Book excerpt: NIST SP 800-144 Guidelines on Security and Privacy in Public Cloud Computing is prepared by The National Institute of Standards and Technology. The purpose of the document is to provide an overview of public cloud computing and the security and privacy challenges involved. The document discusses the threats, technology risks, and safeguards for public cloud environments, and provides the insight needed to make informed information technology decisions on their treatment. The document does not prescribe or recommend any specific cloud computing service, service arrangement, service agreement, service provider, or deployment model. Each organization must perform its own analysis of its needs, and assess, select, engage, and oversee the public cloud services that can best fulfill those needs.Topics covered:Public cloud servicesKey security and privacy issuesComplianceIdentify and access managementData protectionIncident response Public cloud outsourcing Disclaimer This hardcopy is not published by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the US Government or US Department of Commerce. The publication of this document should not in any way imply any relationship or affiliation to the above named organizations and Government.