Cloud Storage and Security

Abstract

Cloud computing has been gaining popularity for the few last decades. In fact, small as well as large organizations have realized the potential of cloud in saving costs of procurement, installation and maintaining data storage systems. Despite the variety of advantages the concept has presented to the end users, there is also a range of risks associated with data and information security and privacy. Limited research has been conducted considering that the concept is relatively new.

The research seeks to explore data and information privacy and security on cloud to develop recommendations that help mitigate the risks. In addition to the knowledge of the researcher regarding cloud computing, literature review and interviews were instrumental in exploring the subject. The study sought to present the audience with sufficient information regarding data loss through disclosure. It is hence imperative to classify risks involved with privacy and security of information.

Introduction

In the contemporary business circles cloud computing has rapidly turned into a buzzword and this has been experienced over the last decade. The importance of cloud computing model to organizations has received significant acceptance. In the information technology sector, cloud computing is the fastest developing concept as organizations seek to provide the service to the rapidly increasing clientele. The technology has numerous advantages. However, the issue of information security and privacy has raised concerns among the end users of the technology.  

Many organizations are faced with the challenge on whether or not to embrace the technology. The move to cloud computing means that the organizations require moving its data and that of the client to a cloud computing organization to keep and manage the information and data (Gold, 2012). It has been observed that organizations embrace the cloud computing concept due to the savings such organizations realize from making the decision to move the available data and information (Gray & Patterson, 2013). However, considering that the host organization has complete control of the information, the client company risks from the fact that the information may be revealed to unauthorized users or can be stolen by hackers. Like any online venture, cloud computing entails a wide range of risks (Rizwana & Sasikumar, 2012).

        The increasing use of digital data and information is highlighting the use of cloud computing to support decision-making in business intelligence. Cloud computing provides an approach to the on-demand access to remote software and hardware without incurring procurement and installation expenses. However, the advancement in technology is also coupled with data and information security and privacy concerns. The transfer of operational and customer data is often threatened by hackers and malicious individuals. The risks posed by the disclosure of information stored in clouds have motivated this research.  

Literature Review

         The literature review conducted in this study seeks to explore the information and data privacy and security. Information and data security entails the access to personally identifiable information. According to Smith, Dinev and Xu (2011), privacy is often described in multiple researches as the capacity of a person to manage and control the conditions through which such personal information or data can be accessed and used. However, the rapid rate of change in technology continues to obscure the understanding of the relationship between privacy and security of data and information. Information security regards the protection of personal data with three main goals; information integrity, information and data authentication and information confidentiality.

In cloud computing, the provider may successfully secure the kept data and information but still make awful decision regarding the consequent utilization of the same information and data. This results in privacy problems

        Cloud computing involves transferring records to various info schemes and commending other individuals to store and handle such data. The information is kept in remote servers. Storage models present privacy and security concerns. The cloud provider has access to the information and data that can be easily altered or disclosed to a third party either by the provider or the staff. This may be accidental or deliberate. Conference management systems represent a peculiar volume of data, which are sensitive in nature and attracts researchers to explore the privacy and security issues that may emerge from the disclosure or modification of the vast data and information.

According to Paul Lanois (2011), cloud computing has increased rapidly in the last few years. When an organization employs the services of a cloud provider, it does not require purchasing and installing software. Additionally, users want to access all the information that they own from any global location anytime. Apparently, organizations that have embraced cloud computing stand the chance to grow business and gain competitive advantage over competitors. The nature of information possessed by the large organizations raises security issues. The intangibility and invisibility nature of the internet present major challenges to the privacy and security of sensitive information and data belonging to organizations and their customers compared to the traditional desktop computing.

Research Methodology

The nature of the research required the exploration of the existing literature on cloud computing. The young nature of the concept means that it has not been extensively studied. It was important to employ interpretive model of qualitative research method to interpret the existing literature. The research was further informed by the researcher’s knowledge on technology specifically cloud computing.

Cloud computing is generating new perspectives as the technology rapidly advances. The concept is relatively new and has not received much research regarding information security and privacy (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2005). By employing interpretive approach, the researcher effectively reviewed the general information on the privacy and security literature. Building on this background, this researcher mostly applied knowledge of cloud computing interwoven with the existing literature to develop a vivid view of information and data privacy and security in cloud computing.

        Interviews are critical research tools. It was necessary to conduct interviews with developers, providers and users of cloud computing to get the rational position founded on the concerns of the stakeholders. In fact, two web developers, two cloud-computing providers and two end users were interviewed.

Analysis

The research concentrated on cloud computing. The concept was analyzed to develop a picture of the new concept and the elements that compose it. The analysis entailed examining data and information privacy and security. From this, the researcher recommended measures that both the users and providers should implement to make certain the protection of data