Security and Privacy Issues in Cloud Computing

Abstract

Cloud computing transforms the way Information Technology (IT) is consumed and managed, promising improved cost efficiencies, accelerated innovation, faster time-to-market, and the ability to scale applications on demand (Leighton, 2009). According to Gartner, while the hype grew exponentially during 2008 and continued since, it is clear that there is a major shift towards the cloud computing model and that the benefits may be substantial (Gartner Hype-Cycle, 2012). However, as the shape of cloud computing is emerging and developing rapidly both conceptually and in reality, the legal/contractual, economic, service quality, interoperability, security, and privacy issues still pose significant challenges. In this chapter, the authors describe various service and deployment models of cloud computing and identify major challenges. In particular, they discuss three critical challenges: regulatory, security, and privacy issues in cloud computing. Some solutions to mitigate these challenges are also proposed along with a brief presentation on the future trends in cloud computing deployment.