Technology is shaping the world in more ways than most people realize.
For example, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Computers are becoming more intelligent by learning artificial intelligence programs that help them process data and make better predictions.
For example, smart thermostats can learn your temperature preferences and then automatically adjust your home’s temperature when you come in from work or go to sleep.
The Internet of Things is also entering a new phase.
In addition to devices like smartwatches or fitness bands tracking users’ activities, there are smarter devices that can monitor or control your home’s security system or turn off lights when you leave a room.
The Internet of Things will only continue to grow in complexity, and technologies that were once science fiction will soon become household items.
And in the future, technology will be getting smarter.
When it comes, our demand for security and privacy will continue to evolve as well.
Concerns about Privacy and Security of Cloud Services
The Cloud and Privacy Concern as more people and businesses rely on cloud storage, the demands for privacy and security will grow with it.
Currently, data is shared through a variety of channels, including social networks, email, and messaging apps.
However, these channels are not built for privacy or security which can lead to unwanted consequences like identity theft or online fraud.
In addition, most service providers do not prioritize security and privacy the way they should — after all, their business model is based on data collection and monetization instead of security and privacy.
But in the cloud era, people are beginning to realize that cloud storage vendors can not be trusted to keep their data secure and private and that they must be cautious about the data they store in the cloud.
One reason to think this way is the increasing number of high-profile data breaches that have happened over the past few years, some of which involved cloud storage vendors.
According to Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) research, 2018 was the worst year for cloud data breaches since the organization began tracking the statistics in 2012 when there were 1,413 reported incidents.
This year alone there were nearly 3,000 cloud data breaches with more than 136 million records exposed.
And it’s not just data exposed that we should be concerned about — some of the breaches were caused by data breaches that originated from the cloud server itself.
For example, Verizon and Yahoo! suffered data breaches in 2017 that exposed the data of hundreds of millions of users.
And in 2018, there were several incidents involving cloud server breaches that led to personal information being leaked, including credit card data and the personal information of millions of T-Mobile customers.
The leaked data included call records dating back to 2013 and the addition of the billing address of almost 2 million users.
The leak also exposed customer names, phone numbers, and account PINs.
And in June of this year, a data breach exposed the data of over 150 million users of Under Armor’s MyFitnessPal app.
What is The Outcome of All These Breaches
While it all sounds scary with all the data breaches happening left and right, the real consequence of these data breaches is that many consumers have taken a more cautious approach to how they store their information in the cloud.
In fact, according to a recent survey by cloud service provider Acronis, nearly 40% of organizations have reduced their use of cloud servers in fear of experiencing a data breach this year.
Still, despite the growing number of data breaches and cloud privacy concerns, overall usage of cloud servers remains high with many businesses and consumers still storing their private data and sensitive information in the cloud.
As organizations continue to struggle when it comes to protecting their data and managing their security in the cloud, cloud storage vendors should take measures to help ensure a secure future for cloud storage.
How Will The Future Look Like for Secure Cloud
Creating a Secure Future for Cloud Computing with traditional methods of securing data like encrypting files are ineffective when it comes to protecting data stored in the cloud.
That’s because traditional encryption relies on a centralized server that stores keys for encryption and decryption.
If the keys are compromised, then all of the data that was encrypted with that key can be decrypted and accessed with ease.
Since servers are typically backed up and stored in databases, they can be breached easily through various methods like phishing or ransomware attacks.
However, cloud storage offers a different approach to securing data because files are not stored in a central location where someone can steal them; instead, they are distributed and stored across multiple servers stored in a data center where access is controlled and monitored closely.
This means that traditional methods of encryption that rely on centralized servers are no longer viable when it comes to securing data in the cloud.
Instead, innovative encryption methods are needed to protect data stored in the cloud. And that is exactly all these secure cloud storage are working on.
Web 3.0 – Decentralized Will be The Future
One of the methods being used to secure data stored in the cloud is using decentralized encryption that requires the data to be stored on multiple servers within a network.
This ensures that even if one of the servers in the network is breached, the data will not be accessible because it will not be stored in one centralized location.
In other words, the data will be encrypted in such a way that it will be useless unless decrypted with keys that can only be stored on other servers within the network.
In addition to decentralized encryption methods, data can also be encrypted at the edge before it is sent to the cloud servers when files are copied from one computer to the next over wireless networks or USBs.
These encryption methods help to protect against unauthorized access based on various techniques like eavesdropping, sniffing, and injecting forged packets in order to hijack vulnerable sessions or take over sessions between a user and the server.
Currently, most cloud servers offer a higher level of encryption and authentication that helps protect data by encrypting the communication between the users’ device and the server.
As the cloud evolves, new types of encryption methods are being offered to ensure that user information is safe from theft.
These encryption methods help to ensure that data is kept private and protected even as it moves from one server to another, ultimately helping to protect it against unauthorized access.
In the future, we will see additional encryption methods being adopted to help secure data in the cloud such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and biometrics.
Cryptography and biometrics are two widely accepted security methods that can help secure data in cloud storage because they offer an unparalleled level of data security that can not be accessed without authorization.
For example, biometric security can be used to help verify the identity of the user for accessing files stored on cloud servers.
Currently, there are various different types of biometrics being used to help secure data in the cloud including fingerprint scans on mobile devices and facial recognition technology at airports.
Conclusion – We Can’t Run Away from Evolution
One thing for sure is that data stored in the cloud is not safe from cybercriminals or hackers — especially if the server is hacked or compromised and attackers have access to all of the data on the server.
But cloud storage is the future and many businesses and consumers have already adopted the cloud as their go-to storage for their data.
As a result, cloud storage, just like the Internet itself, will have to continue to evolve and adapt as risks and threats continue to evolve as well.
While the future of cloud storage can seem daunting at times, there are solutions being developed to help mitigate the risk of data breaches in the cloud.
