Cloud Computing Insider

David Linthicum

Hosted by cloud computing pioneer David Linthicum, the Cloud Computing Insider podcast gets to the bottom of what cloud computing, and generative AI can bring to your enterprise. New content will focus on what's important to you as a user of cloud computing and generative AI, and the ability to find value the first time.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Is Your Cloud Spying on You? The Privacy Settings to Change Now

    In a world that syncs by default, your data rarely lives in one place—it’s copied across apps, cloud providers, backups, and content networks, often crossing borders. That expands who could potentially see it: the service itself, infrastructure vendors, third‑party processors, and, with proper orders, law enforcement. Jurisdiction matters because laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act and EU GDPR shape access and obligations, so choose region‑locked storage and review government‑request and data‑location policies. If content isn’t end‑to‑end encrypted (E2EE), assume the provider could read it despite “encrypted at rest” claims. Prefer E2EE for chats, files, and passwords to keep only you and intended recipients in the loop. Strengthen defaults to shrink exposure: enable passkeys or 2FA, set sharing to invite‑only, disable auto‑sync for sensitive folders, and use expiring links. Minimize what you upload, strip photo location data, and pick local‑first or E2EE apps for personal items. At home, use a password manager, full‑disk encryption, automatic updates, the 3‑2‑1 backup rule, quarterly permission reviews, and routine pruning of old cloud data and shared links. At work, separate identities, keep data in approved apps, enforce named‑person sharing and least‑access by default, schedule deletion of stale files/recordings, and document region, owner, and retention. Privacy by default turns safer choices into the easy choices—without giving up the convenience of sync.

    11 min
  2. 1 AUG

    Your Public Cloud Provider Is Not Reliable

    Public cloud services have revolutionized how businesses operate, offering unparalleled scalability, convenience, and innovation. However, an often-overlooked truth is that even the most reliable public cloud providers can—and do—fail. From unexpected outages to major disruptions, relying too heavily on third-party cloud platforms introduces significant risks that too many businesses fail to fully understand or prepare for. When these providers experience downtime, organizations face ripple effects ranging from financial losses and operational delays to regulatory exposure and reputational damage. Notable incidents, such as the CrowdStrike outage in 2024 or disruptions at leading cloud providers, have highlighted the vulnerabilities within this dependency. Businesses impacted by such incidents have experienced billions in losses due to delayed operations and compromised services. The lesson is clear: no cloud provider is immune to interruptions. Organizations must adopt proactive risk management strategies, such as diversifying providers, implementing comprehensive third-party risk management (TPRM) practices, and preparing failover solutions to minimize damage. Risk management in the cloud is not optional—it’s essential. By acknowledging the potential for failure and preparing accordingly, businesses can protect themselves from the costly consequences of cloud disruptions while still leveraging the advantages that public cloud services provide. The key is resilience and preparation, not blind trust.

    11 min

About

Hosted by cloud computing pioneer David Linthicum, the Cloud Computing Insider podcast gets to the bottom of what cloud computing, and generative AI can bring to your enterprise. New content will focus on what's important to you as a user of cloud computing and generative AI, and the ability to find value the first time.

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