I saw a picture on The Cyber Security Hub‘s LinkedIn page that said:
“There is no cloud, it’s just someone else’s computer.”
There were some great points made in the comments under that picture about whether that is an accurate statement. For me, it is an oversimplification that, while generally true, may not be completely helpful. This is just like saying that your office belongs to the landlord simply because you are leasing the space from them. While you expect to have privacy and security in your leased space, ultimately the contents are yours and you are still trusting that the owner/property manager of that space will respect that and meet their obligations to maintain it. You still need to do your part to that end as well—like locking the door on your way out.
One of the most important ways you can protect yourself when using the cloud or leasing office space is with the contract you sign. Make sure that the contract is not only protecting the landlord, but serving to protect you and/or your business. Make sure your cloud service agreements are tailored to protect your interests. You may not want to enforce them all the time and enforcing some provisions may prove difficult, but you put yourself in the best position to protect yourself by doing so.