Four-fifths of businesses wary of the cloud in post-Snowden world

In the wake of Edward Snowden's NSA leaks, almost fourt-fifths of IT decision makers are changing how they approach cloud computing.A survey by NTT Communications found that 88 per cent of respondents have changed how they procure cloud services in the wake of the scandal, with one in three taking a closer look at strategy. More than a third also said that they are in the process of moving their business' data to locations known to be safe.The study, which sampled over 1,000 IT decision makers from Europe, Asia and the USA, was undertaken to gain insight on the the after-effects of Snowden's revelations regarding NSA snooping.Trust issuesOf those not currently using the cloud to store company data, 62 per cent felt that the NSA revelations had prevented them from moving their operations towards it. More than nine out of 10 said that they would only purchase cloud services located in their own region.16 per cent of respondents said that as a result of the leaks they are deliberately delaying or cancelling potential cloud contracts, while 52 per cent are taking extra precautions when looking into which cloud provider to use. 82 per cent of all respondents asked agreed with Angela Merkel's proposal to separate data networks by continent.Our findings show that the NSA allegations have hardened ICT decision-makers' attitudes towards cloud computing, whether it is modifying procurement policies, scrutinising potential suppliers or taking a heightened interest in where their data is stored," said Len Padilla, vice president of NTT Communications Europe. ""Despite the scandal and global security threat, business executives need to remember that cloud platforms do help firms become more agile, and do help foster technology innovation."NSA reportedly posed as Facebook to mine data

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