In another recent blog post, we explained the difference between cloud backups and cloud storage. It follows that business owners would also want to know about security and if they can confidently store their sensitive data in the cloud.
Cloud storage and backups have come a long way in a few short years. After a series of breaches and negative publicity given to cloud providers a few years ago, the big players have doubled down on their security efforts. They realize they must have the confidence of the business community or they just won’t get any customers.
These days cloud providers use huge data centers that are in non-descript locations, have CIA type security access, and multiple layers of access control, HVAC, power supply redundancies, and many layers of backups. You can’t just walk in and visit these places – security is generally very tight.
As your data is moved up to the cloud, it should be encrypted from the moment it leaves your computer all the way to its also-encrypted storage space in the cloud. Even if someone were able to intercept your data on its way to (or from) the data centre, they would be unable to decrypt and view it without your account credentials. This is thanks to the very sophisticated encryption algorithms they use.
Most providers assign a random encryption key to you, while others allow you to create your own password/encryption key. Make sure you understand how your data is being handled.
To summarize, you should feel confident using reputable cloud storage and backup platforms. We love and use OneDrive for Business from Microsoft. It's available with most Office 365 subscriptions, and provides you with enormous storage space (1TB), advanced permissions, and flexible sharing options.
If you’re not sure about the security of your data, ask. And if after you’re still in doubt, ask us and we’ll be happy to assist.