Danger of using CLOUD services such as SKYDRIVE

jimbo45

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Hi there.

While I wouldn't put services such as DROPBOX or SKYDRIVE quite in the same category as the following (HOTFILE) it should be a salutary reminder as to what can happen to your files if stored on a Cloud server.

So even if you DO use cloud servers ALWAYS HAVE LOCAL BACKUP for important files, documents etc.

(Also you've got NO guarantee that these files have been destroyed - they could have easily been passed to FBI etc for "further analysis" -- and HOTFILE wasn't only used by "illegal copyiers and file sharers" -- SAMSUNG for example used it - they've now moved to another server though).

I certainly won't EVER totally trust "The Cloud" -- maybe it's better called "Cloud Cuckoo Land" in future.

Hotfile Shuts Down and Takes User Files With It | TorrentFreak

Cheers
jimbo
 
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I gotta agree.....
 

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Yeah, I'm not a fan of "The Cloud" either and prefer sole control of my own files.

Anyone who's ever worked in an office and experienced what it's like when the network goes down realises just how at the mercy you are when you suddenly lose all access to emails/files/databases, etc. You really are powerless. And if they're using VOIP, you can't even use the phone to annoy the helpdesk. :D

As you say, the biggest problem is a trust issue. Personally I wouldn't trust a third party with my files and without owning the data storage yourself, there's no way to guarantee secure file deletion.

One of the things that I've often wondered is the legalities of cloud based solutions. For example, with Windows Phone not being able to sync with Microsoft Outlook locally (instead it has to sync through a Microsoft Account), I wonder how that would affect a Medical GP or legal professional for example where they have to adhere to strict data protection and confidentiality laws. Not only can they not guarantee secure deletion of confidential data, they don't even know what country their data it stored in. So how can they know whether the laws of the country where their files are stored contradict the laws of the country they live in? I'm sure someone must have looked into it, but it's not something you hear much about.
 

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A good read about that : Microsoft Services Agreement
Especially the part about privacy and :

We strive to keep the services up and running; however, all online services suffer occasional disruptions and outages, and Microsoft isn't liable for any disruption or loss you may suffer as a result. You should regularly backup the content that you store on the services. Having a regular backup plan and following it can help you prevent loss of your content.

So yeah don't rely on one cloud service for important data...
 

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Drobox files are also on your computer. If you are not connected to the internet you will still see all your files. Skydrive you can only see them when you are connected to wifi or on ethernet, but o do agree you should have an off line backup on an external drive because if your computer dies, so does dropbox
 

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I'm a cloud user, dropbox is the solution that I use. I also have Skydrive, but don't use it nearly as much as Dropbox.

#1). Dropbox and the SkyDrive app (Windows 7/8) sync the files to the cloud and your local PC. So, you should always have access to them when not connected to the Internet.
#2). Because files are stored in "the cloud" and also stored on at least 1 PC/Device, there is a reduced risk of you losing your files.
  • If your PC goes down, you can connect to the cloud and get the files back,
  • if your cloud copy goes "poof", you may or may not have a problem. You can restore deleted files from the website, however if that functionality is broken due to your loss, you might be out of luck. The biggest issue here is having "nothing" in the cloud synced back to your computer. Files when removed from your dropbox folder don't go to deleted items on your computer. You can reduce this risk by not having dropbox automatically start, or having a second computer that doesn't sync on it's own. Or fire up a second computer that is not connected to the Internet to ensure your files are retained.

The beauty of "cloud" storage to me, is that I can easily and simply share non private data with my spouse. It's on my laptop, it's on my desktop, it's on her laptop and it's in the cloud. < Therefore, it's highly unlikely I would lose it. And I can access it anywhere I have internet access, even without a computer with dropbox installed it's just a matter of accessing the dropbox website.

In the event that I need to store something a bit more private, I use BoxCryptor and create an encrypted container in my Dropbox folder. Or, for passwords I store a KeePass database in dropbox. So, not only would dropbox have to be compromised, but my KeePass database password would also need to be compromised or brute force opened. < and the likelihood of that happening is tiny.
 

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