3.3.5   Advantage and Disadvantages of Cloud Storage

Advantages of using the cloud storage (Cloud Storage, 2013)]

  • It gives you easy accessibility of data using both computer and mobile device
  • Files can be accessed anywhere and anytime
  • It provides backups of data
  • Secure storage of your backup data
  • Cost savings
  • It offers backup of data at reasonable price,
  • It allows accessibility of data offline (Jacob, 2013)

 

Disadvantages (Cloud Storage, 2013)

  • Extra charges for large amount of data and bandwidth usage
  • There is a limited space on the free usage, such as Google drive offers only 5GB
  • Files cannot be accessed when there is no internet connection.

 

3.3.5.1  Challenges of Cloud Storage on Security and Data Privacy

There is a concern on data security and protection offered by cloud services providers, mainly the issue of data integrity and access control. Some of the users may not fully trust the cloud server for fear that their stored data could be corrupted or removed by a third party or can also be accessed by unauthorized users. Since cloud storage is a web based technology, it also faces the challenges of security breach and privacy that associate with the use of internet connection to either store or transferring of data (TrendMicro, 2012) 

Cloud storage services has been subject to different attacks that occurs online, this includes cybercrimes, spam, malicious attacks, DOS which does interfere data security and privacy of its users.

Dropbox was reported hacked and spam emails were sent to its users in July 2012. It was found that one of the Dropbox employee’s accounts was hacked and obtained access to user email addresses where spam was sent to these email address (Jon Brodkin, 2012).