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Over 484,000 Exposed Cloud Buckets Found with 18 Billion Files

Over 484,000 Exposed Cloud Buckets Found with 18 Billion Files

First seen 29 Oct 2026, 22:44 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 30, 2026 at 09:46 UTC
  • •484,142 cloud storage buckets are publicly listable, containing 18.05 billion files.
  • •Amazon S3 hosts 72% of the exposed buckets, while Azure Blob shows significant over-representation in sensitive categories.
  • •321,058 credential-related files are exposed, with a notable percentage of .env files modified in 2026.

The Ransomnews research team reported 484,142 publicly listable cloud storage buckets containing 18.05 billion files, including sensitive data like exposed credentials and database backups. This data was compiled using indexing engines without accessing the files themselves. Amazon S3 accounts for 72% of these exposed buckets, while Azure Blob is significantly over-represented in operational data categories such as backups and payroll records. The researchers found 321,058 files related to credentials and keys, with 67% of exposed .env files last modified in 2026. The Ransomnews Cloud Exposure Index will be updated quarterly to track changes in cloud exposure. The report indicates that many of these buckets are intentionally public, serving legitimate purposes, but highlights the risk of sensitive information being exposed.

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Timeline

2026-10-29
Ransomnews Cloud Exposure Index published
Ransomnews reported 484,142 publicly listable cloud buckets with 18.05 billion files, highlighting significant exposure risks.
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Common questions

What types of files are exposed?
The exposed files include sensitive data such as credentials, database dumps, and backups.
How often will the Cloud Exposure Index be updated?
The Ransomnews team plans to update the index quarterly to track changes in cloud exposure.
What cloud providers are most affected?
Amazon S3 accounts for 72% of the exposed buckets, with Azure Blob showing significant over-representation in operational data categories.