When a cloud customer uploads PII to a cloud provider, who becomes ultimately responsible for the security of that PII?

The cloud customer ultimately retains responsibility for the security of personally identifiable information (PII) uploaded to the cloud provider. This accountability stems from the principle of data ownership; even when data is stored or processed by a third-party provider, the cloud customer remains responsible for ensuring that it is protected and managed in compliance with relevant regulations and best practices.

Specifically, the cloud customer needs to implement security measures such as encryption, access controls, and monitoring to safeguard the PII. They must also ensure that any actions taken with respect to the data align with applicable privacy laws and policies, including obtaining necessary consent from the individuals to whom the PII belongs.

While the cloud provider offers infrastructure and may provide tools and services to help secure that data, the onus remains on the cloud customer to ensure they are using these tools effectively and in a responsible manner.