Despite the many benefits of cloud computing, a significant portion of business leaders and political agencies across the globe are avoiding this kind of data aggregation because of serious cyber threats. By taking a quick look at the news cycle, you'll find that their fears are justified.

From high profile data breaches against Sony Pictures and bitcoin to less discussed cyberattacks against hospitals and federal entities, hackers are roaming data centers and disrupting regular business activities. While tech engineers and IT managers are doing their best to weather the storm, it has become increasingly clear that many businesses and organizations will need much greater cybersecurity measures going forward.

State Department faces ongoing hacker threats
According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Department of State confirmed hackers in its network three months ago, yet has been unable to root them out. The National Security Agency and external contractors have done their best to assist the agency, but their efforts haven't been fruitful. That said, this isn't unusual territory for the State Department.

"We deal successfully with thousands of attacks every day," Marie Harf, the spokeswoman for the State Department, said in a written statement, the news outlet reported. "We take any possible cyber intrusion very serious – as we did with the one we discussed several months ago – and we deal with them in conjunction with other relevant government agencies."

Russian hacker extradited to United States
A Russian hacker has been extradited to the U.S. and recently appeared in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey, according to the Department of Justice. Vladimir Drinkman, a 34-year-old hacker from Syktyvkar and Moscow, Russia, has been charged as a contributor to the data theft of more than 160 million credit card numbers, which led to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.

"Hackers often take advantage of international borders and differences in legal systems, hoping to evade extradition to face justice," said Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "This case and today's extradition demonstrates that through international cooperation and through great teamwork between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, we are able to bring cyber thieves to justice in the United States, wherever they may commit their crimes."

Political agencies should embrace biometrics
No matter the federal agency, executives should adopt biometric technology to better protect sensitive intelligence against hackers. This form of data center security calls for personal identification and ensures access control to only the right workers.