Data is key to the kingdom
Secure cloud computing is more than just the network; it is also important to focus on the identity and authentication management to make sure each piece of data in a cloud is being accessed by the proper individual. This is roughly akin to needing an ID card and a retina scan to enter a building and also needing additional authentication factors to access a file in a drawer. “So much client focus in the embedded computer is about the network,” Cloyd says. “However, you cannot just focus on a network-based, umbrella approach to protect systems. Data is the key to the Embedded Computer kingdom so you have to protect the application, as well as the traditional network boundaries.
refer to: http://mil-embedded.com/articles/cloud-security-the-dod/