How To Keep Your Cloud Data Safe

June 22, 2022 by Staff Writer

Our hunger for data has quickly outgrown our storage options, so we needed to embrace new technologies to help us keep our data safe. Luckily, the cloud is here to help. Cloud data storage implies transferring data into multiple online servers instead of piling it up on your devices, and it showed to be especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses were forced to switch to a remote work environment in a short time. However, data stored in the cloud need special attention, meaning users need to be acquainted with suitable protective measures and security solutions.

To help you develop a sturdy cybersecurity plan for protecting your data in the cloud, we prepared a list of tips you want to have on hand.

Use strong credentials and keep them safe

Despite passwords being the most common method of protecting our accounts, poor password practices occur more often than not. From using your pet’s name to your mom’s birthday, there’s a whole array of personal information people love to use in their credentials, although it is a serious threat to your online security. Strong passwords should use a random combination of characters, numbers and symbols. The reason for this is because your personal details are scattered throughout the internet. If your password is linked to this information, you’re at increased risk of being hacked. Remember that your passwords must be at least fifteen characters long and contain a unique combination of numbers, letters, and symbols. Also, feel free to use spacing and emojis because they also count.

Use multi-factor authentication

Since passwords aren’t the most reliable authentication method, layering a few more safety measures can significantly improve the overall security of your cloud-stored data. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) usually relies on knowledge (passwords, PINs), inherence (biometrics like a fingerprint), and possession (cards, tokens, security keys). This way, hackers would have to get through all three layers of authentication to get to your data. Fortunately, this is highly improbable since your MFA app will encourage you to change your credentials as soon as it suspects someone has tried to gain unauthorized access to your account.

Check your data backup and recovery options

Backing up your data means transferring the copy of your files to a remote, safe location. In case your data gets lost or subjected to a ransomware attack, you’ll be able to pull it up from your secure data storage. This is especially important for companies dealing with large amounts of highly valuable data that can, if stolen, compromise the entire business venture. Google Cloud users can check their Backup and Disaster Recovery features and set up a meeting with their security specialist to create a customized backup plan for them. However, if you want to ensure all the data from your devices has been adequately backed up, you may want to compare different off-site data backup services and see which one fits your needs.

Conclusion

Keeping an eye on massive amounts of data isn’t an easy task. Remember that every person needs different security methods depending on the information they need to secure. We advise implementing one of our suggestions at a time and expanding your cybersecurity plan according to the threats you may face.