The most basic facts about your data - such as where it is exactly and how it is replicated - become difficult to find out when you entrust it to a cloud, a new study says. While that's not surprising, the implications are large, according to the Forrester Research report "How Secure is Your Cloud?" by analyst Chenxi Wang. Submitting data to a cloud provider means it is stored and manipulated in an environment shared with other customers, and while that doesn't necessarily mean its security and privacy are in jeopardy, it does mean customers have to use diligence, she says. If security is not properly addressed, potential business and legal liabilities begin to mount. One key precaution Wang recommends customers take is encryption of the data not only as it moves around in the cloud and out to customers but also as it sits in databases. Cloud providers may address this on their own as part of their best practices, but it is up to the customer to evaluate whether it is sufficient.
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