The Federal Trade Commission is inviting industry input on the dynamics of cloud computing, including business practices, security implications, and its impact on competition.
The agency said Wednesday that the request for information is part of its ongoing efforts to protect and secure consumer data as various sectors increasingly rely on cloud-based technology.
In 2020, FTC published six steps that companies can follow to ensure cloud security. The agency has also filed a lawsuit against companies that used third-party cloud services but failed to implement basic cyber defense measures.
In light of such incidents, FTC is seeking feedback from software providers on their competitive practices, identification and customer notification approaches in case of security risks, and the extent of different industries’ reliability on these companies.
The agency is particularly interested in the impact of cloud services on defense, transportation, e-commerce, healthcare and finance.
Responses are due by May 22 and will be posted to the website Regulations.gov.