Cloud Services and Information Security: The Public vs. Private Service Provider Debate

Abstract

Cloud services are becoming an increasingly important part of a company’s information technology infrastructure, but the meaning of “cloud” services and the security issues presented are still poorly understood, even by the IT professionals of companies. Many companies believe that cloud services are inherently less secure than their current IT infrastructure. In truth, cloud services may in fact be better at providing information security than the systems company IT staff currently use. Data breaches have increased exponentially in recent years, and the resulting costs are significant. This article will explore the history and landscape of cloud services, with a focus on information security and the aim of dispelling some persistent myths about cloud services. The article will conclude with a discussion of techniques to mitigate security risks when moving to the cloud.