This study, published in the International Journal of Services, Economics and Management, shows that professional ambition sometimes outweighs security concerns in decisions about cloud utilization and management. The research surveyed 125 cloud users and found that career-related incentives—such as acquiring cloud expertise to boost job prospects and advance up the professional ladder—hold greater sway over decision-making than safeguarding sensitive data. Although the sample size of the survey is small, it raises some important issues that enterprises would do well to consider.
While it is natural for individuals to seek advancement, the consequences of doing so at the expense of robust security strategies can be catastrophic. Some security professionals focus less on developing solid, long-term cloud security frameworks and more on personal projects or how their actions appear on their resumes. This self-serving attitude can lead to shortcuts and negligence in deploying protective measures. The resulting breaches do not just cause minor issues; they open the door to significant financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. For individuals, the damage is even more personal—compromised identities, economic disaster, and a loss of trust in digital systems.
The ripple effect of security failures
Security professionals are, in many ways, the front line in combating data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyberthreats. When these professionals prioritize anything over fulfilling their core mission, they expose their organizations to unnecessary risks. It’s usually not a matter of technical skill; competent experts often fill these roles. The issue stems from a failure to align their expertise with the organization’s broader need for a cohesive and effectively implemented cloud security strategy.
