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So we\u2019ve got data stored somewhere on cloud servers \u2013 photos on Facebook, conversations in Skype, etc. \u2013 but what happens if one of these services take a knock and our data gets wiped?<\/p>\nWe need to store all that data somewhere. Hard drives were our only resort a few decades ago. Today, cloud is the new frontier on the data storage land, brimming with features.<\/p>\n
So we\u2019ve got data stored somewhere on cloud servers \u2013 photos on Facebook, conversations in Skype, etc. \u2013 but what happens if one of these services take a knock and our data gets wiped?<\/p>\n
The cloud has many benefits (affordable prices, access to massive storage, remote accessibility), but it\u2019s not 100% foolproof. Even if we trust the most reliable cloud services with our data, things can go awry at any point and a crash\/failure may permanently destroy some data.<\/p>\n
But why is data not safe in the cloud?<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Cloud data storage has worked well for long, so it\u2019s natural to assume that everything is safe, particularly because the transfer and backup process is transparent and automatic. However, cloud data is vulnerable to the same threats as the internet as a whole. Here\u2019s a run-down of some of those threats:<\/p>\n Cyber-attacks<\/strong><\/p>\n At any time we store information in the cloud, we are at a risk for a data breach. This storage format is of particular interest to cyber criminals as large volumes of data is stored by companies and consumers on cloud servers. An attack like distributed-denial-of-service can disrupt the composition of all this data. Codespaces had to close down its business due to data loss, which was a result of the DDoS attack on its cloud storage server.<\/p>\n Password hacks<\/strong><\/p>\n Mat Honan, a tech writer, lost one single password to a hack in 2012, but because his accounts were kept under the same cloud storage service, the hacker was able to get into his email account using remote access and wipe all the data on his MacBook, iPhone and iPad. Everything from important documents to family photos was gone forever. The takeaway? Besides software and hardware failure, even user error with the cloud can contribute to data loss.<\/p>\n Server crash\/failure\/outage<\/strong><\/p>\n Amazon\u2019s EC2 cloud services crash destroyed some data on a permanent basis. While the data loss was small compared to the total data stored, it was catastrophic for some companies. Chartbeat, one of Amazon\u2019s customers, had to inform its clients that 11 hours of historical data was deleted permanently.<\/p>\n What can you do to prevent cloud data loss?<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n While most of the threats to cloud computing are unpredictable (and some are unpreventable), users can take steps to mitigate the loss. Here are some measures you can take when signing up for a cloud storage service: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Check the passwords you use for your accounts. Are you using the same password for different services? If we answered yes, we may be setting yourself up for data loss. Instead, use a password manager and set up different passwords for different accounts.\u00a0 Password management services like LastPass and RoboForm can help you generate hard-to-guess passwords and save them on devices you frequently use to access cloud storage services. However, you will need to protect your devices as physical theft may lead to password compromise.<\/p>\n Two-factor authentication may not be foolproof, but it\u2019s an important step in securing the data stored in your accounts from threats like cyber attacks. So make sure you\u2019ll be notified if a cyber criminal tries to manipulate your password, and if there were security questions involved in setting up a password, make sure to select obscure questions. Services like Twitter, Facebook, Google, Rackspace, WordPress (plugin required) and Amazon offer two-factor authentication to their customers.<\/p>\n Review connected accounts with access to your cloud data. In Box and Microsoft services, for example, you can review your connected accounts under the settings menu. If there are connected accounts that you discontinued, remove them. You don\u2019t want an account that you no longer use become the gateway for hackers to access your active account. Keep lists clean on cloud storage services and social media networks.<\/p>\n In case of highly sensitive information, it\u2019s important to encrypt the data with a program like Boxcryptor before storing it in the cloud. Another thing you can do is select a cloud service provider that offers local decryption and encryption of your data in addition to backup and storage. It removes the need of using a data encryption program and reduces the possibility that server administrators or service providers will have access to your data (also referred to as zero-knowledge privacy).<\/p>\n Don\u2019t store everything in the cloud if you want to give yourself a good chance to restore data when failures and outages occur. Back up your mission critical information to a local server; while this may sound cumbersome to do, there are many applications with data export settings to make the process seamless. You can also create a few copies on external hard drives to avoid permanent data loss.<\/p>\n While terms of service agreements may appear as a burden to go through, they often include important considerations pertaining to privacy and security policies. If anything gives you a pause, ask the service provider or the customer support department what a given clause implies, or use a search engine to read opinions of others. If your cloud provider is known to update its terms and policies frequently, ask the company to notify you of the change.<\/p>\n These steps will minimise the chances of cloud data loss. Additionally, if there\u2019s anything you\u2019d hate to part with, or anything you\u2019re worried an overzealous service provider may snoop your account over, take it off the cloud and store it on your local server.<\/p>\n Whether it’s a private person or company, during the migration to the cloud the appropriate level of preparedness is the most important thing. Apart from the above mentioned tips, it is crucial to get to know as much as possible about the selected service provider before concrete steps we dedicate ourselves.<\/p>\n Source: www.cloudcomputing-news.net<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We need to store all that data somewhere. Hard drives were our only resort a few decades ago. Today, cloud is the new frontier on the data storage land, brimming with features. So we\u2019ve got data stored somewhere on cloud … Continue reading \n
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