Tech Corner: February 2023
Topic: Are my file really safe in the cloud?
Now adays, we are afforded the luxury of “storing files in the cloud” and it has created an ease of accessibility of data to all devices. Cloud storage helps solve many data concerns of the past such as lack of local storage, hardware failure of devices, creating duplicate copies to avoid data loss, and trying to store all of your data in one convenient location.
As of 2022, over 60 percent of corporate data is stored within the cloud, while over 50 percent of personal data is stored within the cloud. The world is certainly taking to the convenience of the cloud solutions; however, the common misconception is that if resides in the cloud, then it is much safer…. However, if you recall prior tech corner articles, every time technology provides a luxury, there are risks associated with it.
Be aware of some of the risks with cloud storage and fail-safes around them:
Cloud storage is nothing more than a local server environment, off-site:
Just as local servers and data storage fail, the possibility of a cloud solution failing is just as possible. It is true that storing data within the cloud is less as risky as your local USB drive that you manually copy files to, but cloud environments fail, are vulnerable to infections, and even able to be hacked. It is still not a bad idea to keep a redundant copy of data that you store in the cloud, just in case!
Cloud storage is secured by passwords:
We have learned over time that passwords are often compromised and with that, threat actors gain access to accounts and data purely through the leak or unfortunate “clicking of bad links” to give away passwords and logon criteria. Use strong passwords for your logons, use multi factor authentication whenever possible, and be cautious of odd emails, texts, or phone calls from someone claiming to need access to your security.
Cloud storage is a one-stop-shop collection of your data:
With the convenience of having all of your data accessible in one location and to all devices comes the security risk of doing so. Allowing someone access to your cloud data can put you at risk of complete loss, infection, hacking, or identify theft. Having your information is a convenience and luxury afforded to you, so try and keep it that way.
So now that you know the importance of keeping your data secure through proper security, passwords, and practices, the other factor is to make sure you utilize more reputable platforms for your cloud storage. Don’t go with the cheapest solution available, use something that is more well-known and widely used in the market!
