Almost nine tenths of ICT decision-makers are changing their cloud buying behaviours in the wake of Edward Snowden’s cyber-surveillance allegations.

According to a survey by NTT Communications, which questioned 1,000 ICT decision makers on thier approach to the Cloud, revealed  nine “major” after-shocks from the NSA scandal.

1. 88% of ICT decision-makers are changing their cloud buying behaviour, with 38% amending their procurement conditions for cloud providers

2. Only 5% of respondents believe location does not matter when it comes to storing company data

3. 31% of ICT decision-makers are moving data to locations where the business knows it will be safe

4. 62% of those not currently using cloud feel the revelations have prevented them from moving their ICT into the Cloud

5. ICT decision-makers now prefer buying a cloud service which is located in their own region, especially EU respondents 97% and US respondents 92%

6. 52% are carrying out greater due diligence on cloud providers than ever before

7. 16% is delaying or cancelling contracts with cloud service providers

8. 84% feel they need more training on data protection laws

9. 82% of all ICT decision-makers globally agree with proposals by Angela Merkel for separating data networks

NTT Communications VP of product strategy in Europe Len Padilla said the results show the NSA allegations have changed ICT decision-makers attitudes towards cloud computing and where data is stored.

He said decision makers, however, need to keep in mind the benefits that cloud can bring to business services.

"Despite the scandal and global security threat, business executives need to remember that cloud platforms do help firms become more agile, and do help foster technology innovation, even in the most risk-averse organisations," Padilla said.

"ICT decision-makers are working hard to find ways to retain those benefits and protect the organization against being compromized in any way. There is optimism that the industry can solve these issues through restricting data movement and encryption of data," Padilla said.

Earlier this year Canadian data center services company Peer 1 surveyed 300 businesses about storing their data in the US and the effects the revelations had on their decision making.

It found 25% of UK and Canadian IT decision makers said they had made plans to move company data outside of the US.

Microsoft allowed its foreign customers to move personal data stored on servers outside of the US in January following the scandal.

The scandal came to attention after secret documents were leaked by the NSA’s former contractor Edward Snowden in June 2013.

NTT's report is titled NSA Aftershocks: How Snowden has changed IT decision-makers’ approach to the cloud.

It took responses from decision-makers in France, Germany, Hong Kong, the UK and the US.