Question

Unit of Establish and maintain accounting information systems

Identify and describe 2 data protection risks users face when using cloud computing services to store confidential financial data.

(Compare and contrast methods of data protection).

Answer 1

DATA PROTECTION AND CLOUD COMPUTING

? What is cloud computing in accounts

Cloud computing accounting softwares are those softwares, that is hosted on remote servers. Cloud computing is the distribution/delivery of various hardware and software services over the internet through a network of remote servers. The cloud accounting softaware can be used to frees the business from having to install and maintain software on inividual desktop computers. Such system also helpful for the employees in remote areas or branch offices to access datas/ information along with the usage of same version of software.

? Data protection risks

Mainly data protection and privacy are the noted risks associated with the cloud computing accounting. Any failure in the actual protection of datas/information can cause serious issues/consequences. The risks associated with these are:

• unauthorized disclosure or access of informations, especially the core financial performance of business.
• malicious activities, like; hacking,jacking, viruses etc.
• loss or damages by your service provider/employees.
• inefficiency in the securities of data protection.
• data breaches
• weak authentication and identity management.

[1] DATA BREACH : Data breach is the result of a malicious and probably intrusive action. A data breach can expose sensitive customers informations, trade secrets, intellectual property, all of which can lead to serious consequences. Under this all the information/data is leaked. Under this attackers target and leak all the information from cloud storage and servers.

[2] WEAK AUTHENTICATION : A lack of authentication and identity management can lead to data loss and breaches within organizations. Poor identity management can leave gaping holes in enterprise cyber security. Business organizations are often struggle with the poor identity management as they try to allocate permissions appropriate to every user's job role.

? DATA PROTECTION METHODS IN CLOUD COMPUTING

1. AUTHENTICATION
2. ACCESS CONTROL
3. SECURE DELEGATION
4. INTEGRITY CHECKING
5. DATA MASKING

authentication and identity : maintenance of confidentiality, integrity and available for datas are one of the most important method of data protection in cloud computing sytem of accounting. It is done through the function of correct application and configuration of familiar networks, system and application security mechanisms at various levels in the cloud infrastructure.

access control : access control should be given to the restrictive persons, there by avoid the public interference in to the crucial datas, and informations of financial datas in accounting.

secure delegation : secure delegation is the method , whereby the the computer handling over their authentication credentials to another user, to ensure protection to datas.

integrity checking : it is the process of comparing the current state of stored data/programme to a previously recorded state inorder to detect any changes.

data masking : it is a method/technique that is used /applied to make your data non-accessible for noproduction users. It is the method of creating a structurally similar versions of an organization's data used for purposes such as software testing and user training.