A cloud database is an online database service hosted and managed by a provider. Instead of running a database on local servers, an organization stores and queries data through a remote platform such as a public cloud service. The provider handles much of the infrastructure, while the customer controls users, permissions, schema, and the data itself.
Cloud databases matter in cyber security because they often hold sensitive records and are reachable over the internet or internal cloud networks. Attackers may target them through stolen credentials, weak access controls, exposed APIs, or misconfigurations, then export data, delete records, or use the database as a foothold for wider compromise. Defenders reduce risk by enforcing least privilege, enabling logging and alerting, restricting network access, rotating credentials, encrypting data, and reviewing export activity. In extortion cases, a claim of cloud database access is meant to suggest data theft even before the technical details are verified.