This article appeared in the “Algemeen Dagblad (utrecht Nieuwsblad)” on 02 April 2019.

“The cloud is so easy to use. You can always access your data, you do not need to have a server standing in your own home. Just upload it and that is it.” At least that has always been my thinking. Instead of having all my data locally on a computer, just store everything in the cloud and you can always access it.

Last month I followed the ECA training on cloud computing in a GxP environment and learned that it is not that simple as I thought it was. All data that I have on my computer (and in the cloud) can contain valuable information of my clients that is confidential. How secure is the cloud and how easy can unauthorized people get access to this data via my laptop and/or phone/tablet? This is of course not only true for my laptop, but also of the laptop of the employees of a company.

The article triggered me. At some of my clients I am also looking into this. How secure is the data, how integer is the data? What about privacy sensitive data?

Because of course a lot of data is going around in these companies that is confidential, but might also contain sensitive patient data (e.g. results of clinical studies). A lot to think about and to learn still but life would be boring when there is nothing more to learn.