Cloud-based app security – the consumer view

More than half of consumers don't believe that cloud-based apps and services are keeping their data secure, according to a new survey.

Cloud security specialist Radware has released the results of a study of over 2,000 people which reveals that consumer perceptions and expectations are dramatically shifting with frequently reported hacks, which will have a major impact on how businesses secure their services, communicate with consumers and go to market.

Among the findings are that 54 percent of those surveyed say they would stop using a cloud-based app if it was hacked, and 43 percent of those claiming to have experienced personal data compromise indicate that they often opt out of certain security features of the apps they use.

There's widespread belief that companies need to take more responsibility too, 85 percent say providers of cloud-based apps should offer compensation or identity theft protection to customers affected by a breach.

The survey also highlights confusion about what is and isn't in the cloud. Although the results indicate that 33 percent of people are using cloud-based apps, of those surveyed 53 percent of 18-34 year-olds say they use them, but only 15 percent of those over 65 say they do. The report points out that, "Many of the most commonly used and popular mobile applications are little more than a client-side browser with a custom interface created for application use, with all data and logic sitting server side in the Internet. This is why relatively few modern mobile applications work when smartphones are offline".

There's a summary of the key findings in infographic form below or the full report is available from the Radware website.

Photo Credit: Slavoljub Pantelic/Shutterstock