Why look to the cloud in the first place? If you store documents locally (in a folder on your computer), you’re one clever hacker or failed hard drive away from finding your private information in the wrong hands or gone forever. That’s why cloud storage is so appealing. You can access your documents at any time from any device. But choose the wrong place to store them, and you’re in a world of hurt if your account is broken into it — or if the service is hacked.
Our pick for cloud storage
Storage options like Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox are free, but are they really the best choice? We say no, for a couple of reasons:
If you use Google Drive or iCloud, you’re likely signed in automatically on all your devices. What happens if you lose your phone or your laptop is stolen?You never know who’s watching. When you sign up for one of these accounts, you agree to terms and conditions that likely allow your documents to be analyzed.
If you do choose to go that route, take as many precautions as you can. Protect your account with a strong, unique password and set up two-factor authentication. Don’t stay automatically logged in on all your devices, and be sure to set up alternate contact information in case your account is hacked. But your best bet to keep your confidential documents truly secure is an encrypted backup option. Our pick is IDrive, a sponsor of The Kim Komando Show. Here’s why.
Secure storage only you can access
IDrive uses industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption for transferring and storing your data. You can also set your privacy to the highest level by creating a private key for your account during signup. That means no one but you will have access to your data. You just can’t get that level of privacy with iCloud or Google Drive. IDrive applications and data are hosted at multiple data centers that provide the physical environment necessary to keep the servers up and running 24/7. That means your data is safe for the long haul. These world-class facilities are custom designed with raised floors, HVAC temperature control systems with separate cooling zones, and seismically braced racks. It offers the broadest range of physical security features, including state-of-the-art smoke detection and fire suppression systems, motion sensors and 24/7 secured access, as well as video camera surveillance and security breach alarms. Don’t just take their word for it, either. IDrive commissions periodic third-party reviews to check for known application and service vulnerabilities. IDrive helps organizations meet the compliance mandates of HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Gramm-Leach-Bliley, and SEC/FINRA. If health, financial and data companies can rely on IDrive, so can you.
A special offer for Kim’s readers
If all that security talk has you thinking, “OK, this must be complicated,” you’ll be glad to hear IDrive is super easy to set up and use. You can manage everything from a computer, tablet or smartphone, and all your files and folders are synced in real-time. And even better, it really is a bargain. Right now, you can get 5 TB of cloud backup for 50% off. That’s less than $40 for your first year of secure, encrypted data storage. Give it a try right now while you’re thinking about it. You’ll never go back to the so-called free services. Tap or click here to get 50% off a year of IDrive cloud backup.
