Page 1108 - Cloud computing: From paradigm to operation

8 Assisting developing countries

Figure 7-6 – Cost for adoption of cloud computing

8 Cloud computing requirements in developing countries

8.1 Standardization requirements
Several efforts are being made by various standards developing organizations (SDOs) to develop cloud
computing standards that will foster the adoption of cloud computing services. Standards will set a
benchmark that will be used to assess and select the most apt cloud computing solution for a given
requirement.

There is need for fervent standardization of cloud computing in developing countries to enable the ease and
flexible adoption of cloud computing and to optimize the use of this technology in these countries. Standards
will also help to circumvent the possible vendor or operator lock-in of CSCs. The different aspects of the
standards that need to be considered are as highlighted.
8.1.1 Cybersecurity

ITU has developed several recommendations on security in the cloud. The recommendations developed
hitherto include:

• Security framework for cloud computing [ITU-T X.1601] which analyses security threats and
challenges in the cloud computing environment and describes security capabilities that could
mitigate these threats and address security challenges.
• Recommendation [ITU-T X.1602] on security requirements for software as a service application
environments which analyses the maturity levels of SaaS application and proposes security
requirements to provide a consistent and secure service execution environment for SaaS
applications.
• Information technology – Security techniques ([ITU-T X.1631]) – Code of practice for information
security controls based on [ISO/IEC 27002] for cloud services. This recommendation provides
guidelines for information security controls applicable to the provision and use of cloud services for
both CSPs and CSCs.

• Generic security guidelines for the cloud service customer (CSC) data in cloud computing are provide
in [ITU-T X.1641]. This Recommendation also analyses the CSC data security lifecycle and proposes
security requirements at each stage of the data lifecycle. Furthermore, it provides guidelines on
when each control should be used for best security practice.
• Recommendation [ITU-T X.1642] on guidelines of operational security for cloud computing provides
generic operational security guidelines for cloud computing from the perspective of cloud service
providers (CSPs). A set of security measures and detailed security activities for the daily operation
and maintenance are provided to help CSPs mitigate security risks and address security challenges
for the operation of cloud computing.

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