Cloud Security

“Children are dying” due to restrictions on data, warns cloud expert

Most cloud users understand how poor privacy practices could pose a serious risk to their personal data, but placing overly draconian restrictions on cloud-based data management as a measure of protection can also have deleterious effects, warned Steven Woodward, director of the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Canada, at SC Congress Toronto today.

Woodward is a member of the United Nation's International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which spearheads a global initiative to leverage “big data” for the betterment of humanity. However, cloud-based data restrictions have at times hindered the organization's efforts.

“There are risks associated with personal injury and even death because of the fact they can't get access to some of the data that would actually reduce some of these risks, including where to deploy some of the UN relief efforts,” said Woodward. Because of governmental restrictions on what data they have access to, they can't get the relief positioned to the right people in the right amount of time.”

“So basically children are dying because of those… restrictions on data.”

Bradley Barth

As director of community content at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for SC Media online conferences and events, as well as video/multimedia projects. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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