Security, Privacy Top Fears for Government Cloud Computing Initiatives

This week, the U.S. government announced its first cloud-computing project, the Apps.gov Web site. This project is touted as an efficient, cost-saving way to issue software systems, and surely it will save money and time. But there are still many questions about the security of cloud computing.

As reported by Computerworld, a second cloud-computing initiative between the U.S. government and Google to provide services to government agencies brings up new issues about security and compliance with government privacy acts. Google will have to meet criteria with the Federal Information Security Management Act and ensure that hosted data does not violate the Privacy Act of 1974.

Whether Google can meet those requirements and provide the cloud security the government requires remains to be seen, but the initiative could blaze new trails for other private sector companies to provide cloud-computing services.