Cloud Computing article by Bruce Schneier 2009-Jun-04
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/04/bruce-schneier-cloud-co...
Link to article, "Be careful when you come to put your trust in the clouds: Cloud computing may represent the future of computing but users still need to be careful about who is looking after their data" by Bruce Schneier.
Cloud computing considerations (from the article):
* "When a computer is within your network, you can protect it with other security systems... With any outsourcing model, whether it be cloud computing or something else, you can't."
* "You don't want your critical data to be on some cloud computer that abruptly disappears because its owner goes bankrupt. You don't want the company you're using to be sold to your direct competitor. You don't want the company to cut corners, without warning, because times are tight. Or raise its prices and then refuse to let you have your data back."
For more information, see the U of T practice on Security for Personal and Other Confidential Information, in Access and Privacy Practices: General and Administrative at www.provost.utoronto.ca/Assets/fippa.pdf or contact the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Office at 416-946-7303.
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Comments
Good points, but...
Very good points, however, doesn't this apply to outsourced cloud infrastructures? Why can't U of T have its own cloud?
The idea behind clouds is homogeneity, which means simpler and more streamlined management/maintenance; no more "special" cases and servers that are worth an arm and a leg and must be guarded with one's life.
Cirrus vs. Stratocumulus
I agree that Schneier is talking about outsourcing, which is what is generally meant by "cloud computing". A UofT cloud would be a very special variety, which could enable the University to have the advantages of larger-scale, easily available computing, while strongly protecting its data.
The cloud can be safe if it has a silver lining
I have been using a remote backup system for about 2 years now called tarsnap:
http://www.tarsnap.com/. It uses the cloud, specifically Amazon's S3 service for remote disk storage. But the author has created a secure wrapper around all the data and metadata associated with your information. And Colin Percival, the author, knows security. So one can use the cloud safely if certain precautions are taken.
Russell
cloud computing is computing
While there are some good and important points in this article, I have to admit that my favourite sentence is: "cloud computing is when you run software over the internet and access it via a browser." This really brings the terminology down to earth!
Another Cloud concern - Encryption
The "Wired" article (link below), "Encrypt the Cloud, Security Luminaries Tell Google - Update", 2009-Jun-16, advocates forced, always-on HTTPS for cloud computing.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/06/google_ssl/
I understand that some North American universities use Google for their e-mail, calendar, etc., and wonder whether they use a 'souped-up', full-time HTTPS version.