Cloud Computing Risk: A Decision-making Framework

Cloud computing systems have the potential to provide many advantages for businesses. However, the use of cloud-based systems exposes organizations to risks that they might not otherwise have experienced, specifically because their data is stored on remote servers accessed via password-protected applications and controlled by cloud service providers, thus allowing for the possibility of a myriad of risks. Prior research on cloud computing has either focused on the advantages of cloud computing or on its associated risks, doing so which only provides half the picture. This two-part study presents findings from a survey questionnaire and a review culminating in a proposed model that combines both the proposed positive outcomes and potential risks of cloud computing.