Posted on Sep 23, 2014

Are you allowed to use cloud services for government files so you can work on them at home?

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This subject just came up where I work. Is the use of cloud services such as DropBox, iCloud, etc. for the transfer of files from your government computer so you can work on them at home a common practice in the military? Is it an authorized practice? What if those files are PII? What about other FOUO files? Does it matter what the type of file is?

Posted >1 y ago

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Responses: 3

MSG Wade Huffman

Posted >1 y ago

While cloud services are very useful for many of us, when it comes to DoD systems, I would highly recommend NOT using them until the time comes that DoD develops their own or approves an existing service. PII and other sensitive information is a definite NO-GO outside approved networks.
In the mean time, you can always use that wonderful AKO/DKO system! lol!

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SSG Shawn Birkholz

>1 y

Thanks for the comment. I know what the answer is since it is my field but I was posed this question by another service member and he stated "Everyone in the Army does it so if it is wrong everyone is wrong." I just wanted to confirm everyone is doing it.

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1SG (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

No that would not be authorized form my understanding of all the computer training we have had. Especially not PII!!

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SSG Shawn Birkholz

>1 y

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1SG (Join to see)

>1 y

You can reassure him the "everyone" IS NOT doing it SSG Shawn Birkholz

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SFC (Join to see)

>1 y

While I've been asked if there was program the Army has adopted that is LIKE these services, the personnel asking know better than to use these particular ones. And 1SG (Join to see) would be correct; Everyone is NOT doing this.

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SSG Shawn Birkholz

>1 y

Oh and did I forget to mention he was a Warrant and works in the Intel field.

I told him that saying "everyone does it is very broad" and then I said "I don't do it and my wife doesn't do it." He responded back "that he wasn't going to single out a few that aren't doing it when everyone else is." Definitely doesn't have a clue.

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TSgt Joshua Copeland

Posted >1 y ago

I know for the AF they are a huge no-go and usually blocked at the proxy level.

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SSG Shawn Birkholz

>1 y

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TSgt Joshua Copeland

>1 y

What I have seen is the use of Sharepoint to share documents with an external facing page and CAC enabled. This is technically a private cloud.

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Are you allowed to use cloud services for government files so you can work on them at home?

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