Report: How Risky is Cloud Computing?

The European Network and Information Security Agency just submitted a 123 page report on the risk of cloud computing. No surprises here, everyone likes the benefits of cloud computing, nobody likes the idea of trusting all their data to the cloud. Would you?

"The picture we got back from the survey was clear," Giles Hogben, editor of the ENISA report, said in a statement. "The business case for cloud computing is obvious--it's computing on tap, available instantly, commitment-free and on-demand. But the number one issue holding many people back is security--how can I know if it's safe to trust the cloud provider with my data and in some cases my entire business infrastructure?"

Risk ? Well it may rain

Convenience is very tempting.

it amazes me how these government and private agencies and lawyers make reports with hundreds of pages when a single forum post may suffice in describing something.

123 pages that explains the danger of cloud computing? I can describe the risk in a mere sentence:

"Cloud computing introduces the risk of data being compromised by hackers because of it's central location."

Period. Didn't take 123 pages and it didn't cost me a couple million to write this up.

Originally Posted by Azhar

it amazes me how these government and private agencies and lawyers make reports with hundreds of pages when a single forum post may suffice in describing something.

123 pages that explains the danger of cloud computing? I can describe the risk in a mere sentence:

"Cloud computing introduces the risk of data being compromised by hackers because of it's central location."

Period. Didn't take 123 pages and it didn't cost me a couple million to write this up.

And you didn't make a couple million writing it either.

Reminds me of the Laywer joke with the orange.

Lawyer teaching a class says to a student, "Now if you were to give someone an orange, how would you go about it?"

The student replied, "Here's an orange."

The professor was livid. "No! No! Think like a lawyer!" The student then recited, "Okay, I'd tell him, 'I hereby give and convey to you all and singular, my estate and interests, rights, claim, title, calim and advantages of and in, said orange, together with all its rind, juice, pulp, and seeds, and all rights and advantages with full power to bite, cut, freeze and otherwise eat, the same, or give the same away with and without the pulp, juice, rind and seeds, anything herein before or hereinafter or in any deed, or deeds, instruments of whatever nature or kind whatsoever to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding..."

As far as my calendar and contacts go, my life is in Google. I do have backups, but the central location is Google. I'm sure ten years down the line, it won't be a great idea, but for right now, I love it. Setting up my Palm Pre was a snap thanks to this.

As far as the hacker thing - meh. Their servers are probably more secure than my home PC so I'm not worried. Even if a hacker did get in - oh no, they'll know I'm replacing a laptop for a manager on Wednesday!!

Originally Posted by MacDad

As far as my calendar and contacts go, my life is in Google. I do have backups, but the central location is Google. I'm sure ten years down the line, it won't be a great idea, but for right now, I love it. Setting up my Palm Pre was a snap thanks to this.

As far as the hacker thing - meh. Their servers are probably more secure than my home PC so I'm not worried. Even if a hacker did get in - oh no, they'll know I'm replacing a laptop for a manager on Wednesday!!

It's not the security of the servers, but rather being a high profile target.

To take from Apple's line of reasoning, keeping things on your computer rather than Google's is security through obscurity.

Even the most hardened servers get broken into by determined hackers.

Ah ahrn't 'bout trust nonya mer data up in nonya dem der clouds, why, them raids can 'ardly hold their own water! An' when they's too much water, they starts'in' rainin'! I arn't havin' nonya mer data rainyin' down all o'er!

Originally Posted by Azhar

It's not the security of the servers, but rather being a high profile target.

To take from Apple's line of reasoning, keeping things on your computer rather than Google's is security through obscurity.

Even the most hardened servers get broken into by determined hackers.

Still, I have nothing I care about getting into the open. So, for me, security isn't a concern. It's more about reliability. Information being stored by Google is more available and reliable than stuff I store on my own PC, so they win. If something better comes along, I will switch.

Originally Posted by Azhar

it amazes me how these government and private agencies and lawyers make reports with hundreds of pages when a single forum post may suffice in describing something.

123 pages that explains the danger of cloud computing? I can describe the risk in a mere sentence:

"Cloud computing introduces the risk of data being compromised by hackers because of it's central location."

Period. Didn't take 123 pages and it didn't cost me a couple million to write this up.

Occasionally people might want a more detailed analysis with both cost analysis and risk analysis to make multibillion dollar decisions from.

Originally Posted by Disarray

And you didn't make a couple million writing it either.

I've spoken to Kyle once before about me getting paid for my posts here, but he didn't go for it. Worth a shot, I guess.

I don't mind storing some stuff online, but not everything. I mean seriously, a hacker can get access to millions of people's data, or maybe the cloud computing company will just change their ToS or policies and they could use your information for whatever they want. Like how the Chrome OS apparently stores everything on Google's Cloud. No thanks. It just becomes a slippery slope. I still don't really like cloud computing, especially with the mess broadband is in this country. It is barely progressing, and we pay more for less than European countries.

On a related note, is something like Windows Home Server better, or a corporate VPN? It's not "in The Cloud" per say, but it's close.

I personally use both Google Docs and WHS, and can obviously access both from anywhere as long as I have an internet connection.

The way I see it, Google has a large infrastructure, better IT weenies and probably better security. It's cons are a high profile, making it an easy target, and privacy concerns (though in my case I'm fairly trusting that there's no peek-a-boo going on.)

WHS is secure enough, but could probably be easily hijacked. It's more anonymous sitting behind my fairly obscure and ever changing IP... but anonymity, apparently, isn't 'security.' And my simplistic firewall isn't going to stop a determined person, and is far beyond what the average home user would even attempt.

I don't know, it's a tough call. My notebook can always be stolen, and any kid with a Password Reset CD can get in. The Cloud has issues, and corporate or home servers require attention as well. - time is money-

Ah well, I guess life in the cloud means always wearing a rain jacket.

Originally Posted by MisterSparkle

Reminds me of the Laywer joke with the orange.

Lawyer teaching a class says to a student, "Now if you were to give someone an orange, how would you go about it?"

The student replied, "Here's an orange."

The professor was livid. "No! No! Think like a lawyer!" The student then recited, "Okay, I'd tell him, 'I hereby give and convey to you all and singular, my estate and interests, rights, claim, title, calim and advantages of and in, said orange, together with all its rind, juice, pulp, and seeds, and all rights and advantages with full power to bite, cut, freeze and otherwise eat, the same, or give the same away with and without the pulp, juice, rind and seeds, anything herein before or hereinafter or in any deed, or deeds, instruments of whatever nature or kind whatsoever to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding..."

+10 Ya but you still have 122 pages to go.

Originally Posted by CraftyChicken

On a related note, is something like Windows Home Server better, or a corporate VPN? It's not "in The Cloud" per say, but it's close.

I personally use both Google Docs and WHS, and can obviously access both from anywhere as long as I have an internet connection.

The way I see it, Google has a large infrastructure, better IT weenies and probably better security. It's cons are a high profile, making it an easy target, and privacy concerns (though in my case I'm fairly trusting that there's no peek-a-boo going on.)

WHS is secure enough, but could probably be easily hijacked. It's more anonymous sitting behind my fairly obscure and ever changing IP... but anonymity, apparently, isn't 'security.' And my simplistic firewall isn't going to stop a determined person, and is far beyond what the average home user would even attempt.

I don't know, it's a tough call. My notebook can always be stolen, and any kid with a Password Reset CD can get in. The Cloud has issues, and corporate or home servers require attention as well. - time is money-

Ah well, I guess life in the cloud means always wearing a rain jacket.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I have a WHS with another external that backs that up. I also use the google calendar and gmail but I don't store anything in the cloud. I simply don't trust it. When I read random reports of large companies losing data, erasing customer information, etc.. and it is in my power to be responsible for data security, I am going to bet on me every time.

I think that people are thinking about the cloud a bit wrong. Doesn't the cloud allow for DECENTRALIZED computing? Couldn't people setup their own machines as cloud hosts?

The Pirate Bay WAS my cloud. But alas they are shutting down.

On a serious note, what happens if Google was to fall like Rome? The bigger they are the harder they fall, Look at Enron, Adelphia, Bernie Madoff, etc...etc....

Hybrid is much better of an option compared to cloud computing where you have your desktop (or laptop) plus the cloud to manage your lighter needs

Cloud computing as the complete replacement for computing is a dangerous and useless concept hydped up by tech and podcast bloggers because it's cool but if it ever becomes a reality it will set the computing years back

Sure it's convenient and useful for things like email, contacts, calendar, Facebook or such but I'd never want to trust my files and put it in somebody else's servers. With prices for HDDs being so cheap I'd rather have my own data

And when I say cloud computing, I mean it from any company being Google, Apple or Microsoft. Obviously Google is the most interested of the three because unlike Apple and Microsoft they dont have a desktop platform so somehow they must create a new market and hype it for their good

And before somebody say I'm not ready to get on with times and accept new technologies, I'd like to point that not every new technology or vision must be accepted without a question on the merit of being new and future looking

No fucking way they are getting me to go for that. Cloud computing works in certain environments, like businesses where data needs to be exchanged and modified rapidly by multiple people, but the advances for the home user are negligible, and when in the context of the Internet (rather than a closed network) the dangers are greater as well. It needs to exist as an opt-in system for non-essential data (backing up files, configuration settings, etc.), not the cornerstone of data storage as Google's new ChromeOS presents it.