You’ve heard the talk, maybe even read it here, and know that the Cloud is the way of the future. Hopefully, your on board and ready to take the leap. But for many business, the last hurdle to cloud storage is the security. Oftentimes this worry is heightened by media reports of data leaks from Target, to Edward Snowden, and most recently the Panama Papers. Most of which these are not actually a result of cloud storage. The option to go paperless and switch to cloud document-management is actually incredibly secure.
First and foremost, cloud storage of data has to meet very strict government regulation. It is constantly being scrutinized and analyzed to make the cloud the best storage option solution. Cloud storage is made secure in three ways:
1. Encryption: Data sent over the cloud is encrypted. The encryption uses an algorithm to encode the information. This algorithm is understood by the computers and not by humans on their own. To decode the files as a human, an encryption key is needed. Most hackers simply do not have access to the computer power and resources to create this encryption key.
2. Authentication: To access cloud-based storage authentication of identity will always be mandatory. For most this will involve a user name and log-in. The best way to ensure security is to follow the recommendations for every user name in login. One you can remember, minimal repeated characters, not including personal information, and a mix of letters, numbers, symbols, lowercase, and uppercase.
3. Accessibility: Not every one will have access to every file. As a client, you will provide the list of who can access what information. This will provide an extra level of security. For example, a technician will most likely have none to very limited access of anything. The President will most likely have access to almost all of the files. As the client, cloud storage will allow you to pick who has access to what ensuring security. Only those you approve will have be able to view the documents.
Non-cloud storage has it’s dangers, as well. It can be destroyed by physical elements, shared by an angry employee, or accessed by robbers. Companies of cloud storage are committed to providing the best service possible and that mean’s the best security possible.