Cloud Storage Privacy

Cloud Storage Privacy: Safely Navigating the Cloud

You may have had enough security concerns about your data being stored digitally. Now you know that it’s out there in the cloud, and for many, that is an even greater concern. Sure, we love having access to our saved data from any location and on any device. The tradeoff is privacy vulnerability. How can you improve cloud storage privacy and protect your personal data? Here are a few tips.

First of all, let’s talk about photos. Before you use any app or social networking site, you need to check the TOS to see how your photos are stored and used. Some companies maintain a copy of your photo—even if you delete it from your profile or device. See if there is a setting that disables that function. The same holds true for your device backup. Many backup services such as iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive (Microsoft’s cloud storage service) may hang onto copies of pics that you have deleted from your device. Check the settings on your cloud backup. You don’t want that picture you take at the bar over the weekend to end up floating around the web for years to come.

Another major security must for cloud computing is two-factor authentication. This requires something other than just your password (like a security question, or a place to enter a code you request via text) in order to log in. It’s available on most popular services such as Dropbox and those mentioned above. But this is never the standard option, so if you want a second step to logging in, you need to turn the option on from the settings. It’s a tradeoff in convenience for some extra peace of mind.

Finally, stick to the basics. Make sure your passwords are all strong. Maintain a secondary backup for vital data in case the cloud server goes down for your primary service. Finally, don’t put anything in the cloud that you absolutely can’t afford to have hacked. Remember, cloud storage privacy is partly oxymoronic, as nothing is absolutely protected in the digital world.