If you’re choosing the right cloud drive, you’ll want to choose a provider that can properly protect your files. What should you pay attention to when choosing a secure cloud storage provider? We highlight the things that must be kept in mind. Please note that the “security” mentioned here means that the file will not be attacked by external parties or snooped by the supplier itself. Unfortunately, not all cloud storage is created equal, and finding a service that respects the privacy of your secure box isn’t as easy as you might think.
What does the security of cloud storage rely on?
Security of cloud storage
Many cloud storage platforms say they are secure and use rhetoric such as “military-grade encryption” to gain consumers’ trust. While that sounds impressive, it just means they’re using AES-256, an encryption protocol approved for use by the U.S. government, with SSL/TLS, which is used for nearly all web traffic. Currently, AES-256 has not been cracked and cannot be brute-forced in any time frame, so it is a good protocol to use. However, it’s often considered idiosyncratic, while almost anyone can implement it, and services and apps from cloud storage to VPNs use it to scramble information.
Data at rest and in transit
It matters at what stage the data is encrypted, and many (perhaps even most) cloud storage providers use a two-step process. When you send data from your hard drive, they will encrypt the data in transit using SSL/TLS, then once the data reaches their servers, it will be decrypted and re-encrypted using AES-256 for storage, and the reverse process is reversed when downloading the data.
At first glance, this seems like a good idea, but there’s a problem: For a short period of time, your data is not encrypted while it’s on the service server, which means they can see what you store and even access those files. If you’ve ever had trouble using cloud storage for uploading copyrighted material (it happened with Google Drive), it’s because the provider was snooping.
Of course, we’re not willing to support copyright infringers, but if the provider is compromised in some way, this security architecture can become a serious problem. If cybercriminals can access their servers, they can access your files, but there is a way to solve this problem.
End-to-end encryption
The answer to the question mentioned above is “end-to-end encryption”, you will sometimes see it called EE2E. As the name suggests, this program encrypts data from one end of the download/upload channel to the other. Your files are encrypted on the hard drive. And they remain encrypted in transit and at rest until they return to your hard drive again.
With end-to-end encryption, no unauthorized person can access your files. If your provider ever encounters a breach, all a hacker will see is a bunch of encrypted data that is useless without the password. When it comes to security and privacy, end-to-end encryption is much better than the method of encrypting and then decrypting, and there seems to be no good reason to still use the latter despite indications that it is less resource intensive and also allows you to keep an eye on the user’s files.
Zero-knowledge encryption
Another important aspect of cloud storage security is so-called zero-knowledge encryption, sometimes also called zero-knowledge access, in which case zero-knowledge means that the service you are using does not know what your password is. This means that no one on the service can access your encrypted files, and more importantly, even if there is a leak, your password will not be leaked because no one will know it. It’s a great system, but it has a drawback: you can’t reset your password. When setting up an account with a zero-knowledge service, always make sure to use a password manager or you run the risk of being permanently locked out.
Keep your files safe
Between end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge encryption, you can rest assured that your files are safe in the cloud. When choosing the best cloud storage, it pays to make sure the provider you choose offers both types of storage. After all, they are your files and no one else should be able to view them, no matter what they are. If you need to use a service that doesn’t offer E2EE, you can always choose to manually encrypt the file before uploading it. Although it will trouble you a few more steps, it is worth it for the security of your information.
Source:How-To Geek
Source: KOCPC Chinese