Every Friday here on In The Personal Cloud we’ll be presenting a roundup of links highlighting popular and rising news stories from the world of the cloud and online security. Everything from news regarding hacking and how to be secure to advancements in the field of cloud computing. Stay tuned to In The Personal Cloudeach Friday to remain up to date on everything you need to know.

Some Reasons Behind Cloud Security Vulnerabilities – Security is very important when it comes to data both personal and company related. Organizations that look into cloud security have found that often some security vulnerabilities are overlooked when migrating to the cloud. Some of these reasons are: 1. unchanged hardcoded communication channels, 2. unsecured logging systems, and 3. adjusting encryption for virtualization. Read more for in depth explanation of these reasons. [CloudTweaks]

‘White hat’ hackers are vital to internet security – A “white hat” hackers is a hacker that attempts to break through internet security measure to help improve the system. These hackers expose vulnerabilities within a system acting like a immune system of the internet. This past week the a European Union Legislation was passed in favor to endorse a criminal law rules governing cyber-attacks. According to this article, what the legislative agreement fails to take into consideration is the different kinds of system breaches and hackers. In a time where hackers’ work is becoming more complex, white hat hackers are in need and vital to internet security. [PublicServiceEurope]

Will Cloud Computing Kill The Server Market? – A report from the Lawrence Berkeley Lab found that moving a business from a private server to the cloud is the greener choice. The energy savings would be tremendous, the energy required would drop by 87%. The energy savings from could help power the city of Los Angeles for a whole year. Read more to find out how this affects hardware vendors and server vendors. [Forbes]

There’s a lot of confusion out there when it comes to the Internet and cloud computing, but never fear, the Norton Interview Series is here to provide a little clarity. Follow along with us as we talk to some of the industry’s finest to sift through all the jargon and learn all you need to know about the cloud

When the average person hears the word “encryption” they usually think of spy movies or teams of hackers — in layman’s terms, what does “encryption” actually mean?

ABHAY KULKARNI: It just means a technical way a company keeps your files and their contents locked up tight so no one else can see them or access them. Imagine that there is a safe filled with lots and lots of money – cash, and you’re a thief and you want to get to the money. The first thing you’ll probably try to do is unlock the safe. Now, you could also steal the safe, but if you don’t have the key to open it, all you can do is pick the lock. If you try to pick the lock, you could eventually get the money, but it takes a long, long time and it isn’t easy. Then, if you decide to throw away the safe, you’ll destroy the money and not be able to use it. 

In laymen’s terms, encryption means taking something, anything valuable, and transforming it into something that no longer has value. You do that by using something called an encryption key; the key is what will change that something back into its original status of value.

In this case, without the key (to unlock the encryption), the money (your data) has no value.

What’s the difference between that and say, government grade encryption?

AK: I’m going to let you in on a little secret…there really is no such thing as “government grade encryption”. Government grade encryption is pretty much a marketing term that people started using because they don’t want to or can’t certify their own services on a much, much stricter standard or criteria like the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).

The government and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have a set of requirements and standards they use like FIPS, which specifies what the appropriate level of encryption is. If somebody says they are FIPS compliant, that means they have gone through the rigor of testing for all the different criteria used for FIPS compliance. Going back to the lock analogy, instead of a padlock or combination lock, imagine a very, very sophisticated lock that somebody can’t pick easily.

If government grade encryption is just a marketing term then what sets Norton’s encryption apart from other cloud storage services?

AK: When a cloud storage service says they use government grade encryption, they are implying that their lock is more sophisticated and robust than a mere padlock. This term also implies that the key is made to be extremely hard to find. With the exception of a couple of our competitors, cloud storage services manage the keys on their users’ behalf.

The lock created specifically for you is kept safe by hiding the key in the cloud and is managed by the service. The problem is that not all providers are super careful about how they manage their keys. This is what Symantec does really, really well with Norton Zone.

Norton Zone uses a very complex algorithm whereby the keys are securely managed so it’s not like finding your key under the doormat. Like all other cloud storage services, certain people on our back-end do have access to the key, but we make it extremely difficult for someone to break into your lock because access to the key is tightly controlled by our operations team. Someone can’t just acquire the key by walking into the data center and finding the key under the mat.

You have to have certain authorities and security checks. No single person is in control of all the keys. Most people store their keys separate from their data, but we manage to secure it even further.

Think of it this way, you lock the lock. You take the key, you put it into a safety deposit box, and only certain people can get access to the safety deposit box. This creates a second level of protection. That’s what makes Norton Zone unique.

Why is encryption even something people should consider when storing their data in the cloud?

AK: Here’s the thing about the cloud, essentially, you’re just renting space in the cloud. When you talk about your computer, that is your computer. That is in your custody. You have it physically in front of you. When you store data in the cloud, that data exists alongside everyone else’s data. What stops somebody from encroaching or snooping on your space and trying to find out what kind of data you have? Encryption and key management. Encryption is what stops people from trespassing. And proper key management makes it harder to unlock your data in case someone happens to gain access to it.

Encryption prevents thieves from tampering with and gaining access to cloud storage systems. Without encryption, they could potentially have access to important data and increase their chances of finding the key required to access your data.

That is why it is very important for you to consider encryption because it safeguards your data. When you talk about encryption it’s not just the lock, it’s also the key and where you keep the key. You don’t want to be a cloud provider that keeps the keys under the doormat.

What should consumers be looking for when it comes to encryption?

AK: Consumers should look for a few different things:

1. Is the cloud service from a trusted company? Is that a company you trust? Have you done business with them before? Are they a recognized name in the business? Do they know security well and have they implemented it for a long time?

2. When it comes to encryption don’t just rely on terms like government grade encryption, ask questions and demand insight on how the keys are managed. For example, Norton Zone service manages its keys in such a way that is multi-tiered and transparent. It would take a lot of different things to break into this safety deposit box that contains the keys to your lock. Those are the kinds of things that people should look for.

3. And if you’re technical enough – standard algorithms. Using standard industry algorithms like AES and key lengths of 256 bits. There are lots of different algorithms and they all serve different purposes but AES 256 bit is clearly the leader when it comes to offline access of the data. In addition, when it comes to using these algorithms, it is easy to make rookie mistakes and use them incorrectly. This gives a false sense of security. So it is extremely important to know whether the cloud service provider knows how to implement encryption. Symantec invented new encryption methodologies and has implemented encryption for a long time. We are pros at this.

Thanks, Abhay! We sure would love to hear more about that in a future post.

Abhay Kulkarni is the technical leader for Symantec’s NortonCloud division. While he leads the development organization to deliver cool services like Norton Online Backup and Norton Zone, he’s really just an engineer at heart. In the past, Abhay has worked on developing security and storage products for consumers and enterprises.

Every Friday here on In The Personal Cloud we’ll be presenting a roundup of links highlighting popular and rising news stories from the world of the cloud and online security. Everything from news regarding hacking and how to be secure to advancements in the field of cloud computing. Stay tuned to In The Personal Cloud each Friday to remain up to date on everything you need to know.

Encryption can make cloud computing safer – Many cloud users tend to believe that the cloud service provider cares for all our data, however despite what the provider says or does, it is the users’ responsibility to ensure their data is safe. Recently, Amazon cloud storage customers learned that during a security test, conducted by a  third party firm,  126 billion data files were discovered to have been exposed because users were unclear about privacy settings. Encryption could have made these 126 billion data files valueless and safe from hackers and spammers in the digital space. Learn more about how to keep your data safe and private. [USAtoday]

Netflix customers suffer cloud outage – On Thursday, June 6, millions of Netflix users were unable to watch and their favorite movies and tv shows online because of a two hour service outage on its cloud. This is not the first time Netflix has suffered such outage. In December of 2012, Netflix experienced similar outage when Amazon web services, the infrastructure which they run on, had issues with its service. This outage goes to show that it is crucial for data centers to be backed up to, so that if one data center is experiencing problems it can failover to another so that service is not disrupted. [CloudPro]

Spam campaigns take to Tumblr – Recent Internet Security report released by Symantec showed that although the percentage of spam is decreasing, attacks on social sites is increasing. Facebook users have fallen victim for such phishing scams and now Tumblr users are too. Read more about the scam that spammers are using on Tumblr and how to avoid them.  [TimesOfIndia]

Every Friday here on In The Personal Cloud we’ll be presenting a roundup of links highlighting popular and rising news stories from the world of the cloud and online security. Everything from news regarding hacking and how to be secure to advancements in the field of cloud computing. Stay tuned to In The Personal Cloud each Friday to remain up to date on everything you need to know.

Symantec warns of Chehrakitab, other Facebook scams – Two phishing scams have surfaced. The first scam is a Facebook login page spoof aimed towards Indian users. The second scam is a fake app that uses an image of a girl with the Facebook “like” button. This image sends users to a Netherlands based Facebook login page and requests users’ credentials to like the photo. Symantec advises users to avoid clicking on suspicious links in emails and social networks in addition to not providing personal information when answering emails and pop-up page windows. A way to determine if the site is clean or not is to check is the site is encrypted with an SSL certificate that can be found on the address bar in the form of a padlock. [BusinessToday]

Dropbox Widespread Service Outage –  Yesterday Dropbox experience a widespread service outage. Several Dropbox expressed their concern about their files on twitter. Both web-based and connected apps experienced service outage. The last time Dropbox experience a widespread outage was in January, the site was down for 15 hours. [TechCrunch]

So How Exactly Is Cloud Computing Changing the VFX Industry? – Many visual effects firms are turning to the cloud. Rendering is vital to this industry and cloud computing is allow for VFX firms to focus on the creative rather than rendering related infrastructure.  Cloud computing is also allowing for VFX firms of different sizes tackle a diverse array of projects, render in real time, and engage with flexible computing. [IndieWire]

Every Friday here on In The Personal Cloud we’ll be presenting a roundup of links highlighting popular and rising news stories from the world of the cloud and online security. Everything from news regarding hacking and how to be secure to advancements in the field of cloud computing. Stay tuned to In The Personal Cloud each Friday to remain up to date on everything you need to know.

Cloud Computing Hinders Data Deletion – Storing data and being able to access it from anywhere is one of the best parts of the Cloud but sometimes we forget: what about deletion? How do we actually get rid of data we don’t want anymore? Does it say in the cloud even after we press that trash can icon? Maija Palmer at Financial Times talks to us about the trouble with deletion in the Cloud. [Financial Times]

Cloud Computing: Get Ready for Bring Your Own Cloud - Look at any technology magazine and you’ll soon discover plenty of articles over bring your own device, bring your own technology, bring your own applications, but not bring your own cloud. Yet. Apparently this new trend is on the horizon. How? MSPmentor tells us how. [MSPmentor]

Cloud control: keeping your company data safe and secure - Cloud computing provides significant agility and mobility to companies of all sizes. However, when using third-parties as a means of infrastructure and storage one has to also take into consideration the security implications of the data being handed over. The main kinds of security breaches are data leakage, malware outbreaks, insider sharing, and hacker theft. In the UK, the Information Commission Office (ICO) recently published guidelines regarding security breach and liability. Read more about the guidelines and way to keep your data safe and secure. [TheGuardian]

Companies spending less on office space thanks to cloud – With the increase of companies moving to the Cloud, the overlap between cloud computing and enterprise mobility is growing. According to a survey from Rackspace Hosting, cloud computing and mobilization of workforce most likely means that companies are likely to spend less on office space. [CloudTech]

Last November, we announced the beta version of Norton Zone, a new cloud file sharing service that allows users to safely and easily share the content that matters most. Today, I’m very pleased to announce Norton Zone is out of beta – stronger, faster and easier to use than ever. Also beginning today, users in the United States can buy additional storage, to expand the 5GB they continue to get for free.

The staggering growth of cloud services, mobile devices, and the social imperative to share anything is creating unique challenges. Almost all facets of our daily lives are “going digital,” and content is being created and shared in unprecedented amounts and places. Consumers and corporations alike are learning every day (and sometimes painfully) that not all cloud file-sharing services are created equal. Some services claim to be safe, while others claim to be easy to use. Leveraging all of the expertise at our disposal, Symantec has created a cloud service that offers both.

Norton Zone lets you easily share any time…

…from any device…

… with the security you expect from Norton by Symantec:

• Users can create a share link to easily share large files and keep full control of that file with restrictions on how long or how many times links can be accessed, even when posting to social networking sites. Once shared, users can retract that permission at any time
• Users keep ownership of their own data—Symantec never claims ownership over any data that is uploaded to the service—and all files uploaded to Norton Zone are encrypted
• Norton anti-malware scanning technology automatically checks content for viruses and other threats before it is shared. We don’t outsource management of our data center; our industry-leading internal management, operations, and technical controls help prevent unauthorized access to data once it is stored in the cloud
• We provide built-in device management, including mobile passcodes, to control mobile access, in the event that you lose your device – making it possible for individuals to block access and wipe their data remotely

And this is just our first release. Later this year we plan to announce additional updates, with new feature modules and enhancements, providing even greater benefits and simplicity. This is just the beginning of Norton Zone, the cloud file-sharing service that is both easy and safe, for use at home and at work.

- Steve Chazin, Vice President, Symantec

Steve Chazin is the Vice President and General Manager of the NortonCloud division at Symantec. The NortonCloud division brings new and innovative cloud services to market that empower people to easily and safely share, collect, and discover their content from any device or any cloud at home and work.

Prior to Symantec, Steve Chazin was Vice President of Product Management and the General Manager for Chatter Now at Salesforce.com, their overarching brand for contextual and secure real-time collaboration solutions across all Salesforce clouds. Steve joined Salesforce after his cloud-based web conferencing startup, Dimdim, was acquired by Salesforce a few years ago. Notably, about 15 years ago, Steve was rehired by Steve Jobs to help rebuild Apple’s product and marketing efforts during Apple’s darkest days. Consequently, Steve was part of the team that brought the iMac to market and helped return the company to profitability, laying the foundation for today’s Apple.

In addition to his background in cloud services and passion for creating beautiful customer experiences, Steve also has a proven track record for building productive partnerships with Dell, Google, Intuit, Amazon, Novell, and others, by leveraging in-product APIs to create prosperous ecosystems.  

Steve has a MS in electrical engineering from Princeton University, and a BA in Physics from Franklin and Marshall College.  

We’ve all been there. You’re working on your laptop. You’re trying to meet a deadline, and all of a sudden, the worst happens. The worst, and the only words you can find to describe it are “freak occurrence”. That moment when the digital fates decided that your laptop was going to stop working and all its data was going to be lost forever.

Norton invites you to experience these freak occurrences and to remind you to always protect the stuff that matters.

Grandpa — Norton Online Backup

Mom Ate My Homework

Norton Cafe Accident

Norton Fish Tank Accident

Norton Funny Holiday Mishap

Every Friday here on In The Personal Cloud we’ll be presenting a roundup of links highlighting popular and rising news stories from the world of the cloud and online security. Everything from news regarding hacking and how to be secure to advancements in the field of cloud computing. Stay tuned to In The Personal Cloud each Friday to remain up to date on everything you need to know.

Power of cloud computing harnessed by Imperial collaboration – Imperial College in London, UK along with five other European institutions and technology companies will integrate new technologies into cloud computing to increase the capacity and efficiency of these services. More than half of US corporations now use cloud computing to store and process information. Companies like Facebook rely on cloud computing to provide their services. With more users on the web that rely on cloud computing each year, the requirement from clients for a more advanced service is evolving and companies that offer cloud computing are now willing to capitalize on the new opportunities that are being presented. The name of this project will be called HARNESS, which stands for Hardware- and Network- Enhanced Software Systems for Cloud Computing. This project is set to run for three years with the aim of improving the cloud to make it more energy efficient, flexible, and easier to use and manage. [ImperialCollege]

4 Game Changing Trends Coming to Cloud Computing – It is evident from studies and surveys that small businesses will be affected most by adoption of cloud computing. Public clouds that are easily accessible and budget friendly are likely to be chosen and along with that big data is also becoming more accessible. In addition to this trend, there are four game changing trends that will enable small companies to access security technologies and subscription models. The four trends are: 1. public cloud computing will defeat internal clouds, 2. the cloud will greatly increase the power of malicious attacks, 3. application protection delivered from the cloud will take hold, and 4. move over big data, say hello to smart data. Read more to get an indepth look into these upcoming trends. [CloudTimes]

The New and Dangerous Threat to Cloud Computing – The new rising threat to cloud computing is not security or privacy. The new threat to cloud computing today is customer fatigue. Businesses today are tired the debate surrounding all things Cloud. What customers want is a service that is easy to access, use, and manage. Learn more about this new threat and how this can be overcome. [Forbes]

Last month, Apple ID suffered a serious security breach which led to Apple urging its users to enable the two-step verification. The Verge, a tech and media news website, found a link and step-by-step tutorial on how to hijack an Apple ID. With just an email address and date of birth a hacker is able to reset your password.

There is a lot of incentive for a hacker to steal a person’s Apple ID. A user connects to services such as App store, iTunes, iCloud, and iWork with the Apple ID. Access to all of this data can allow for the cybercriminals to steal your identity, make purchases on your behalf, and blackmail you.

Another rising trend in the realm of internet and data security is phishing scams. There has been an uprise in phishing sites that try to impersonate Apple ID login pages or have you paste a modified URL while answering the DOB security question on a page that looks like Apple’s iForgot page. Security blog Trend Micro found that in the last four months, 110 websites have been compromised and used for a phishing scam.

Instead of storing all of your information and data in cloud account that is constantly under attack, back up all of your data and to Norton Online Backup. The government grade encryption feature of this personal cloud keeps all your data safe and backed up automatically. You can try a FREE 30-day trial here. If you are a Apple product user you may now be concerned about the how well protected your Mac device is. Norton’s Internet Security for Mac and Antivirus for Mac protects you from cyber-attacks such as identity theft, data breach, and application security holes.

The use of Cloud technology can be seen a variety of industries, from finance to hospital and even to retail. Now the Cloud is also surfacing in the education sector as a promising resource and IT strategy. Cloud computing is allowing and aiding many remarkable projects come to life and the following is one of them.

Sugata Mitra is an educational researcher and through his research has found that “in the absence of supervision or formal teaching, children can teach themselves and each other if they are motivated by curiosity and peer interest”. At the 2013 TED conference he was awarded the TED Prize wish and wished for fellow world innovators to help him design a school in the Cloud. Mitra wants to use resources from the cloud to help children explore and learn from each other.

Another educational effort that is gaining a lot of attention and support is distance learning. As more people are choosing to further their education via the web the role of easy and safe file sharing in the Cloud and safety of data becomes crucial. With e-learning students spend a great amount of time working on  research, projects, and papers ALL saved in some cloud platform or drive. One of the most devastating moments of student lifehood is when all the hard work is gone because of a drive crashing or a cloud breach.

Fortunately, there is a way to prevent this tragic moment! Norton Online BackUp offers its users automatic backup to the cloud, quick and easy restoration, and government-grade encryption (to make keep your account safe). Go ahead and try a free 30-day trial!