Thursday 29 November 2012

Cloud Computing Security Issues A Customer Should Consider

By Lenore Bolton


A lot has changed over the past several decades in the way some business store their sensitive customer information. A popular method has been to use cloud computing to locate this information on a network managed by an outside entity instead of keeping everything in house. These networks normally allow many businesses to access and store information on a single computing system. The greatest benefit is that a business who normally would not be able to afford this technology now can use it at will. However, there have also been causes for concern as cloud computing security issues has risen to the top of potential problems.

There was a time when just about everyone thought that these systems were safe to store confidential information. This belief has been weakened by hackers. Every business system they have tapped into once thought that no one from outside the organization could gain access to their platforms. Some knowledgeable people expect that the number of incidences of hacking will only increase in the future.

A business should be aware that while there are mechanisms in place to protect the information they have stored on these computers, there is still a chance that an unauthorized person can gain access to it. Once this unauthorized person has this information they can do a lot of harm to the business and their customers. One thing a business owner may request is something called a reliability report. The report can give them insights into how well the operating system is holding up and what some of the potential problems might be.

There are cases where a third party might be able to gather sensitive information. These parties are vendors who are involved in the maintenance and function of the platform. One may want to know who these vendors are and if they have ever been involved in any problems.

One should make sure that adequate monitoring measures are in place to provide security. These measures should be able to alert people to a hacker or a virus that has affected the integrity of the computers. The better the ability one has to watch what is going on, then the better they are to respond to any discrepancies.

Another potential problem is knowing where the information storage equipment is located. Due to the increased capability of tapping into these networks from remote locations has given rise to understanding the laws and regulations of the governing bodies that control these locations. Not all places treat the security of the information that same way as other places. A company might be denied recourse in a country where they do not have any physical presence and are considered outsiders.

Investigating breaches of information may be something that is very hard to do. The problem is that there are a lot of people who have access to the operating system at any given moment. Tracing back who might have done what when an issue arises is practically impossible. This makes controlling who can gain access even more important for everyone concerned.

New technologies have changed the way many business operate. Sometimes, the cost of the new technology is very expensive and a normal business cannot afford to buy the equipment to take advantage of what is happening. Some companies have taken advantage of this situation and offer these businesses a central location to manage their sensitive information. One needs to be aware of the cloud computing security issues to make sure they know what to expect when they store information outside of the company.




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