Cloud Computing Security Challenges
Contingency Planning
With the cloud serving as a single centralized repository for a company's mission-critical data, the risks of having that data compromised due to a data breach or temporarily made unavailable due to a natural disaster are real concerns. Much of the liability for the disruption of data in a cloud ultimately rests with the company whose mission-critical operations depend on that data, although liability can and should be negotiated in a contract with the services provider prior to commitment. A comprehensive security assessment from a neutral third-party is strongly recommended as well.
Companies need to know how their data is being secured and what measures the service provider will be taking to ensure the integrity and availability of that data should the unexpected occur. Additionally, companies should also have contingency plans in place in the event their cloud provider fails or goes bankrupt. Can the data be easily retrieved and migrated to a new service provider or to a non-cloud strategy if this happens? And what happens to the data and the ability to access that data if the provider gets acquired by another company?
