Forgotten Google Storage Buckets Exposed to Hijacking Attacks

Hackers are now exploiting forgotten Google storage buckets, reclaiming abandoned cloud addresses to inject malware or steal data. Google has issued strong warnings to developers, highlighting the growing danger of dangling bucket attacks.

What Are Dangling Bucket Attacks?

Dangling bucket attacks occur when a storage bucket is deleted, but references to its name remain in code, documentation, or apps. Cybercriminals can claim the same bucket name under their own control to host malicious content or harvest data from unsuspecting users.

Google’s Security Recommendations

Google urges teams to follow a cautious decommissioning process:

1. Audit usage: Before deleting a bucket, check logs for active traffic, especially attempts to access executables, ML models, or config files.
2. Wait before deletion: Observe activity for at least a week—this ensures detection of infrequent or batch access.
3. Scan for legacy references: Search your codebase and documentation for leftover bucket names or URLs. Watch for repeated 404 errors as warning signs.
4. Reclaim or remove: If you still own the bucket name, recreate it in a secure project and apply strict IAM controls. If not, remove any references immediately.

Broader Context: Risks of Misconfigured Cloud Buckets

Dangling buckets are part of a wider problem—cloud storage misconfigurations. A recent industry report found nearly 1 in 10 cloud‑storage buckets contained sensitive data, putting organizations at risk of exposure. Moreover, more than 200 billion files have been identified as exposed across major cloud platforms—demonstrating how easy it is for misconfigurations to lead to large-scale data leaks.

Conclusion

Forgotten Google storage buckets pose a critical security threat—dead names turned into dangerous entry points for cyberattacks. With Google advocating a thoughtful decommissioning process and stronger cleanup practices, developers can mitigate risks and exorcise these lurking vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.