Cloud reputation hurt by cybersecurity worries

The forecast for widespread use of cloud computing might be less certain than it once was.

Although championed by former federal CIO Vivek Kundra and others as a way for agencies to reduce IT infrastructure costs, the technology's reputation has suffered after a recent slew of cyber attacks on federal agencies and government contractors, reports The New York Times.

In particular, these attacks have caused heightened fears over the security in defense and intelligence systems, the article states.

In July, Government Computer News reported that security concerns about cloud computing outweigh the potential cost savings by a 2 to 1 margin in a survey by government and industry IT professionals. Though it added that economic pressures could change that.