Guidelines on Security and Privacy in Public Cloud Computing

Published

December 9, 2011

Author(s)

Timothy Grance, Wayne Jansen

Abstract

Cloud computing can and does mean different things to different people. The common characteristics most interpretations share are on-demand scalability of highly available and reliable pooled computing resources, secure access to metered services from nearly anywhere, and displacement of data and services from inside to outside the organization. While aspects of these characteristics have been realized to a certain extent, cloud computing remains a work in progress. This publication provides an overview of the security and privacy challenges pertinent to public cloud computing and points out considerations organizations should take when outsourcing data, applications, and infrastructure to a public cloud environment.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 800-144

Report Number

800-144

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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DOI Link

Keywords

Cloud Computing, computer security, Computer Security and Privacy, public cloud, Information Technology Outsourcing, outsourcing

Citation

Grance, T. and Jansen, W. (2011), Guidelines on Security and Privacy in Public Cloud Computing, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-144 (Accessed October 2, 2025)