ITC595 Information Security: Cloud Computing Security Research

This report provides an overview of cloud computing and its security challenges. Cloud computing involves storing and accessing data and programs over the internet. The report identifies key security challenges such as data breaches caused by targeted attacks or human error, system vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers, account hijacking where attackers gain unauthorized access, and the importance of user authentication to ensure only authorized users can access and manipulate data. The reasons for selecting cloud computing include its flexibility, cost reduction by minimizing hardware investments, and stability through automatic data updates. The report references research on cloud computing for e-government and a general overview of cloud computing.

ITC595
Information Security
Assignment 3
Research Project
Student Name: Sunil Varma Nampally
Student ID: 11604854
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Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................3
Overview..........................................................................................................................................3
Cloud computing security challenges..........................................................................................3
Reason for selection.....................................................................................................................3
Reference.........................................................................................................................................4
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Abstract
Overview
Cloud computing is a source where programs and data are recorded, stored and edited all over
the internet instead of any storage device of a computer, for example, a hard drive. The cloud can
be defined as a metaphor for the internet. Generally, it delivers several hosted services all over
the internet (Hayes, 2008).
Cloud computing security challenges
Some major security challenges faced by cloud computing are:
 Data breaches: it occurs due to some targeted attacks, poor practices of security and human-
caused errors. Some confidential data or information which doesn’t need to be shared or
leaked is on the stack.
 System vulnerabilities: They are some exploitable bugs present in programs which can be
used by the attackers to steal several important data.
 Account hijacking: The services of cloud face a threat if an attacker gains the user
credentials access then he can manipulate some data and can misuse the details.
 User authentication: The accessing and manipulation of data can only be authorized by the
desired user only. It must be made critical that how is allowed to operate and manipulate the
cloud-stored data.
Reason for selection
The reasons for selecting the cloud computing are:
 Flexibility: No issues related to the space for storage arise in cloud technology and using
cloud anything can be done within moments of time.
 Reduces cost: Cloud helps in reducing the investments which were made in hardware for
data storage.
 Stability: Cloud automatically updates the data that prevents the information from getting
crash (Hashemi, Monfaredi & Masdari, 2013).
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Reference
 Hashemi, S., Monfaredi, K., & Masdari, M. (2013). Using cloud computing for e-
government: challenges and benefits. International Journal of Computer, Information,
Systems and Control Engineering, 7(9), 596-603.
 Hayes, B. (2008). Cloud computing. Communications of the ACM, 51(7), 9-11.
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