What Happens if Your Cloud Data is Lost or Hacked?

By Matt Brennan

It used to be that the only option for data storage was on a hard drive of some sort. But today, and for several years, the cloud has been a convenient and viable option for data storage. In fact, even if you don’t think that your organization is utilizing the cloud, that’s exactly what you’re doing every time you use some sort of third-party application (think Slack, Asana, Facebook, Skype).

The cloud has some tremendous benefits but there are risks involved. Even the most reliable sources can be problematic at some point. Below are some of the risks that can be associated with cloud storage and what you can do to prevent it.

“What happens if your cloud data is lost or hacked?” is a viable question, and one that businesses that use the cloud should know the answer.

The Cloud Is Susceptible to the Same Risks as the Internet

Cyber Attacks – Your data is still at risk of a breach any time you store it in the cloud. In fact, the cloud may be more appealing to hackers simply for the vast amounts of data that are stored there.

Password Hacks – The right password hack on the cloud can give a hacker access to personal or business computers and put all your data in jeopardy. Important documents can all be put at risk.

Server Crashes – Even the bigger, fancier servers that cloud providers use can go down. When they do, it be catastrophic for the customers impacted.

What Can You Do to Prevent Cloud Data Loss?

There are some basic principles of computer safety that can help prevent cloud data loss. Below are a few measures that are easy to apply.

Use Unique Passwords – If you are using the same password for different services, hackers can gain access to more than one account. A password manager will let you create unique, strong passwords for each account with the ability to quickly and safely gain access when you need it. LastPass and RoboForm are examples of programs that can help.

Two-Factor Authentication – Two-factor authentication can help you to protect your cloud data. Many internet applications and services now require this step. Obscure security questions can also help to protect your data.

Encrypted Services – Data encryption provides another layer of security for information stored in the cloud. This is especially important for highly sensitive information. It reduces the possibility of the service providers even being able to see your sensitive information.

Creating Other Backups – If the cloud is your main method of data storage, creating a local backup can improve the chances of full data recovery in the event of cloud data loss. There are applications that can make this process move smoother for you.

Protecting Your Cloud Data is Critical

Data stored in the cloud is widely regarded as safe, but the above cybersecurity safety measures can improve the chances that you recover your data in the event of a cloud data loss. This is important to understand after asking the question “What happens if your cloud data is lost or hacked?” Should you suffer a loss or a breach, a data recovery company such as We Recover Data can help if you need to recover a local copy of your data.