Cloud computing

1. The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer. Also called on-line computing. Election technologies are evolving in parallel with other commercial information systems. Election officials may be managing voter and election data, stored on computers, outside of their organization. Cloud computing requires an appropriate security strategy to ensure the protection, availability and and integrity of data and programs store in the cloud.

Source: Information Technology Terminology, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, https://www.eac.gov/documents/2017/09/21/information-technology-terminology-security

2. A model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provided to users with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

Source: U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission, March 2020, https://subscriber.politicopro.com/f/?id=00000170-c638-d8f7-a7f1-f63b33510000

3. A model for enabling on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing capabilities or resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

Source: Explore Terms: A Glossary of Common Cybersecurity Terminology, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS), https://niccs.us-cert.gov/about-niccs/glossary

4. A model for enabling on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable information technology capabilities/resources, (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services), that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. It allows users to access technology-based services from the network cloud without knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports them. Both the user’s data and essential security services may reside in and be managed within the network cloud. (Committee on National Security Systems Instruction (CNSSI) 4009, Adapted) (NSTAC Report 2016).

Source: NSTAC Report to the President on a Cybersecurity Moonshot, National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/NSTAC_CyberMoonshotReport_508c.pdf