[LINK] Cloud computing' heightens privacy risks

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Cloud computing' heightens privacy risks
Glenn Chapman in Las Vegas
August 11, 2008
The Australian
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24160003-15306,00.html

A US military computer science professor has warned that a trend to push 
software into the "clouds" exacerbates privacy risks as people trust 
information to the Internet.

Websites routinely capture data that can reveal pictures of users' 
lives, US military academy professor Greg Conti told an audience at the 
annual Deacon hackers gathering in Las Vegas.

The danger is being heightened by a growing Internet trend toward "cloud 
computing," software being offered online with applications hosted on 
outside computers instead of programs being installed on people's machines.

A common example of the practice is Web-based email services such as 
those offered by Google and Yahoo.

The world of cloud computing is expanding to include software for 
documents, accounting, spread sheets, photo editing and more.

"With cloud computer looming on the horizon it is important for us all 
to think of the privacy threats there as well," Conti said.

"The tool resides with someone else and the data is stored somewhere 
else. Generally, that is a bad idea."

Internet users are already giving away copious amounts of information 
using online search and mapping software.

Prime examples are social networking websites where people post personal 
videos, pictures, and thoughts that supposedly can only be viewed by 
selected friends.

The potentially revealing data in people's profiles is stored on 
computers maintained by the social networking firms.

If someone does an Internet search of their own name and then maps a 
route from their home, who they are and where they live is on record 
indefinitely in data bases of the firms that provided the services.

With cloud computing, copies of documents, spreadsheets or other files 
created using outside applications could be stored by companies 
providing the services.

"When information is in the public domain, it is game over," Conti said.

"Information on your computer may get protection under the law, but on 
someone else's it gets less protection."

The US Department of Justice has tried to pry search data from Google, 
and China pressured Yahoo to reveal the identities of pro-democracy 
advocates voicing opinions online.

"The information we are all giving to online companies is massive and 
dangerous and it's going to get worse before it gets better," Conti 
said. "Giving them our data is a clear and present risk."

Records of email and text messaging are routinely saved and it is common 
for websites to use software that tracks where online visitors came from 
and where they go next, according to security specialists.

Software used to post online ads collects information on people's online 
activities to more effectively target messages.

"How hard would it be to target someone as a political activist or a 
person with AIDS?" Conti asked rhetorically.

And even if Internet firms champion privacy for users, there is no 
guarantee they won't be forced to yield to courts or get new owners with 
different ideas.

"Companies consolidate but also companies die," Conti said.

"This is heresy, but one day Google will die. What happens to data when 
a company dies is a big question."

-- 
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au