Cloud computing is not a brand new concept, but with Microsoft advertising it's cloud services and now the announcement of Apple's iCloud, it's new to mainstream, everyday computer users. Cloud computing is just a fluffy term for storing your data on an online service, that can be accessed by multiple devices. You don't use your own hard drive space and you don't have to transfer files or synchronize devices. I've been using Dropbox for a year or so now. I save music that I produce to it so that it's instantly available on any of my devices such as my desktop, laptop, and iPhone.
As we move into a new era where more and more people will be using cloud, possibly doing away with local hard drives all together, there are security concerns. Your data will not be stored in your home on a specific piece of hardware. You wont know where the server is that has your data on it. Don't read into this too much, the cloud is awesome. Cloud computing should and will go forward. Consumers just need to be aware of how this works and how to protect yourself.
Cloud security is good, but even with good security a hacker who really wants something can get anything, just ask Sony. As mainstream, large scale, cloud computing is in it's infancy I'd suggest very basic security measures: don't store passwords or account information, don't store financial information, and don't store your nude bathroom mirror pictures. How many days after iCloud is released will it take for someone's personal nude photos to get hacked and posted all over 4chan? Have some basic common sense using the cloud services offered by various companies and enjoy the amazing benefits of what cloud computing has to offer.
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