News stories routinely reveal horror stories about high-profile data breaches that compromise the sensitive and personal data of thousands of users. Such headlines can make you wonder about the safety of the files you save to the cloud.
Cloud storage gives you an alternative to storing your data on your computer, device, or server. After saving a file to the cloud, you can access it from any location using any device. Similarly, you can share your files with other people who can view, edit, and save their changes. Fortunately, you don’t need to sacrifice security to enjoy that convenience.
Is Cloud Storage Secure?
Simply put, cloud storage is safe for numerous reasons. For instance, state-of-the-art firewalls inspect network activities in real time and proactively block suspicious activity. So, when hackers try to enter the system, the security system detects and blocks them based on their IP address and other metrics.
Cloud servers have advanced software applications that detect intrusions. So, if a cybercriminal managed to traverse the firewall, administrators become immediately aware of their presence. Furthermore, automatic countermeasures quickly shut down such attacks.
When you save files to the cloud, the server encrypts them in real time. Afterward, only people with proper credentials can access them. So, even if hackers downloaded your data, they would have to decrypt them before doing anything with them.
Event logging provides an audit trail that analysts can use to trace malicious behavior. In addition to providing evidence in support of criminal cases, these logs help engineers identify and rectify system vulnerabilities.
As part of cloud storage security best practices, servers maintain an automatic backup schedule. So, if you accidentally delete your files, your service provider probably can restore them. Some systems store historical snapshots of your files and give users the ability to revert to previous versions.
Finally, cloud storage services provide exceptional physical security to keep your files private and safe. In other words, service providers ensure that only authorized personnel can access their premises. Additionally, redundant servers and storage systems ensure that your files can survive hardware failures and natural disasters.
Now, compare the security features of cloud storage to your computer and on-premises server. Cloud storage gives you a safe, survivable way to save and share your files.