10 Tips for Keeping Your Cloud Data Safe
While cloud computing solutions represent a general increase in the safety of data storage systems, it’d be an ill-advised move to relinquish all responsibility over the security of your data, and assume that such things are simply taken care of.
There are still ways to make your cloud data safety superior, and change it from good to better. Here are 10 tips for keeping your cloud data safe.
1. Make your passwords unique, in every sense of the word
Each service you use warrants its own password. This is because the compromised security of one will not then impact on the security of the others. Furthermore, make your password as complex as possible: mix numbers, letters, upper and lowercase formats, and make user of the symbols at your disposal.
2. Mix up your security question answers
The answers the security questions are your second most important means of securing data. Given their easy comprehensibility, though, in some ways, you need to be extra careful regarding them. The best way to do this is to select obscure questions to begin with, and answer with seemingly unrelated answers that correspond to different questions e.g. “what is your mother’s maiden name?”, answer: “Chicago.”
3. Use password software
Password software is worth the effort with the aim of making every service password unique. LastPass can manage passwords for you, so that you don’t lose track of them.
4. Encrypt, encrypt, encrypt…
Encryption software will keep all information you enter into various services coded as it reaches the server, meaning third-parties will be unable to decipher it.
5. Backup regularly
Even though cloud computing is meant to remove some of the headache of storing data in-house, it’s still worth backing up information on an external drive on a very regular basis.
6. Two factor entry
One of the best ways to reduce security risks is to make entry into a service that bit more complicated. Two factor authentication requires the submission of a password, but also syncs the service with a phone, so that an entry code (which is sent to said phone) must be entered to be permitted entry too.
7. Limit the places you log in
One huge benefit of cloud computing is undeniably its anywhere access, but this can make users a little sloppy about when and where they log in. Be careful when using any device other than your own.
8. Delete
When you no longer need anything, it’s best to delete it, as everything has the potential to be breached.
9. Don’t share
Most people know that sharing passwords is a no-no, but few people also know that sharing details about providers can cause problems too. When it comes to security, the less you share, the better.
10. Don’t ditch your anti-virus
Any device you intend to access your service from needs to be in tip-top health in order to ensure that it doesn’t run the risk of compromising any data you plan on accessing from it.
If you’d like more advice on being secure in the cloud, then contact eFolio Accounts Ireland.
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