Cloud storage has taken the business world by storm. And why not? After all, cloud storage offers many benefits to businesses, both large and small. Cloud storage is affordable, easy to access, and offers disaster recovery, automation, scalability, collaboration, as well as security.
But one thing that has attracted a lot of scrutiny in the recent past is the kind of security it offers. After all, when you entrust a third-party storage facility to store your sensitive data, you would want to know whether your information can be stored safely and securely or not.
So, is cloud storage safe?
The answer is an emphatic “Yes!”
Though hackers are trying to change public perception about the safety of cloud storage, it remains one of the safest methods to store your information and data.
Are those data clouds foreboding?
Globally, companies are moving their business operations to the cloud. Not just companies, even individuals now prefer to use clouds instead of using flash drives and USBs. Even we prefer uploading our photo albums on the cloud instead of sending them by email. We seem to trust the cloud more than ever before.
But are you sure that your data will remain safe and secure?
As of now, there seems to be no definite answer to this question. The reason is data privacy policies are unable to catch up with the speed at which technology is progressing. There are no clear-cut policies on how countries and regions should deal with legal issues about data privacy in the cloud. There are no universal laws that apply to any user and cloud service provider. Most of the declarations, proposals, and roadmaps of information privacy are not legally binding.
Formulating a sound information privacy policy is a problem for lawmakers across the world. There are several problems to address. Transborder data flow is the first major problem. Some countries have regulations in place for privacy issues for the data that is stored on their servers (servers within the country), but they are also unable to regulate transborder data flow.
Data storage servers in the United States are among the most popular in the world, but people from different countries use them for storing their data. There is no clarity on the laws that can be applied to regulate the stored data because so many countries are involved.
Another issue is that there is no clarity as to who all and under what circumstances can get legal permission to access your stored data. Therefore, users need to understand that if state authorities want to access your personal information, they can do so if they have a legal paper in hand.
But cloud storage can still work for you well if you take all the necessary precautions. If you follow the best practices, your cloud data can remain safe and protected.
CIO provides five tips to keep your data secure on the cloud:
- Don’t store your sensitive information in the cloud – The bottom line is to keep your data secure. There are two ways to do it – you either don’t store your sensitive information on the cloud or take appropriate precautions if you plan to store your data on the cloud. With adequate precautions in place, you can keep your data secure.
- Read the user agreement to know how your cloud storage service operates – To know how your cloud storage service works, what your rights are, and what are the precautions you must take, you need to read the service agreement carefully. People generally don’t read the full agreement and miss essential information.
- Never underestimate the importance of passwords – Although most know this, very few people pay adequate attention. Did you know that 90 percent of all passwords can be cracked within seconds? Don’t create passwords that are easy to crack. Don’t fall for the easy-to-create-and-remember trap. Also, don’t just have one password for all your accounts.
- Always use encryption – This is by far the best method to protect your data. Generally, encryption works as follows: You have a file you want to move to a cloud, you use certain software with which you create a password for that file, you move that password-protected file to the cloud and no one is ever able to see the content of the file not knowing the password.
- Make sure that the cloud storage service you opt for uses encryption – Apart from providing storage and backup, reliable cloud storage service providers also encrypt and decrypt your files so that your data remains safe. The encryption helps in keeping your data secure on your computer as well as your data in the cloud. Even your service providers and server administrators cannot access your files.
Sweeping away your worries about the cloud
When adequate precautions are put in place at both ends, you don’t need to worry about the safety of your data. Here, we try to address some of your concerns about cloud storage so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to cloud storage for your business.
Is cloud storage reliable?
Cloud storage can keep your data safe from fires, hurricanes, computer crashes and floods, but you are still dependent on a third-party system. Cloud storage is reliable if you opt for a reputed and trustworthy cloud storage provider.
Who is using cloud storage?
Most companies (86%) now use cloud storage, and many use multiple cloud storage systems. Whichever side of the spectrum you look at cloud storage from, it is a growing vertical and has seen exponential growth since 2009.
Cloud storage is here to stay. But with the kind of debate that centers around cloud security, it is vital to take the necessary precautions to protect your digital content. And, one constant that helps you keep your information secure is data encryption that protects your internal as well as external operations.
How we protect our customers’ data
eServe offers reliable cloud-based encryption for business of all sizes, types and geographic locations. From our physical data center to the cloud, eServe helps organizations remain protected and in control. Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive solutions.
