Keeping Track of Files in the Era of the Cloud

Keeping Track of Files in the Era of the Cloud

One of the main challenges of living in this fast-paced, tech-infused world is keeping track of where you are storing your data. 

By data I mean the files you consciously make use of on any of your tech devices. This includes word processing documents, PDFs, pictures, music, videos, etc. 

The usual places
In the "old days" it was obvious where you stuff was stored. You would turn on your computer, look in your Documents folder or on the Desktop or on a server drive and there were the icons for the documents; pictures were stored in the Pictures folder; music in the Music folder; server files in a shared folder, etc. This type of data storage is still commonplace.

Beamed to the cloud
But increasingly people are also putting their data on mobile devices and in the cloud, using such products as iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, etc. This cloud storage can be done from any device, including the slimmest of smartphones. A giant spreadsheet for instance can be stored on your phone and synced with the cloud. 

Cloud or device? 
What does that mean when a file (word processing document, photo, etc.) is in the cloud? Is it only in the cloud, or also on the device? It depends, but usually the file is both on the device and sync'ed to the cloud. The cloud just means a provider's server in some building, hopefully in the U.S.A. (I mean, if we're going to be spied on, better the NSA and our corporations than Russia or China, right?)

The power of syncing 
One benefit of storing files in the cloud is making them accessible on multiple devices. So, for example, one photo could be synce'd to your phone, your tablet, and your computer. Another bonus of the cloud comes into play if a device the file is stored on is damaged, because then you can recover the file from the cloud backup. 

Treasure hunt 
So now that you have a little background on cloud storage, play a game with yourself or a friend. Make a list of five random files. They could be music files, spreadsheets, whatever. Try find where they are located, including on which devices, and whether they are also in the cloud. To check the cloud, you can login to iCloud or Google or Dropbox or wherever you think the file is stored online. Then if you're feeling gutsy, take a file of low importance and delete it from the device. Then try to restore it from the cloud. 

Freeze frame: find that file
Businesses and professionals ideally should be able to do a freeze frame at any point in time and ask, "Where is file X stored?" And know ALL the locations of that file. 

Security and privacy
The next important questions to pose include inquiring who has access to a certain file, and if that access is limited to only those who should see it, including third parties (like cloud providers). Translation, is file X is stored securely and privately? If not, then move it somewhere safe at once. 

We have a right and responsibility to keep track of our files and decide how to control access and protection. But this is just referring to the data you are aware of - files you consciously interact with like the PDF of your tax return. 

The hidden data flow
There's a whole other world of files/data you may never see, i.e. those which flow from your computer and browser to an internet-based server whenever you are online, even when your devices seems idle. Keeping tabs on that data takes even more complex surveillance on your part, and is the subject for another article, or two or three!

Thanks for reading!
-Sam 

Be Careful Which Data You Store on the Internet

Be Careful Which Data You Store on the Internet

What's the issue?
Photos, videos, emails, documents, spreadsheets, etc. - all the stuff you create on your digital devices and post or store on the Internet - are accessible to other people, and not just people you've shared them with. 

The internet is a public network and as such is a tempting target for hackers. Whether it's called the Web, the Net, or the Cloud, all services are running on a public platform.  

Cloud storage companies that host your email, your personal or company files, your precious pictures of family, etc. are usually doing their best to limit access to authorized users only, i.e. those users having passwords or other means of authentication. 

But the potential to score some valuable confidential data is very tempting. So cyberthieves are thriving by exploiting weak points in software all across the internet. 

Why is software so vulnerable?
Software - whether a web browser, PDF reader, email program, cloud application, etc. - is inherently insecure the moment it's released, whether it's a free or paid version. 

Computer code is too complicated to be perfectly debugged. That's why all software companies and programmers issue fixes, patches, updates, etc. for their programs. There's no way around it. 

Given this fact, and the growing opportunity and enthusiasm for cybercrime, we users must be suspicious from the outset whenever we do anything online, especially posting, storing, and sharing our data.  

How to improve protection of your data?
First decide what's confidential. Usually this includes anything you don't want others to see besides yourself or trusted people. Confidential data can range from the obvious - a bank account number - to the seemingly innocuous, such as a carefree photo taken of you at the beach. Data is like a gun; its potential for good or ill depends on the intent of the person wielding it.

If you are running a business and need to store confidential data online for staff access make sure there is strong encryption during the transmission and storage of the data. (I will write more about encryption in a subsequent article.)

When should you take action?
As soon as possible, take stock of the data you store online. 

After you determine which files you consider confidential, decide your risk tolerance for storing those files online. Translation: If the site storing the files got hacked, how vulnerable would you feel? 

And this begs the question: Why are you storing any confidential data online? (There are secure ways of storing passwords, data, account info, etc. using websites like lastpass.com)

Where can you find more info on this topic?
Here's an article posted on a Boston University page outlining the concerns of storing data in the cloud and which addresses the importance of encryption. 

Who can help?
If this all seems too technical but you are concerned and want to be better protected, you may want to hire an IT consultant. This is an especially good investment if you are responsible for data security in an office environment. 

In Sum
We don't leave our car doors unlocked or windows rolled down in public parking lots. We don't leave our home doors and windows unsecured when we're on vacation. We have some common sense in these areas. In this new digital age, we need to develop common sense concerning our private data. Not doing so can be very damaging to our finances, our identity, and our reputation. 

Thanks for reading.
-Sam