Imagine you’re working in an office. You have sensitive documents that you need to keep safe, so you put them in a locked filing cabinet. But what if someone breaks into the office and steals the key to the filing cabinet? Then all of your sensitive documents are at risk.
The cloud is a lot like that office filing cabinet. It’s a great way to store data, but it’s also important to make sure that data is secure and protected. Here are seven basic security practices for the cloud:
- Use a strong password: Your cloud provider will likely require you to create a strong password, but it’s important to also use a strong password for other online accounts. A strong password is at least 8 characters long, includes a mix of letters, numbers and symbols, and is not something that can easily be guessed.
- Enable two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security that requires you to enter a second code after you’ve entered your username and password. This code can be generated by a special app on your phone or sent to you as a text message. For example, Google offers two-factor authentication for Gmail accounts.
- Use a VPN: A VPN, or virtual private network, encrypts your data so that it’s difficult for anyone to intercept and read it. This is especially important when you’re using public Wi-Fi. Many cloud providers offer VPN services.
- Be cautious with email attachments: Email attachments can sometimes contain malware, so it’s important to be cautious before opening any attachments, even if they appear to come from a trusted sender. If you’re not expecting an attachment, or if the attachment looks strange, delete it without opening it.
- Use a cloud security solution: A cloud security solution can help you protect your data from unauthorized access and theft. Managed cloud information technology solutions providers like Ascent Data offer cloud security services that can help you keep your data safe.
- Back up your data regularly: It’s always a good idea to back up your data, and this is especially important when it’s stored in the cloud. If something happens to your data, you’ll have a backup copy to fall back on.
- Be aware of phishing attacks: Phishing attacks are emails or websites that try to trick you into revealing your username and password. Be careful about opening attachments or clicking on links in emails, and never enter your login information in a website that you don’t trust.
Now that you know these seven basic security practices, you can rest assured that your data is safe in the cloud. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of cloud computing without worrying about your data’s safety.