In this digital age, it’s ill-advised to trust someone with your sensitive data. No matter where you have kept your data, you have to live with the reality that it can be breached at some point.
You, therefore, need to put preventive measures in place to prevent this from happening.
With the cloud-based storage services, you don’t have to move around with portable hard disks and thumb drives. Cloud solutions such as Google Drive will not just help you store your data but allows for ease of access as well. You can access them at any place provided you’re connected to the internet.
While convenience is something we all value, uploading sensitive data to a cloud provider can have far-reaching effects on data security. Remember, you can’t be sure who else will access this information, especially when unauthorized persons have access to your cloud providers.
To that end, you can always keep your data secure by making some extra efforts, including:
Backup Your Data
Having a backup plan is an essential component of your data managing system. As a rule of thumb, develop electronic copies for all your data. This way, you’re sure to access them even if your original data is breached.
Take advantage of the various cloud storage services available and create cloud accounts to back up your data.
What’s more, you should always ensure to back up your data manually in a physical storage device such as a thumb drive or a hard disk. This way, you can access your information even when you have no internet connection.
Avoid Storing Your Sensitive Data in the Cloud
While you can’t avoid keeping your information on the cloud altogether, it is advisable to not store your sensitive information there. You can rarely find real privacy on the internet, and cloud providers are not different.
Online fraud and identity theft are on the rise today and we guess you wouldn’t want to risk any of that, right?
We would, therefore, advise you to only keep files that need to be accessed frequently on the cloud. You should not keep your passwords for your online accounts or personal identification information like national identification number, home address, credit card numbers, etc. on the cloud.
You should only upload your sensitive information on the cloud after encrypting them.
Encrypt Your Data to a Third-Party Tool
While you can keep your data secure by using cloud services that encrypt your data, you can have an extra layer of protection. You can add an additional layer of data encryption in the cloud by pre-encrypting your data before putting it on the cloud using services such as kindite.
You only need to download this app and develop secret key sequences to your files before putting them on the cloud. We would still advise you to opt for a third-party encryption service even if you have an encrypted cloud service for extra assurance.
Find Out How Your Cloud Service Storage Works
Before you opt to use any cloud storage service, be sure to read the user agreement to understand how their storage service works. While going through those text volumes may be boring, the information will go a long way in helping you make an informed decision.
Choose a Strong Password
Using a strong password, one that a stand a hacking attempt, is the first step you should take to protect yourself. While it’s good to choose a unique and strong password, you should ensure to change it frequently and avoid using the same password on all your online accounts.
You can also opt for the two-step login verification. For instance, if you’re using Google Drive, you’ll be required to, first, login to your Google account before using the cloud storage service.
Use Anti-Virus Software
Sometimes your data can be breached as a result of the system you’ve logged in from. Lack of an appropriate protection system against viruses can make your account vulnerable to hackers.
Be Cautious of Your Activities Online
Your online behavior, especially on non-private computers and connections, plays a key role in determining the security of your cloud data. To stay safe, avoid saving your password when using a public computer and ensure to log out of your account after you’re done. This way, you’ll minimize the chances of unauthorized persons accessing your data.
Don’t Assume Your Data is Secure, Test It
Sometimes you may want to seek the help of certified ethical hackers to test your security measures. This way, you’ll rest assured that no one can access your data without your authorization.
