Risks and Benefits of the Cloud

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1 Risks and Benefits of the Cloud In recent history there have been constant revolutions in the way personal data is stored and transferred. Today, one does not even need a physical data storage device such as a portable hard drive or a USB flash drive. Anyone has the ability to store and access their data online from anywhere in the world. This form of data transfer is known as the cloud. The cloud can be broken up into two subdivisions; cloud storage and cloud computing. Cloud storage is essentially a network of servers hosted by a third party where data is stored. Companies that host this data allow people to purchase storage capacity on their servers. Cloud computing is computing that is done over a network. It allows multiple computers on the server to access programs or applications at the same time over the network without necessarily having to have the program installed locally on the machine. This revolutionary cloud concept has succeeded in making computing more efficient and convenient. However, as technology advances in an effort to maximize productivity, it also opens up the doors for many potential risks in the process. One of the major benefits of using the cloud is the convenience. Cloud storage allows users to upload any files they choose to the internet onto a server hosted by a company. This server acts as virtual storage space. It allows users to access their files from any computer at any location as long as it has access to the internet. Rather than having to rely on external storage devices and run the risk of damaging them and losing precious files, one can always have their

2 information backed up to the cloud. Some examples of popular cloud storage services include Drop Box, Carbonite, and Apple icloud. Drop Box allows users to upload their personal files such as photos and applications to their servers and organize them into folders. Users can then access their directory from any computer or mobile application around the world as long as they are connected to the internet. Carbonite is a computer backup service that revolves around using cloud storage. This service allows users to completely upload the whole contents of their computer to Carbonite s server as a backup. Then, if the computer itself gets damaged or upgraded, users have the ability to restore all of their backed up data on a different computer rather than losing all of their precious information. icloud is a relatively new implementation from Apple to get all of their devices backed up to the cloud. This is a free service that Apple provides to all of its users. By default, their devices automatically back up data stored on the device such as purchased applications, music and general settings. At any time if a phone or other device needs to be replaced or upgraded, rather than having to connect to itunes, users simply log in to their account and the new device automatically restores all backed up data to the new device. These three services demonstrate the effectiveness of cloud storage to the average consumer by making it easy and convenient to access data. In addition, another benefit from the cloud is increased productivity in the form of cloud computing. Cloud computing allows programs on multiple machines simultaneously over a network connection. This is useful because it allows people to collaborate to complete tasks without physically having to be near each other. As long as two parties have access to the

3 internet, they can simultaneously be working on the same task from different locations, thus increasing productivity. For example, Google Docs allows users to work on word processors and slide show presentations all online through a google account. Once a document is created, multiple users can open up the document simultaneously and edit it in real time. This proves useful when working on group projects or papers because multiple parties can work on a document at the same time from different locations and physically see the changes being made by each other in real time. Overall, the cloud is relatively new technology. Though it is one of the most efficient ways to handle data, it is far from perfect and is not without its potential risks. One common concern pertaining to cloud is security. When one pays for a cloud service through a company, they trust that their data will be secure and they can access it whenever they choose to. However, there are several overlying circumstances that the companies hosting the cloud sever may not have control of. Having information stored online always runs the risk of hacked into. Companies frequently have to deal with hackers who are trying to steal personal information. Though companies have security measures to protect themselves, there is always a potential risk of a data breach that could result in lost or stolen data. For example, in 2011 Sony suffered from a malicious security breach which targeted their PlayStation Network service. The hackers successfully hacked into Sony s network which stored personal information and credit card information. As a result, Sony was forced to shut down the service for nearly a month in order to resolve the issue and insure that users did not get their information stolen. Aside from getting

4 hacked, technology in general is not perfect, and can potentially fail on its own, resulting lost data. In 2011, Amazon s cloud service experienced a major crash, resulted in users permanently losing their data. These two examples demonstrate how there are potential security risks involved with storing personal information on the cloud. Another major risk of adopting the cloud into everyday life pertains to the general privacy of the users. Since users upload their information online through a cloud service, the company that owns the server has access to all of that data. This is why it is necessary for users to read the license terms and conditions of that particular provider to ensure their privacy are protected. Also, privacy issues are always relevant whenever information is posted on the internet in general. Uploading information onto the internet requires one to trust that the information is not being used against them any. Often time s malicious online services jeopardize the privacy of users who are unaware by using their personal information for advertising and marketing purposes. The problem is that once something is uploaded onto the internet, there is no way to truly remove it. It is on the internet forever regardless if one tried to delete it. Reliable companies such as Facebook state in their terms of service, You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings." This is a measure that Facebook takes in order to ensure that it will not use information from its users against them. In conclusion, the cloud is a very powerful and useful tool. It allows people to store and access data from any location with access to the internet. It also allows applications to run simultaneously across a network on multiple machines. Overall, the evolution of the cloud has

5 proven to increase productivity and efficiency of data management in modern technology. However, the convenience of having the cloud does not come without risks. There will always be security and privacy issues with using the cloud since the internet is never completely secure. There is always a risk of technical failures as well as malicious hackers, resulting in lost or stolen data. Users must keep in this in mind, because when they store information in the cloud, they are potentially putting their data at risk.

6 Works Cited Srinivasan, S. (2013). Is security realistic in cloud computing? Journal of International Technology and Information Management, 22(4), Retrieved from ountid=13025 Aleem, A., & Christopher, R. S. (2013). Let me in the cloud: Analysis of the benefit and risk assessment of cloud platform.journal of Financial Crime, 20(1), doi: Boillat, T., & Legner, C. (2013). From on-premise software to cloud services: The impact of cloud computing on enterprise software vendors' business models. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 8(3), Retrieved from ountid=13025 Prakash, S. (2011). Risk management: Cloud computing considerations. CMA Magazine, 85(2), 40. Retrieved from untid=13025