It's been one year since Edward Snowden revealed he was the source of the leaked details on the NSA's Prism surveillance programme. His revelations massively rocked public trust in the internet and shocked even the most cynical of conspiracy theorists. The aftershocks have been felt worldwide, particularly by tech giants and politicians.

With headline after headline detailing such high-profile repercussions, it begs the question: how has Snowden changed the attitude of ICT decision-makers towards the cloud?

NTT Communications sought to find some answers and carried out a study of 1,000 ICT decision-makers in large companies in the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong and the US. It found that there are four areas where businesses have felt the shocks, all of which have led them to rethink the way they store and manage sensitive commercial data:

1) Data sovereignty tops the agenda

In the post-Snowden world, data sovereignty – where data is physically hosted – is now a hugely contentious subject for businesses. There are now very few ICT decision-makers that believe location is irrelevant when it comes to storing company data. This is because keeping sensitive information in a country where the authorities can access or monitor it without consent constitutes a significant business risk. As a result, many European organisations (97%) that are looking to adopt cloud are now choosing providers located in their own region. This trend also applies to businesses already using cloud services – some are now choosing to move their data to a location where they know it will be safe.

2) Training to keep up to date on compliance and regulation

ICT decision-makers are now much more aware of the need to have a detailed knowledge of legislation affecting their data. More than four fifths of CIOs (84%) feel they need more training on data protection laws. For companies that operate in the legal or financial sector this is particularly important. Despite the fact that surveillance can occur without their consent or knowledge, they're still required to adhere to the strict data regulations. Therefore, the NSA allegations have prompted many of these organisations to rethink the training programmes they carry out.

3) Changing procurement and delaying projects

Snowden is compelling ICT decision-makers to be tighter in their due diligence. Just over half (52%) of ICT decision-makers are now carrying out checks in greater detail on cloud providers during the procurement process, which includes researching the physical location of the data centre, its security credentials and who actually owns the company. However, there are some ICT decision-makers going even further, deciding to abandon, delay or even avoid the cloud completely as a direct result of the revelations. These are obviously natural reactions, but businesses need to remember that provided they scrutinise cloud providers, they can alleviate security fears and still reap the benefits of cloud computing.

4) Looking to alternatives for data security

82% of all ICT decision-makers globally agree with proposals made by German chancellor Angela Merkel for separating data networks. In theory, this should work, but in practice it is near-impossible as it raises serious questions for businesses trading outside of Europe and the individual levels of risk and security each EU country is willing to shoulder.

This suggestion has sparked a discussion about alternative methods for securing data, with encryption emerging as the most viable option. However, there has been a debate on whether the NSA could crack some of the encryption coding causing more fears about data surveillance. This could present market opportunities for vendors to fill the gaps and offer enterprise-grade encryption with their current offerings.

Prism has shaken businesses and changed their attitudes towards cloud computing – and understandably so. But confidence can be rebuilt. Encryption is now being discussed more than ever as a counter-measure. In the short-term, the most effective solution is partnering with cloud providers that can keep information in-country. This way, businesses can still harness the benefits of cloud computing while keeping their valuable data safe.

Len Padilla is vice president product strategy at NTT Europe

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