Nearly half of Hungarians are not aware of the fact that their data is stored in the cloud

95 percent of Hungarian internet-users regularly utilize cloud-based services but only 43 percent of them are aware of this fact. Those, who consciously store their data this way argue that besides the easy and flexible accessibility and space-saving, they prefer this solution since they believe that the chance of data loss is less – revealed a new research. Cloud-based computing, besides private use, has great potential in the IT industry as well. These features will be analyzed in September by the Future of Clouds conference in Budapest.According to the research that involved interviewing 500 internet-users, almost every respondent uses some kind of cloud-based program and mobile application, regardless their age, gender, education and location. 88 percent of internet-users employ these programs as private users but roughly 10 percent of them regularly use clouds for business purposes as well. They use it, but they don’t even know about it95 percent of the interviewed internet-users utilize cloud-based services, 75 percent of them have already heard about the expression, while 45 percent of them also know what the expression covers. However, approximately half of the respondents are not aware of the fact that programs and applications used by them are actually cloud-based.Facebook, YouTube, Gmail, Google Drive, Instagram, Dropbox, Pinterest – these are the most popular cloud-based services, in sequence. Facebook, YouTube and Gmail are the most frequently used programs and applications among nearly 80 percent of respondents, while Google Drive that has been created specifically for data storing is regularly used by 30 percent of respondents. Benefits are similar both in case of private as well as business purposes More than half of the internet-users believe that the greatest advantage of cloud-based services is that they can be accessed from anywhere. Moreover, nearly 40 percent argues that thanks to cloud storage, files take up less space on their computers, important data can be stored parallel and the chance of data loss is also less (30%). 27 percent of respondents said that the main advantage is that files stored in the cloud can be shared easily. For the IT industry, the same features of clouds are the most attractive ones but several technical as well as safety issues must still be solved. A total of nearly HUF 4,5 billion is spent on exploiting the advantages of cloud-based development and test solutions in the framework of Horizon 2020 and FP7 Program, which determine the R&D as well as innovation policy of the European Union between 2014 and 2020. On 27 September, experts of European top universities, research institutions and IT companies will participate in the Future of Clouds conference to report on the achievements and on the pursued objectives. Almost half of internet-users fear their data stored in cloudsHalf of respondents exactly know what kind of files and data they store in the cloud but 45 percent of them are afraid that others can get access to this information as well. Almost 40 percent of respondents believe that they are confident users of clouds and know whether programs and mobile applications used by them story any of their data. Nearly 30 percent is the rate of those who are especially afraid that service providers of cloud-based programs and applications might misuse their data.„The situation is similar in the IT industry as well. There are incredible opportunities in the usage of cloud-based programs, both in terms of cost reduction as well as efficiency. However, several legal and corporate rules must be met and in case, the data would get into the wrong hands that could have disastrous results. With our projects, which belong to the framework of Horizon 2020 and FP7 Programs that bring together researchers and experts of the industry, we found solutions to these challenges. At the conference, we will present these solutions to the Hungarian experts too” – said Dirk Muthig, Head of CTO & Innovations at Lufthansa Systems Hungária.