How to Secure Your Data in the Cloud data storage ?
Are you new to the term ‘Cloud’? Well, in case your answer is yes, it is a collection of computers on the net that certain companies use to provide their services. Cloud backup and storage are revolutionary storage methodologies for your data. Irrespective of pictures to music files and to sensitive and priority documents, the cloud operates in an invisible manner and backs up your folders and files and thus alleviates the costly and endless search for additional storage space. An alternative to the cloud can be either deleting your new files to make space for new ones or to delete the old files or may be purchasing an external hard drive. On the other hand storing your files on the cloud can be both cost-effective and convenient. The cloud stores your files on a remote server out in the internet rather than storing them on your local drives.
The first and most important step for using a cloud service is to select a provider who can meet your requirements. Here are some points that you must consider while selecting the best cloud storage provider:
- Is the provider using appropriate security standards? You need to so a little research on this aspect. Ensure that the concerned provider enjoys a good reputation and has solid security policies in place as you will trust it for storing your personal information.
- What will be the storage volume? You must look out for a provider with a realistic expectation of the size of space you require for your online data storage. Most of the providers charge according to the storage amount you would be requesting.
- Does data encryption happen when it is either downloaded from or uploaded to the cloud? You must ensure that your app or web browser needs an encrypted connection before downloading or uploading your data.
- Have your data been encrypted while stored in the cloud? You need to go through the provider’s service terms to find the exact details about this but very often your data is stored on the server of the cloud service provider without any encryption. This indicates that anyone who can get a high level access to that particular server can read your files. While such issues may not be prevalent for most of your files, but you need to still think carefully what type of information you need to store in the cloud and whether you are ok for someone else to access them without your knowledge. Make sure that all data that is usually protected by law such as financial data should be only stored provided the cloud service provider is offering you an encrypted data storage solution.
- Find out whether your cloud folder has a shared access or not: There are many cloud providers who may provide shared access for your online folders with other users. You need to ensure how this will work. Find out whether those others can only read your files or can even change the contents or not. Do you know those other users who share the folder access along with you?