Risks Identification and Ranking in Information Technology Projects Based on Cloud Computing

Abstract

Management delicacies in risks of information technology projects, are not always taking into consideration; that is why these projects neither achieve the anticipated profits, nor lead to success. Identifying the most important risks of information technology and assess their correlations has a key role in administrative decision making. Proper implementation of IT project depends on identifying and assessing the major risks of information technology projects. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the relationship between factors by utilizing widely-known risks in Cloud Computing technology. Data were collected using an online questionnaire and email. Specialists in Cloud Computing Research Center of Amirkabir University constituted the study population .Among the Center’s professional members, 39people participated in the study. Eleven participants, who had the best conditions for scientific research, were selected by Delphi method. Among the 35 extracted from the library research, 19 crucial risks in Cloud Computing-based information technology projects in Iran were definitely approved and ranked. Given the level of and probability of occurrence; encounter strategy was determined. Risks related to protection and network breaks received the highest ratings; Strategies to deal with it was determined as totally avoidable. Risks, such as distributed denial of service (DDoS), cloud provider malicious insider ,social engineering attacks (i.e. Impersonation),and illegal data leakage on up/download, intra-cloud were placed at the next rank and the situation was called dangerous and strategies to deal with it were identified as reduce the probability or impact and a number of other strategies as risk compliance .