take steps to mitigate them.

As more and more businesses move to the cloud, the need for qualified cloud security professionals has never been greater. The EC-Council Certified Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE) credential is designed to help IT professionals who want to specialize in securing cloud environments. The C|CSE trains cybersecurity professionals interested to learn about all the platforms along with cloud neutral concepts.

The C|CSE credential covers cloud security topics for all of the top three cloud providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). In addition, the C|CSE covers key security concepts such as risk management, identity and access management, data encryption and incident response.

Holori. (2021, August 5). Outstanding cloud market size growth: AWS vs Azure vs GCP market share in 2021. https://holori.com/2021-cloud-market-size-and-aws-azure-gcp-market-share/

TechCrunch. (2022, September 22) Ex-Amazon employee convicted over data breach of 100 million CapitalOne customers. https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/21/amazon-paige-thompson-capitalone-breach/

Check Point Software. (2016, November 30). More Than 1 Million Google Accounts Breached by Gooligan. https://blog.checkpoint.com/2016/11/30/1-million-google-accounts-breached-gooligan/

LifeLock Norton. (2022, September 22). Microsoft accidentally exposed 250 million customer records — What you should know. https://lifelock.norton.com/learn/data-breaches/microsoft-exposed-250-million-customer-records