References

1. Wang, H. (2010). Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing in Cloud

Computing. Journal of Computer Science and Technology, 25(3), 401-414.

2. User information at risk as nine out of ten store personal data on digital devices.
(2016, Feb 04). M2 Presswire Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1762372757?accountid=41515
3. Nimish Dubey. (2012, January 24). Factors you should consider before storing
information via cloud computing.(Internet). The Economic Times, p. The
Economic Times, Jan 24, 2012.

User Information at Risk as nine out of ten Store

Personal Data on Digital Devices
Digital devices now hold the key to a wealth of private and personal information with 88 per
cent of users storing this type of data on their devices, according to a recent consumer survey
by Kaspersky Lab. But with many devices remaining unprotected, users' digital friends could
easily become frenemies, giving cybercriminals an open window through which to steal and
exploit sensitive and informative data.
When it comes to entrusting information to digital devices, nearly half (48 per cent) of users
store their email and online account passwords and login details on them, and over a quarter
(28 per cent) use them to store financial data including bank details, payment credentials and
PIN codes. Having this information at their fingertips when logging into an account or paying a
bill online might be convenient for the user, but it also makes these devices hugely attractive
and potentially lucrative for cybercriminals.
Smartphones are the most popular device on which to store private data - including email
messages, contact details and sensitive information - for nine out of ten respondents (87 per
cent), closely followed by computers (84 per cent) and tablets (76 per cent). However, despite
the increase in storage of personal information on digital devices, two out of five (17 per cent)
tablet users still admit to having neither password protection nor any security solution for their
device, which is also true for 13 per cent of smartphone users and three per cent of computer
users. For these users, their trusted devices could easily become their digital frenemies - giving
up their secrets and exposing confidential information.
This lack of cyber-savviness and failure to protect devices, should they fall into the wrong
hands, is further compounded by another recent Kaspersky Lab quiz. It found that only eight
per cent of users delete private information from their devices immediately and only two in five
(17 per cent) people create password-protected folders for their personal and sensitive
information. A mere seven per cent encrypt data from prying eyes. Worse still, over a quarter
(27 per cent) of users believe they have no confidential information at all, despite the fact that
almost all users store their passwords, browser history, contact lists, messages and much more
on their devices - all of which should remain confidential.

Factors you should consider

before storing information via cloud computing.(Internet)

Which is a better back-up option for the data in your computer-traditional, portable hard drive or
the cloud? Consider the pros and cons of each before deciding on one.
For most people, the information they store on their computers-contacts, documents,
presentations, audio clips, etc-are often more valuable than the device itself. What happens if
something goes wrong with your PC? Storing information safely is essential so that you can
access it even if your computer crashes.
For many years, portable hard drives or USB drives (also called flash drives) have been the
primary means for data back-up. Now, cloud computing offers another option for storing
information online. There are a number of services on the Internet that you can use to upload
your data and access it later, either by downloading it or viewing and editing it online.
While these save you the need to lug around your laptop everywhere, are they viable or good
enough to replace the trustworthy portable drives? This depends on several factors, including
the capacity you need. Here's what you should consider before resorting to cloud storage.
SECURITY
The idea behind storing your data in places other than your computer, handset or tablet is to
keep it safe. When it comes to security, there is not much that separates physical storage from
its cloud peers. In both the cases, the information can be kept secure with a user name or
password.
However, storing your information online keeps it relatively immune to physical theft and
damage. A portable hard drive can be stolen or can crash due to a hardware problem. On the
other hand, accounts can be hacked, though this is harder work than just picking up a drive
that is lying near a computer.