An Analytical Survey of Security Challenges and Mitigation Techniques in Multi-Cloud Systems

Dr. Sudesh Rani

Abstract: The rapid adoption of multi-cloud environments has transformed modern computing by enabling flexibility, scalability, and vendor independence. However, distributing workloads across multiple cloud service providers introduces complex security challenges related to data confidentiality, access control, interoperability, compliance, and monitoring. This survey paper reviews major security risks associated with multi-cloud deployments and analyzes current mitigation strategies including encryption techniques, identity management frameworks, secure orchestration, and AI-driven threat detection. The paper also highlights emerging research directions such as zero-trust architectures and privacy-preserving computation. The study aims to provide researchers and practitioners with a consolidated understanding of security challenges and practical solutions for securing multi-cloud infrastructures.

Keywords: Multi-cloud computing, cloud security, IAM, encryption, compliance, zero-trust architecture