Abstract:

Cloud computing in Saudi Arabia is becoming more and more visible day after day, due to its ability to create better opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency, thus fulfill the ever-growing demands of organizations of every size and sector. However, such technology poses great challenges in terms of privacy and security. To date the Kingdom’s legislative framework, does not clearly nor comprehensively regulates the cloud or its service providers or customers.

Methodology and Study approach:
The study will research the impact of cloud computing on the Saudi educational sector in terms of opportunities and challenges from the viewpoint of security, transparency, control and legality. Hence, before moving to the cloud, this model should be rigorously evaluated before its widespread adoption.

The study will then focus on cloud computing opportunities, from a financial and operational perspective, such as its low cost to the educational institution, that need to focus on critical tasks without having to bear excessive financial obligations for IT infrastructure, management, staffing and training. In addition, cloud computing will maintain vital flexibility in terms of rapid elasticity and easy access to educational resources.

After which, the focus of the study will fall upon cloud computing challenges faced by educational institutions in terms of privacy and security, where such institutions have huge amounts of personal and sensitive data of individuals, such as students records, financial information, etc…and the owners of the data have justifiable expectation that their most sensitive information are kept secret and confidential and cloud service providers with whom they entrust their information will protect it in accordance with the applicable laws and in accordance with specific contractual obligations and commitments.

Main Objectives of the Study:
To identify Saudi Laws on privacy and confidentiality of data, especially in the educational sector.
To identify related data security and privacy challenges associated with adopting a cloud computing model in Saudi Arabia.
To identify the weaknesses as related to the laws on privacy
To suggest some counter measures for challenges faced in cloud computing in Saudi Arabia
To identify best practices with regard to the collaboration between the cloud regulator, customer and service provider in terms of regulations, agreement, contracts and commitments

Keywords:

Cloud computing, Privacy, Security, legislation, Saudi Arabia.