For all the ease with which files can be shared and stored today, none of the services would exist without secure online file storage. In this day and age, it is of the utmost importance that your files remain secure from accidental or intentional harm or deletion.
It’s easy to take cloud storage for granted, and assume that it will always be there when you need it. The storage services available have a wide variance in the permissions they require for access to your files.
Depending on the provider, you may have:
- Permissions set on a folder but not the files within it
- All users given rights to edit files
- View-only access for some folders and files
- Fine-tuned controls that you can set up yourself
This is only one aspect of the security that should concern you when you are looking for a company to provide you with online file storage. Everything you send should be SSL encrypted, just like a financial transaction online, so that there is no chance of a breach in security.
Hackers are everywhere today, it seems, and your storage service should offer the highest of security during transmission and storage, both. Some providers give you less specific information about their levels of security and specific measures taken, and you will want to weigh this with the other aspects of the company.
If an online storage service loses your data, they should be able to restore anything that was lost. This has happened before, in Google storage, although it was information pertaining to Gmail, rather than file storage. Take the time to find out just how willing these companies are to provide top of the line security for your files.
Some of the security measures for your files will be determined by you.
- You may assign different permission types to any given folder.
- You can usually share folders with anyone whose email address you supply to the storage service supplier. Sometimes that person can share it with someone else, too.
- You may be able to send out public links, depending on your provider, and this allows someone to download files from your provider’s website.
- In addition, you may provide others with a link that will only work one time, if they just need temporary access to a file or folder.
Most online storage providers save old versions of your files, but the number of versions saved differs among providers, and these files may count towards your total available storage space. If you have given security “clearance” for others to use the same files you do, it’s important to be able to pull up all older versions, to see the changes that have been made by all team members.
Each provider will have their own stringent security measures in place to protect your files, and they vary in the way they allow you to share files. The way in which to share may be different, and what is allowed to be shared may also differ. This is just one more way that online storage services give you secure storage for your important data.