Cloud computing: You can't outsource your compliance obligations

Even if your cloud provider is at fault should your company fall out of compliance, the law will come after you.

When it comes to moving functions to the cloud, there's no such thing as being too thorough.

Say you've got an application that's been running in-house but is now nearing end of life. You find a cloud service that can achieve the same result. You evaluate the vendor's infrastructure and security mechanisms, processes and procedures and determine that they're sufficient to meet your needs. You're looking forward to outsourcing this to the cloud and relieving yourself of all the associated responsibilities. It's all smooth sailing ahead, right?

Maybe, but unfortunately, there's one more thing: You can't outsource your compliance obligations to a cloud vendor.

If you move a function to the cloud that's governed by legal or regulatory requirements and later your company falls out of compliance due to an error on the cloud vendor's part, the law won't go after the vendor - it will come after you. So you need to ensure that the cloud vendor can fully comply on your behalf.

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Source: Computerworld

By: Thomas J. Trappler