Five Myths About Cloud Privacy

Grazed from Lifehacker. Author: Editorial Staff.

Last week a new set of privacy principles regarding the handling of personal information came into effect. The changes relate to how businesses handle, use and store personal information. While there are significant changes with a number of benefits for individuals, there have been some misconceptions in the industry with regards to privacy in the cloud that I’d like to address. Here are the top 5 myths that I’ve seen about privacy in the cloud.

1. Use of cloud computing is the biggest privacy risk factor

The notion that the use of cloud computing is the biggest Privacy risk factor that Australian businesses need to worry about is simply untrue. Ponemon Institute’s Survey on Data Security Breaches revealed that 69 per cent of serious data leaks were due to employee activities or errors. So a lack of internal policies and controls, direct marketing activities, poorly trained staff, stolen laptops and offshore call centres are all bigger risks than cloud computing. While Australian companies need to be wary of the new legislation and how it affects their IT infrastructure, the direct business benefits of cloud far outweigh these alleged risks…

2. It is unclear which jurisdiction my data is held in

This is a common misunderstanding among businesses. The word “cloud” suggests to some that your data is floating around in some unknown location, implying transborder data risks under the Privacy Act. The reality is your data is still yours, and it’s still on a server in a data centre. The data centre just happens to be owned by someone else. Cloud providers are overwhelmingly transparent about where your data is stored and would never move it across regions without your permission. If you’re unsure, a simple call to your provider will quickly clarify any concerns…

Read more from the source @ http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/03/five-myths-about-cloud-privacy/

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