Avast ye! Be ye in need o' concealin' yer precious cloud treasures with the power o' encryption?
2023-09-08
Avast ye! Encryptin' yer cloud data may not keep them scurvy tech giants from plunderin' yer privacy, but it be a fine way to safeguard yer personal reckonin' from bilge rats and their malicious trickeries.
Curious about the security of your documents in the cloud? You’re not alone. We recently received an email from Dana in Marietta, Ga., who is asking this, "I just read your article on saving documents to the cloud. What is your opinion on protecting those documents by encrypting them first? Does that prevent companies like Google from harvesting them? Also, how are these files removed after the death of the individual?" - Dana, Marietta, GA Wonderful question, Dana. Data encryption can be an overwhelming concept at first, but when broken down, it is simple. Encryption is a process of transforming data into an unreadable form that can only be accessed by authorized parties with the decryption key, which is basically just a password that can turn the data back into text that can be read and used. This makes it nearly impossible for anyone without access to steal, change, or compromise whatever you are protecting. You may choose to do this to protect sensitive files like financial or medical documents. However, encryption does not guarantee complete privacy. Some companies, like Google, may have access to your encryption keys or use other methods to decrypt your data. Therefore, encrypting your documents may not prevent Google from harvesting them, depending on how you use their services and what their policies are. The main appeal of cloud encryption is improved cybersecurity. Encrypting your documents before uploading them to the cloud can provide an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access, data breaches, hacks, malware and cyberattacks. You can add an extra layer of security by encrypting your data yourself before sending it to the cloud. While most cloud services do encrypt your data automatically, they do so in a way that isn’t the safest or most private. There are many really good third-party encryption apps that allow you to encrypt individual or large groups of files. There are also built-in encrypting methods on both Windows and Mac. These methods can also help you password-protect certain important documents and files, like financial records or personal information. Everything you encrypt becomes useless without the digital key. If you have many items encrypted in many different places, it can be hard to safely store or remember all of your different codes. In addition, if somehow the key is lost, forgotten, corrupted, or destroyed, there is no way to gain access to your information. One of the key ways to protect your data as you encrypt your documents is through the use of a password manager. Some providers may delete your files after a period of inactivity, while others may allow you to designate a beneficiary or a digital executor who can access your files after your death. There are also alternative measures that can be taken to keep your information safe, even after death. Some password managers, like 1Password for example, have you create an Emergency Kit when you sign up, which includes all the information someone would need to log into your account. Print it out or download a copy to a USB drive and place it somewhere safe, like a lock box, where your loved ones can access it in the event of your death. How do you feel about encrypting your documents before uploading them to the cloud? Are you prepared to ensure your data is accessible to close friends or family members after you pass away? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact. For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter. Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.