7. Cloud Computing and Security in the Future

We are starting to depend more and more on ‘cloud’ technology, in business and in our own personal lives. With so much personal data being stored in our personal clouds, questions are being asked about where the responsibility lies for the protection of data. For instance, is it with the consumer or with the provider? People have a right to know where their files are being stored and what is protecting them. The same goes for the consumer. They are obligated to ensure that their passwords are of a good strength and that they are safe while browsing the web, especially on public networks. The personal cloud industry is on the rise, and if the experts are correct in their predictions, the business world will be a better place for it, better in terms of portability and flexibility. The power to set your office up wherever you happen to be sitting, anywhere in the world, will be what personal cloud providers are offering. This is the future for cloud computing. Security and privacy are now more relevant than ever. This chapter examines the issues around cloud data protection and security and also investigates if the current Data Protection Act defines sufficient guidelines for data controllers on how they should collect and store user information in relation to thin-based clients using online or cloud-based service or if a lack of clarity in the Data Protection Act could cause these services to misuse the user’s data.