When used in relation to information technology, the term cloud refers a digital store house where people upload files including those containing their top secretes. This store house is believed to be beyond the hands of hackers yet the users can access the files anytime wherever they are. Anyone can have his or her information stored in the cloud. But care must be taken to ensure that the information stored is safe. Here are four tips to help you ensure you secure your files.
Table of Contents
1.) Protect Your Cloud Through A Two-Step Verification Processes:
If hackers snoop hard and find the cloud storage you are using, they will easily access and read through your files. If the hackers are able to get your user name, obviously they will try every possible combination of letters, numbers and punctuations to try and access your files.
Because of these risks, firms that offer cloud storage services offer two step verification processes. The verification may be in the form of a text, email and a phone that will have a constantly changing key. This is the stage that the hackers may not be able to pass even if they successfully crack your password.
2.) Understand The File That Actually Benefit From Cloud:
Other than having a two step verification which essentially protects your file from hackers, the second tip that can help safeguard your data from being lost in the event of wires misfiring is to know the files that benefit from the cloud. Initially, there are people who thought that by saving their files on dropbox folder that is synchronized and shared by other devices, the files were secure. To such people, it can be heartbreaking when they learn that their files have disappeared from the cloud and from all the devices.
Because of this reasons, it is important that you consider whether you will use your files on laptop or Smartphone. Similarly, you need to consider whether there will be need to have such files shared or not. The only way to ensure that your cloud storage is safe is to save the file onto your document folder before the file is copied into the cloud storage drive.
3.) Secure Your Cloud Data Through Encryption:
The third tip which is important in ensuring that your data and files are safe, is having it encrypted before it reaches the second destination. This ensures that no one is able to intercept and read the file while it is on the way. Encryption refers to a process of encoding information and messages so that only authorized persons can read and understand its content. Encryption does not stop or prevent interception. The message may be intercepted but since it is encrypted using algorithm, it can only be read by decrypting it a process that converts it back to plain text. An encryption scheme uses pseudo –random key which is generated by an algorithm. It requires huge skills and resources to decrypt the text.
The sender must always provide the key to the recipient so that he can easily decrypt the message. Thus, even when the message is intercepted, the unauthorized interceptor may find it useless since he may not be in a position to decrypt it. Therefore before any file is send to the cloud, it is important that it is encrypted. Unfortunately, sending files over the internet does not automatically encrypt it. Fortunately, there are a number of cloud providers that allows for automatic encryption of the data before it is send to the server. The connections are encrypted and this keeps the snoopers at bay. Therefore, as much as backing up your files is key, encryption is also important.
4.) Get Your Own Cloud:
Arguably one of the safest ways to keep your data secure is by getting your own cloud. Today, a server can be easily installed and managed in the comfort of your own office and a number of innovative startups have entered this space with cloud servers for home users and small businesses. Although, other risks like theft or hardware failures are significant higher, one can be ensured that the data are not stored on a oversee server where hackers access confidential information.
As with so many things, one might argue that the right approach is a combination of all tips and possible more, since there is no silver bullet that can ensure that your data is protect on the Internet.
About the Author:Felix Strasser is Head of Marketing at MyHelpster, a promising UK startup that is set out to help users with technology through instant access to trusted Experts. For more advice on how to improve work practices or resolve tech issues, visit MyHelpster for affordable solutions in under 30 minutes.
Thanks Felix for the useful article. All points are good except the 4th one. It is not possible for a regular user to maintain a cloud server. It is too costly.