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5 Security Tips to Ensure the Safety of Your Data on Cloud Storage

Most people rely on cloud storage these days on their desktops and mobile phones without second thoughts. It allows them to access different types of files, passwords, and much more anywhere from any device of their choice.

However, cloud storages come with risks as well. Since the data gets stored mostly on shared servers, cybercriminals can hack them and gain access to our files. In this article, we are going to give you some tips that can prevent that from happening.

 

Use Encrypted Cloud Storage

Encryption is your first line of defense against cyberattacks. Therefore make sure that you use reputable cloud storage that uses the latest encryption standards to store your files. Encryption is a method that uses complex forms of computer algorithms to hide your information from cyber attackers.

If a hacker wants to get that information, he or she would need to gain access to the decryption key. That requires plenty of computer processing, the use of forensic software, and a lot of effort. Cloud storages that use encryption can be considered safer than storing information on your hard drive.

However, not all of them use the same level of encryption, so make sure you read about it before you choose one. There is plenty of information available about cloud storage solutions that can help you make an informed decision.

 

Use Two-Factor Authentication

The usual combination of username and password is not sufficient any longer to keep your data safe on cloud storage. If a hacker can gain access to your credentials, it will be easy for them to steal your data. Therefore use cloud services that require two-factor or multi-factor authentication to grant access to the storage apps. That way, you will be sure that only authorized people can gain access to the stored data. Two-factor authentication is one of the cheapest yet most secure ways to ensure that hackers would not be able to gain access to your data stored in the cloud.

 

Manage User Access

If you use cloud storage for business purposes, you do not need to give access to every employee in the organization. Therefore make sure that you set up the levels of authorization in your organization so that only those employees can view and edit the files that are supposed to do so.

Proper allocation of authorization credentials will ensure that employees do not edit or delete any information that they are not supposed to access. It will also ensure that hackers are not able to steal an employee’s credentials and gain access to every file present in the cloud storage.

For example, if your employees have access to all your files, and they fall prey to phishing mail, they would be handing over the keys to all your data to the hacker. If you do not have the in-house resources to accomplish that, we suggest that you hire qualified cloud software engineers to get this done.

You must provide anti-phishing training to your employees regularly and make it a part of your onboarding process. You should also have a comprehensive off-boarding system in place to ensure that when employees leave your company, they are not able to access the cloud storage anymore.

 

Monitor the Login and User Activities

You must monitor the logins and user activities on your cloud storage to keep an eye out for irregular activities, such as access from previously unknown IP addresses. Monitoring unusual activities on your cloud storage can help you to identify and stop any malicious endeavors before they cause harm to your organization.

Many cloud services offer these services, so make sure you choose one that includes them in the package. You can read online reviews that can help you make the right choice. If your preferred cloud storage does not provide monitoring services, you can always use a third-party monitoring system.

 

Use Cloud Storage With Backup Solutions

When it comes to cloud storage, there are more chances of you losing data through human error than through security problems. For example, your employee might delete some data by mistake while working on a particular file.

Most cloud solutions offer backups for these kinds of errors. Some storages offer restoration of previous versions of the files after they have been saved. Other cloud services provide the facility to store deleted files for a short period. So make sure that you choose cloud storage that offers similar solutions. There’s another option. For complete protection of your data, you can choose cloud-to-cloud backup solution (C2C).

Cloud storage is a convenient option for individuals and businesses to store data. However, the security of the data can be a big concern if it is not handled properly. Choosing the right cloud storage is more than half the job, so make sure that you consider the factors we discussed while choosing and implementing cloud storage at your organization.