Cloud Crimes: Understanding the Privacy Challenges

The "cloud" is often thought of as the newest innovation in computing. While it is an evolutionary step from traditional decentralised static computer nodes, it is in fact not a particularly new concept. The shape of the cloud is developing rapidly, both conceptually and in reality; and, as the cloud grows, so does interest in the personal and confidential information that is stored there. Some of this interest is for commercial reasons, and some are fuelled by criminal intent. Both the good actors and the bad are eager to make use of the cloud because it is continuously recording our every step, creating a detailed record of valuable personal information. It is worth noting that the "Internet of Things" shares many technological underpinnings with cloud computing. When everything is connected, everyone is vulnerable. This is not fear-mongering but the reality of life in the 21 st Century. Individuals often provide personal information without recognising its value, but, once it's in the cloud, the content can be used to create precise profiles. And, increasingly, the cloud is where the data is. That means it will be the target of attacks by those seeking to steal identities and other valuable information. Advances in the structure and use of the cloud create new opportunities for harmful behaviour, which often results in "collateral damage." The determination of which behaviours are criminal is constantly changing in response to the norms of each society, recognition of human rights, amendments to legal codes, and advancements in technology. No matter how devious or harmful an action is, it cannot be prosecuted as a crime unless laws are in place that outlines the illegality of the behaviour and the possible sanctions involved. It is also important to realize that many of these cloud computing issues are essentially old problems in a new setting; although it is reasonable to assert that technology has made the problems more acute. In this article, I discuss two critical issues in the age of the cloud: regulatory challenges and privacy challenges. The focus is primarily on the difficulty of protecting the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information. The article will provide an analysis of the technological complexities of cloud computing and associated services, and it will support the argument that the benefits of using clouds demand that we find long-term solutions to the inherent privacy challenges.