The concept of security performance emerges as the core attribute when cloud-based systems need to process data flows through different countries. To effectively address the cloud security issues through a territorial perspective, it is crucial to focus on the initial objectives of the Terms of Service as issued by the cloud service operator or provider. In this paper, a cloud-based service scenario where sensitive data are transferred and managed in a cross-border manner is assessed. The threats definition process considers the adoption of mobile devices. The paper focuses on the security assessment process and on information reconnaissance which in turn leads to the cloud defence boundary's exploitation. Also, the issue of how the service level objectives (SLOs) may affect security and privacy issues in a cloud-based environment is addressed.