A Comparative Study of National Cloud Security Strategy and Governance

The explosive growth of data through the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to the computing environment. Globally, there is a consistent increase in the adoption of cloud computing service models. Cloud services, appreciated for their flexibility and cost-effectiveness, are gaining prominence, serving as a technology to store and process the escalating volumes of data. In response to these trends, major nations are announcing national visions and strategies, such as preemptive cloud adoption policies in the public sector, actively participating in the momentum of cloud transformation. However, with the rising adoption of cloud services, there is a simultaneous surge in cloud security threats. To ensure the successful transition of governments and private enterprises to the cloud, security concerns must be indispensably considered. It is at this juncture that a strategic, national-level approach is crucial, rather than relegating security issues solely to individual institutions. This paper analyzes and compare the cloud security strategies and governance of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Korea. This comparative analysis aims to identify the common cloud security approaches and characteristics of the four nations and explores the role of government in strengthening cloud security capabilities.