Modeling Security Risk Factors in a Cloud Computing Environment

With the rapid developments in information technologies and the success of Internet, computing resources have become cheaper, more powerful, and more available than before. This technological development has enabled the realization of long held dream called “computing as utility”, in which resources are provided as a general utility that can be leased and released by users through the Internet in an ondemand fashion. It emerged in to the market with a huge potential to fulfill this dream and many attractive promises that are inviting to many con summers around the world. As such, it offers many advantage, in terms of reduced cost, relief from managing complex IT infrastructure, flexibility, and scalability. However, cloud computing is a risky paradigm. For instance, the use of cloud services, which are external assets to their consumers, implies unprecedented risks that must be taken in account. |This paper highlights and categorizes risk factors associated with security involved in cloud computing and list some remediation to avoid these risks and help promote the benefits and mitigate the risks associated with cloud