Cloud Storage: Secure and Private? - Comments Page 2

Found something that seems to answer all of the above questions and doubts. It encrypts your files BEFORE uploading, for Home use, FREE, you can use a variety of Cloud Services, for instance taking the Free Space from each of several different and popular cloud storage offers and if properly handled can add up to even several TBs. Its called Cloud Backo... http://www.storagenewsletter.com/rubriques/cloud-online-backup-ssps-msps/cloudbacko-home-free-cloud-backup-software/ it "handles" several free cloud storage accounts and "pools" them into one giant system. Take a look and sure would like to hear Bob's opinion of this method.

I keep several Flash Drives with files backed up along with Google Drive in the cloud. Only problem with GDrive is with the folder on the computer. It may be convenient just to drag and drop files/folders to GDrive folder to have it auto backed up, BUT, it duplicates the files/folders on the hard drive taking up space. So, I routinely go to the online site and upload files/folders of important docs and such.
GDrive has been a data and photo saver when my computer has crashed or become infected. Or, I acquire a new computer. Just to to Google Drive and download everything. The USB flash drives are for the really important files/folders. Highly recommend more than one back up source just in case.

Re: "Does your home have gated perimeter access, 24x7 on-site security guards, and security cameras? Do you have a fire detection and suppression system, backup power generators, and a disaster recovery plan in the event of hurricane, flood or earthquake? Do you have sophisticated network monitoring and intrusion detection software?"

Those are strong points, indeed. You've almost persuaded me.
I live in New England. Fire, hurricane, and network intrusion could be issues. Maybe burglary, though my 4-year-old desktop is hardly worth stealing. I use four USB disks for backups, with redundancy. Two disks, unplugged from the computer, reside in the basement. A weak scheme, since all my precious data are in my house, but I'm too lazy to do anything about it.

But here's the irony. Two disk failures in the past year - each was one of the WD USB backup disks. So the computer's internal Hitachi hard drive is backing up the external disks... Sheesh.

SpiderOak One is a "zero knowledge" cloud backup solution. Encryption from when it leaves your computer to its storage at SO. SpiderOak does NOT have the keys, only the user does. 1TB plan is $129/yr. Boxcryptor will encrypt your data before you put it into Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and many other cloud storage options. Free for one storage solution from 2 devices. $48/yr unlimited multiple storage solutions and devices.

I have 1 faint reservation. We are already so reliant on the internet, so entrusting one more thing to it should not be a big deal. Still I'm a worry wart ...

However there are times I and my laptop are out of reach of the 'net for days at a time. As well, there have been occasionSS (not all that recent, fortunately) that my ISP has been down for over a day. As a result I tend to try not to be overly dependent on the internet.

Cost/benefit analysis time, I guess.

Offhand I can't recall any instance where data has been stolen or otherwise affected because it was stored on one of the major cloud storage sites. Of course, that doesn't mean it won't happen tomorrow.
But do you know of any instances of the cloud being hijacked in any way?

I'm more like Dianne and Ken H, above. I've signed up with Jotta Cloud to back up my Word documents. I don't worry about photos, as I have both prints and CDs of all photos I've taken in the past eleven years. I'm not sure in what future circumstances I'd need to worry about more back-up or more privacy.

One has to be a fool to place data in the 'cloud'. Buy a cheap external hard drive and keep it there. If you need to move data, USB sticks are very large storage and cheap today.

Note from PC-Bug Fixer, Roger Hass;

A sensible approach to Securing your data is to have at least 2 copies of all your data, i.e. 1. Your documents, 2. Your pictures, 3. Your accounting records, 4. Your email client messages, 5. Your FTP web page data, 6. Your Autodesk drawings, just to mention a few as not all are kept in your documents folder structure and some are kept in the applications installed folder structure.

A. - You have the original in the default folder structure on your hard drive, and

B. - You have copied all the respective folders containing the afore mentioned data onto an external hard drive like a WD (Western digital) My Passport drive, the size of which is pest determined by the size of your data files. I recommend the WD My Passport USB3.0 2TB (2 Terabyte) drive which would suite most Home and Small Business users. This drive would also be large enough to copy the image/backup folder created by the utility mention in item C.

C. - I also recommend that you have an additional internal HDD (hard disk drive) again of at least 2TB in a Mobile Rack which can be removed after the computer workstation is shut down (powered off) each day when the operator has finished the users tasks on the workstation. Tis drive is also used primarily for so called backup purposes using a reliable application like “Image for Windows” from “TeraByte Unlimited” which is compatible with Windows XP Pro SP3 and upwards to Windows 10 OS’s, obviously there are other similar backup / imaging utilities to perform a complete image / backup of your master C:\ HDD. In addition to the complete image/backup, this HDD is large enough to also copy all of the

D. - Summary:
If we perform the tasks in item B. and C., then we now have a copy of all our data on the,
1. External WD HDD, and
2. In addition to the complete image copy of your C: HDD copied from your internal 2nd Mobile Rack HDD., then

3. We have a copy of all your data on the internal Mobile Rack HDD, and
4. A complete image/backup of your master HDD which includes the complete installation of the Operating System, all the installed application software, and all of the User (your) file and folders containing all your data, i.e. documents, pictures, emails, etc., mentioned in the opening paragraph.

E. - Conclusion:
I have an “In House floor mounted Fireproof Safe used to securely store both the WD external HDD and the mobile rack cartridge containing the 2nd internal HDD. However I am lucky and can store either off site with a trusted neighbour who also has a secure floor mounted safe, who allows me to store one of the backup HDD’s. The arrangement is reciprocal and ideal for updating the offsite HDD on a weekly basis to ensure we have the latest data copies as at the date we perform the updates of our data.

Remember also that the image of your master C: drive contains the complete C:\ drive as at the date you performed it. It is not necessary to perform a new image/backup on a weekly basis as should the C: drive fail and we need to install a new HDD to replace the C: drive then we can use the image to restore the complete system onto the new HDD and the simply copy the data we saved on either the external WD or internal HDD.

Optionally you can perform incremental image/backups of your master C: drive to the image utility folder on a weekly basis in addition to copying the data to both the internal and external HDD. I recommend this for data security and integrity reasons. Better safe than sorry.

Unfortunately I do NOT store any of my data or image/backup folders in any Cloud based system or structure as I do not trust any off shore Cloud based methods nor trust these with my private and confidential data irrespective of what suggestions they may imply regarding their security and my suggested password(s) security for accessing my data used on their systems. The supplier of the Cloud System and their staff with little effort can bypass your password and read all your data, all passwords can be hacked, and I say this backed by 35+ years experience in IT.

Think about what I have documented and I’m sure you can create a similar structure method to secure your data, even a simple storage like the garden shed , sometimes the most obvious is the best storage security and unlikely to be stolen by a thief entering your property. If you think this last comment to be stupid and insecure, think again !

So much for Cloud based backup options, I don’t need them, besides if my system has been hacked or infected with ransomeware or the master C: HDD has crashed, I CANNOT ACCESS ANYTHING I HAVE STORED IN THE CLOUD AND WOULD NOT FOR SECURITY REASONS ACCESS ANY DATA FROM A COMPROMISED SYSTEM COMPUTER OR WORKSTATION.

However having all by backups at hand I can restore the whole master C: drive from my image/backup and then copy all my data from the external WD HDD and when the system has been restored I can check the internal 2nd HDD and scan it if it has been infected and if necessary replace the infected files or folders from the external WD HDD. If the internal 2nd HDD was not mounted (the cartridge was not in the mobile rack) then it would be secure and not infected by any ransomware or other virus that crashed the master C: HDD.

We now need to know from Bob where all our data is located on the HDD so we can copy it to the external and internal 2nd HDD, like the folder containing the Microsoft Office Outlook .pst file folder, etc.

I trust that the above information is logical and easy to follow. I suggest you copy it and print a hard copy so that you can follow the stepped tasks on what and how to secure your data In-House.

So what's all the kerfuffle about the "Cloud" if you look up you can see them in the sky most every day ☺

I don't trust "the cloud" for many reasons; security being just one....

A few years back when my HD was on it's way out, I signed up with Mozy and spent a lot of time backing everything up. Afterwards I checked their website and could see my files and even downloaded ONE as a test. A few days later I installed a new HD and went to download all my backed up files only to discover that they were no longer there. Suddenly not a single file was to be seen or found on their website. Mozy of course was no help and even brushed me off. I not only lost all my files including family photos, but I was out 3-4 months of monthly fees as well!

Would I ever trust "the cloud" (let alone Mozy!) again? Not on your life! I would never again consider using another so-called "cloud" based app to backup anything important that I haven't already backed up onto another HD here at home. And definitely not when I can back things up myself and KNOW that they'll be there when I need them. Mozy (and others) are not infallible.

Cloud storage wasn't originally intended for fast, reliable, remote access to your files. I find that using media server software to create a personal cloud connection between your computer and your mobile devices is a much simpler, faster, and more reliable solution to the problem of access.

While cloud storage is perfect for backing up your hard drive and "storing" your files, much of the conversation is unfortunately about keeping your files secure, rather than creating a safe connection for accessing said files.

I want there to be more discussion about software like http://www.tonido.com/ and https://getyounity.com/ and exactly how secure the connections they make are. Are there data breeches and identity theft cases involved with these applications, similar to the cloud?

I realize the point of this article is to ensure the readers that the cloud has an infinite amount more security than that of a home hard drive, but what about when the user is actually accessing the files? Is the connection secure at each end?

Cloud storage wasn't originally intended for fast, reliable, remote access to your files. I find that using media server software to create a personal cloud connection between your computer and your mobile devices is a much simpler, faster, and more reliable solution to the problem of access.

While cloud storage is perfect for backing up your hard drive and "storing" your files, much of the conversation is unfortunately about keeping your files secure, rather than creating a safe connection for accessing said files.

I want there to be more discussion about software like http://www.tonido.com/ and https://getyounity.com/ and exactly how secure the connections they make are. Are there data breeches and identity theft cases involved with these applications, similar to the cloud?

I realize the point of this article is to ensure the readers that the cloud has an infinite amount more security than that of a home hard drive, but what about when the user is actually accessing the files? Is the connection secure at each end?