By Cho Mu-hyun

Cloud computing is one of the hottest innovations in the information technology industry, including in Korea, seen by many as the next best way to store and manage data.

However, industry observers are concerned that it may threaten digital property rights and security of information.

Cloud computing uses servers rather than hardware to store information. Proponents of the method argue that it allows companies or individuals to manage more data better and faster by putting it on a larger virtual server with a bigger capacity.

American technology giants Apple, Microsoft and Google are all investing heavily in developing clouds while Korean firms have shown a keen interest in adapting the new method to their systems.

Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye vowed last month that if she is elected, a national data center based on cloud computing will be built for more efficient administrative management. Her announcement caused some industry experts to express concern about whether the technology is ready to be adapted at a national level.

“Due to recent advancements in wireless technology in Korea, the market here has become more ready to adopt cloud computing. Many businesses are looking into it, even small- and mid-sized ones,” said Lee Seong-ju, head of Mobile Monday’s Seoul branch by telephone. “Though no doubt there is an increased efficiency in pooling massive data into one centralized location, it also increases security threats.”

Lee said that as certain technology gains more attention and a larger user base, naturally the ways in which it is breached or used maliciously evolves as well. “There are more reports of malicious codes aimed at mobile devices right now, which didn’t exist when smartphones first appeared two years ago.

“If one such malicious code were to find its way into a centralized, massive server like those offered by cloud computing, the damage will be tremendous. Sometimes it is better to just store your information on multiple, separate hardware.”

Another industry analyst, requesting anonymity, expressed a similar view, “One reason why cloud computing is getting such aggressive promotion is that it is just good money for Internet service providers eager to earn more.

“The danger lies in that these service providers will constantly monitor their clients’ data, and as the way it is stored becomes more technologically sophisticated, it is harder for authorities or clients to find out what they may do with it.”

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak recently expressed his disdain for cloud systems, speaking after monologist Mike Daisy’s show last week: "I really worry about everything going to the cloud. I think it's going to be horrendous. I think there are going to be a lot of horrible problems in the next five years.

“The more we transfer everything onto the Web, onto the cloud, the less we're going to have control over it.”