Cloud Privacy and Security Report: Implications of Smart Systems

This report provides an in-depth analysis of cloud privacy and security issues within the context of Singapore's Smart Nation initiative. It explores the privacy implications for both visitors and residents, examining the impact of smart systems and Wi-Fi sensor boxes on data collection and usage. The report delves into the concept of digital identity, highlighting its role in enhancing privacy by minimizing the need for extensive personal data sharing. It then outlines crucial steps to protect the security and privacy of digital identities, including minimal data sharing, encryption, and multi-factor authentication. The analysis considers both the pros and cons of each security measure, offering a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and solutions related to cloud privacy in smart city environments.

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Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................................................................3
Part 1: Privacy implications of the smart systems...............................................3
a. Visitors............................................................................................................4
b. Residents........................................................................................................5
Part 2: Effect of Wi-Fi sensor boxes on;................................................................5
a. The visitors......................................................................................................5
b. The residents...................................................................................................6
c. Sensitive data on mobile device......................................................................6
Part 3: Digital identity and a visitor’s privacy.....................................................7
Part 4: Steps for protecting the DI’s security and privacy..................................8
Step 1: First minimal data sharing ventures...........................................................9
Pros:.....................................................................................................................9
Cons:...................................................................................................................9
Step 2: Encryption..................................................................................................9
Pros:...................................................................................................................10
Cons:.................................................................................................................10
Step 3: Authentication (multiple factors).............................................................10
Pros:...................................................................................................................10
Cons:.................................................................................................................10
References..............................................................................................................12

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Introduction
Cloud computing is not only a technological revolution but an application strategy of
implementing ICT solutions. In itself, it offers an inexpensive and efficient means of adopting
the concepts of smart cities into the already existing technological systems. Nevertheless, cloud
computing offers a new paradigm of delivering services to consumers through virtualization
techniques (Mather, Kumaraswamy, & Latif, 2009). It also extends the agility of IT
infrastructure by creating a flexible platform for deploying business and organizational
applications which are generally used today to make effective decisions. Generally, these
applications are the resources that are on offer in the proposed new system that Singapore has
envisioned. In their Smart National Plan, a number of sensors are to be deployed across all
existing objects or infrastructures of the country across different cities. In essence, this is the
roadmap for implementing the Internet of Things, where actuators and sensory devices are used
to control systems through the data collected from them. Now, while this outcome may offer
many benefits including expanding the government’s control over their service systems, it does
also raise some serious security and privacy concerns (Zoonen, 2016). For one, these sensors will
inherently collect user’s information without their permission i.e. city residence, which will be
used for various functionalities. In light of this outcome, this paper highlights the security and
privacy issues of the proposed system by the Singaporean government.
Part 1: Privacy implications of the smart systems
Privacy as a concept is a very broad and diverse topic for which different scholars offers many
interpretations. However, from a general perspective, privacy has drastically shifted from media
and communication systems to bodily security where the immediate end users are constantly
seeking to keep their contents private. Moreover, with the growth of the information technology,

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information (data) has become the predominant element in privacy elements. Therefore, using
this reference, privacy is the process or right of selecting the personal information that can be
accessed or known by other people (Aldossary & Allen, 2016). By this definition, we analyze the
implication of the smart system on both the residence and visitors of Singapore.
a. Visitors
While the privacy implications or effects of smart technologies may be positive, they overly
incline towards negative outcomes where data is predominantly gathered and distributed without
the consent of the users. Essentially, this is the first implication of the smart networks on visitors
of the country where their data and private information will be continuously scrutinized in an
attempt to enhance the operations of the smart system. To start with, the deployed smart system
will have to identify any new device or subsystem introduced into the overall IT infrastructure.
This requirement or outcome denotes a serious threat to user’s privacy as their confidential
information including the likes of addresses, names and locations are identified. Furthermore,
any form of pseudo-information is accessed thus aggravating the threat implications of the
system (Ziegeldorf, Morchon, & Wehrle, 2014).
In essence, this system may be used to profile and track individuals through procedures that are
not suctioned by local and international laws. Now, do note that the profiling done by the visitors
of the country will not only be conducted by the government institutions but also by the private
sector where e-commerce/businesses may use visitors’ logs to enhance their operations
(Nussbaum, 2016). This profiling may be used in price discrimination ventures, social
engineering of new customers and in unsolicited advertisement procedures among many others.
In all, the smart system is likely to have a negative effect on the privacy of the countries visitors.

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Residents
While visitors to Singapore will interact with the proposed system for a short period of time, the
citizens of the country will have extended interactions with the technology where long-term
implications will be imminent. In essence, unlike short-term profiling outcomes, the residents
will have to contend with the possibilities of localization as well as tracking eventualities where
their information will be recorded throughout space and extended periods of time. In the world
today, tracking is already done using rudimentary technologies such as GPS, which threaten the
privacy of the end user as their location and disclosure of their private data is continuously done
(Mather, Kumaraswamy, & Latif, 2009).
Conventionally, there is no harm in tracking or localizing physical systems or elements as users
directly observe those in their immediate surroundings. However, what the government of
Singapore proposes will aggravate the privacy concerns and effects of this notion by violating
the privacy rights of the residents (Zoonen, 2016). For one, the smart system will expand the
accuracy of tracking users without their inherent consent and secondly, data will become more
pervasive with the growth of worldwide connections which will decrease the user awareness. In
the end, the users (residents) will have a system that will continuously violate their interactions
with technology by deliberately linking and leaking their information to public systems.
Part 2: Effect of Wi-Fi sensor boxes on;
a. The visitors
By all accounts, the proposed sensory boxes that will act as Wi-Fi hotspots are set to increase the
overall connectivity of devices through seamless interactions with worldwide connections and
networks. Therefore, the first effect, in this case, will be an increased connectivity to the
worldwide web where information will become more accessible and available. This outcome will
enhance the visitors’ experiences as they will have a continuous contact with the data pertaining

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to all their activities, including business and leisure ventures. Moreover, the public hotspots will
reduce the cost of acquiring data plans from service providers which will generally minimize the
cost of visiting the country (Kaspersky, 2017). However, at the same time, the plan would
require one to acquire better security features as the devices used would interact with a public
system that has minimal security features. In all, unlike mobile data plans, Wi-Fi hotspots are not
closely monitored which may facilitate intrusions and cyber-attacks.
b. The residents
On the other hand, as a resident of Singapore, the Wi-Fi hotspots would increase the options for
accessing information over extended periods of time. To start with, the services of the public
sector would be adequately delivered as the residents would be able to access better services
from the government through a free and effective public infrastructure. Furthermore, extensive
smart services such as security and lighting management would be coordinated by the hotspots
which would optimize the resources being used by the individual citizens. In addition to this, the
residents would have an enhanced experience with their healthcare and education industry as
these sectors would leverage the benefits of the seamless network interaction in their delivery of
services. However, the most notable effect of this technological inclusion would be the financial
facilitation of the Wi-Fi system on the residents (Ferrari, 2017). In essence, as a resident one
would use fewer resources in their daily operations owing to the prevalence and application of
communication systems. In all, personal and business communication would be supported by a
free infrastructure, an outcome that would substantially lower the cost of living.
c. Sensitive data on mobile device
Wi-Fi hotspots are created with the objective of increasing connectivity through seamless
interactions of both heterogeneous and homogenous devices. This outcome is met by their
extensive network features that require minimal to zero authentication features to connect

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devices. Now, for a user with sensitive information in their mobile device, these features
drastically minimize the security of the data as multiple users connected to the system may
access it if they desire (Kaspersky, 2017). Therefore, the general effect in this instance is the
increased threats and risks of information access and availability as minimal security features are
in place to protect the user. However, the user may choose to turn off all sharing instances of the
technology but this will interfere with its operations. Moreover, the user may incorporate other
extended security features such as VPNs and SSL, but then again these will come at the price of
other extra costs which beats the objectives held by the public hotspots.
Part 3: Digital identity and a visitor’s privacy
According to cybersecurity experts, digital identity (DI) could effectively solve the privacy
problems of the digital medium. This conclusion is based on countless transactions and
interactions that rely on users’ identity while operating in an extremely pervasive environment.
So, in the proposed Smart Nation Plan what would represent a digital identity? Well, one has to
first analyze the existing technological system more so, those of the internet where online
accounts and profiles are used to conduct different transactions, these accounts form a
rudimentary version of DI. Now, these accounts create an ever-growing paradox that requires
users to choose between a seamless online access and control of personal data (Muller, 2017).
However, this paradox can be solved if an adequate identity framework is implemented into the
existing digital platform as users will be able to identify and verify all participants of the
environment.
Similarly, as a visitors to the newly implemented Singaporean smart system, a digital identity
framework will enhance ones privacy because minimal confidential information will be required
to verify the user's identity. In essence, information such as personal address, identification

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number and financial data will not be required while participating in online activities which will
protect this confidential data from prying eyes. Furthermore, the digital identity will cut off the
third party members who validate user’s identity online. Now, these validation party members,
better known as central authorities, access and store confidential information online which
increases the risks and threats of privacy/security. Therefore, by incorporating an adequate
digital identity program, the proposed smart system would enable visitors to have ultimate
control over their data (Wladawsky-Berger, 2016).
In addition to this, consider the features of a digital identity system, which in itself will contain
multiple layers of different functionalities, from authentication to user authorization. In essence,
the DI framework put in place will govern the users’ access to the different entities of the
implemented smart system. Therefore, when accessing a resource on a mobile device, the user’s
DI will be used which essentially will facilitate a consistent authentication and authorization
process. Furthermore, the same identification system (DI) will employ consistent standards to
govern the activities of the end user. This outcome will enhance the attributes of the overall
technology because only the necessary standardized data will be collected and stored unlike in
the existing identification and verification systems that use a wide range of information (Davis &
Grigoras, 2017). In all, a digital identity framework would enhance ones privacy because
minimal resources would be required from the users to verify their identity. Moreover, the
framework would enhance the seamless interaction of smart systems and devices by applying
common verification standards that would fill the gaps of the existing identification procedures.
Part 4: Steps for protecting the DI’s security and privacy
As outlined above, a person’s digital identity would enhance their privacy by facilitating their
interaction with Singapore’s smart system without overexposing their personal data. Moreover,

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the same feature would increase one’s personal security because their resources would be safely
guarded in localized locations. However, the same identity feature would require some essential
security measures and precautions to protect it. In essence, the DI (in this instance) would
represent an all-access point to the user’s mobile devices if it fell into the wrong hands (Howard,
2017). Therefore, the following steps, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are
proposed as measures to protect its security and privacy.
Step 1: First minimal data sharing ventures
Now, this is a precautionary step that is closely associated with networking platforms more so
social media where users are continuously asked to provide their personal information such as
address, contacts and identification numbers. While this information may facilitate the cause of
networking i.e. socialization, it also facilitates intruders in their activities as they can easily
access other systems having identified a user’s confidential information.
Pros:
 A third party member cannot access private information.
 Enhances user security and privacy.
Cons:
 Beats the entire logic of socialization (Braverman, 2015).
Step 2: Encryption
Perhaps the most significant and most important step to protecting one’s online identity as it
ensures only the verified members access confidential data. In this case, the mobile devices of
the visitor are in question which means that only the user should access their resources. Now,
encryption will cover data in transition and the devices themselves where logical keys are used to
lock the content. Furthermore, with data transition functionalities, end to end encryption (E2EE)

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will ensure data is ferried in privatized channels across the wider public networking
infrastructures (UTICA, 2017).
Pros:
 Protecting against identity theft as unverified parties cannot access the necessary
verification elements.
 Safe commissioning and decommissioning of mobile devices.
 Compliance with security and data protection acts.
Cons:
 It’s an extremely complex technology/measure.
 Secondly, it’s also very expensive.
Step 3: Authentication (multiple factors)
Passwords may offer the first line of defence in protecting digital systems, however, their
attributes and operational factors limit their functionalities especially today where complex
computer algorithms that break them with ease. Therefore, as a mobile user visiting Singapore
and its smart system, one would have to incorporate a number of authentication factors when
accessing their devices. For instance, after providing the correct usernames and passwords, the
users could get a one-time access pin from the local service provider to access their sensitive
material. Furthermore, the same outcome can be facilitated by biometric scans that are now
provided by many mobile devices and equipment (SSH, 2017).
Pros:
 Authentication, in general, serves as a simple security feature.
 It is also simple to deploy and maintain.
 Modern authentication systems use complex standards that are hard to crack e.g. SSH

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Cons:
 Confidentiality is based on the ability to keep the authentication factors private.
 Passwords do not offer an effective identity check.
 Biometric scans can violate user’s confidentiality as they are supported by third party
members.

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