How to Safeguard Against the Privacy Implications of Cloud Computing

Introduction

The definition of cloud computing is quite controversial but the general consensus, good enough for our purposes, is that it is really just a metaphor for the Internet and refers to the storing and accessing of resources over the Internet instead of on your computer’s hard drive. As IT World’s Kevin Fogarty says, cloud computing is “just really good virtualization.”

Whatever the definition, using cloud computing (remember: it is a model, not a technology), businesses are able to provide a variety of digital services to individuals and businesses. Some examples include social and business networks, job search boards, secure storage facilities, as-a-service models, test and development environments, online shopping, collaboration applications, online document management, news services, streaming music and video, etc.

The problem is that cloud services are prone to privacy vulnerabilities and while multiple new industry segments in cybersecurity have rapidly evolved to help secure the privacy of user data, the cybercriminal underground always seems to be keeping pace.

In this article, we will take a look at the privacy issues in cloud computing and how to safeguard against them.

To learn more about the privacy risks using social media like Facebook, a cloud platform, consider reading User Privacy: The Price Paid and 5 Social Media Site Privacy Issues You Should Worry About.

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Top Security Threats Facing Cloud Computing

A report by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) warned that “Among the most significant security risks associated with cloud computing is the tendency to bypass information technology (IT) departments and information officers. Although shifting to cloud technologies exclusively may provide cost and efficiency gains, doing so requires that business-level security policies, processes, and best practices are taken into account. In the absence of these standards, businesses are vulnerable to security breaches that can erase any gains made by (Read more...)