Ensuring cloud security: Current concerns and research challenges

Abstract

Over the past few years Cloud computing has been widely accepted and adopted as an alternative way for businesses to store data, communicate and operate. Consumers and enterprises regard this as a compelling opportunity to reduce or even in some cases completely eliminate costs, since Software as a Service (SaaS) offers a software delivery model in which software and the corresponding user data are being hosted on Cloud computing data centers. This shifts the costs of acquiring hardware and software and the additional costs for maintenance and personnel expenses from the enterprises to the Cloud providers, thus enabling business to reallocate IT operations costs. Alongside the emerging opportunities provided by the Cloud, security threads and concerns are also being raised. Providers and consumers must be aware and cautious of risks of data loss due to breaches. Security issues and current research challenges in securing cloud computing systems are reviewed here.