Grazed from MIT Technology Review. Author: Simson L, Garfinkel.
The cloud opens a world of possibilities for criminal computing. Unlike the zombie computers and malware that have been the mainstay of computer crime for the past decade, cloud computing makes available a well-managed, reliable, scalable global infrastructure that is, unfortunately, almost as well suited to illicit computing needs as it is to legitimate business.
The mass of information stored in the cloud—including, most likely, your credit card and Social Security numbers—makes it an attractive target for data thieves. Not only is more data centralized, but for the security experts and law enforcement agencies trying to make the cloud safe, the very nature of the cloud makes it difficult to catch wrongdoers. Imagine a virtual Grand Central Station, where it’s easy to mix in with the crowd or catch a ride to a far-away jurisdiction beyond the law’s reach…