Whether it be iCloud, Google Drive or Drop Box, millions of people around the world store their data in the cloud, but who has access to it, and is it safe from hackers?
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University of Wollongong Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo has been recognised as the premier Australian researcher in the field of computer security and cryptography, and he's at the forefront of cloud computing security research.
In the face of high-profile data hacks like Optus and Medibank, where millions of Australians had their personal details exposed, Professor Susilo said more research into data security is vital.
Professor Susilo is currently grappling with the challenge of how to secure data in the cloud, when cloud infrastructure is owned by third parties.
He said the cloud presents a "paradox": web users on the whole don't trust the cloud, but they continue to store their data there out of convenience.
As companies like Apple shift their business models to selling cloud storage and more Australians upload their data to the cloud, security measures must advance to meet the growing data storage industry, Professor Susilo said.
"At the moment, people use the cloud for convenience, but they don't really pay attention to the security," he said.
"Third parties have promised to secure the data, but if you look at the details in how they do it, they are still able to see and manipulate it," he said.
Professor Susilo is attempting to find a way to make the public cloud behave like a private cloud, giving users control over their own data and barring third parties from accessing it.
"We want to move one step ahead, allowing the user to control their own data," he said.
Many people wrongly assume hackers target the files of specific individuals like celebrities, he said, but as more people upload their personal data to the cloud, hackers are becoming indiscriminate as "data becomes the new currency".
Professor Susilo said after recent high-profile data breaches, cyber security research is gaining traction, and the University of Wollongong is leading the charge.
The university was recognised as Australia's top research institution in computer security and cryptography by The Australian Research 2023 magazine, and Professor Susilo said student numbers in the university's cyber security bachelor and masters programs are growing.
He said recent data breaches should be a "wake-up call" for Australians, and a sign that data security research needs to be a priority.
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