Cloud storage remains a type of service that has taken root in our lives. They experienced rapid growth, experienced market glut, when new "clouds" opened almost every week, experienced a recession, when these same "clouds" began to close one by one. And now we have just a type of service that has become established and has become commonplace, has passed the test of time, taking into account the peculiarities and speed of the modern industry.
There are a lot of cloud storages. Each has its own peculiarity and its own audience. Someone chooses only one "cloud", someone uses several at once. We have chosen the ten most interesting of them. One of the criteria for this top is a free plan with free space in the cloud, so that every user can try it out for himself. No trial, just a free plan with free space.
10.pCloud
Quite an interesting and rapidly developing cloud. The cloud blog is updated almost every week, and you can see that the developers are actively working on it. They give 10 GB for free, but after following a few simple steps. You can get a few more GB. There is a referral system that will also increase the free space. It is also interesting that pCloud, in addition to monthly and annual subscription fees for advanced features, also has a one-time purchase tariff, you just pay a certain amount and increase the volume of your cloud, forever, it's hard to remember which cloud still does this.
9. MEGA
Encrypted Vault from Kim Dotcom. There were rumors that the cloud was taken away from him, about other unpleasant twists and turns in the management of MEGA, but this does not prevent the cloud storage from developing and continuing to exist. The cloud is built on a sufficiently high level of encryption, for more comfortable work with the web version, it is better to install a special browser extension so that the decoding process goes much faster. There are applications for all popular operating systems. The main thing that attracts many, MEGA gives 50 GB for a free plan. This volume was at the start, it remains so to this day.
8. MediaFire
One of the oldest services in this top, it works well, but it develops rather slowly. There is no desktop version, so you have to use the web version, but the mobile apps are fine.
He started MediaFire as a file hosting service, but realized the decline of such services in time and repurposed himself into cloud storage. Old users and those who managed to get under the promotion have 50 GB of free space, while the rest are given 10 GB, but sometimes it becomes possible to increase the amount of available space for free.
7. Box
Another time-tested cloud storage. Box was originally focused on business and this has allowed it to survive to this day and have a loyal user base. They give 10 GB for free, and sometimes there are promotions to get 50 GB of free space. But the free plan has many restrictions. All these restrictions will be removed if you switch to a subscription.
6. Cloud Mail.Ru
The Mail.Ru Cloud was launched with 100 GB of free space, then there was a promotion for which you could get 1 TB for free, then the volume was significantly reduced, and on new accounts they give a scanty amount of space. The cloud received a built-in audio player, integration with Office Online and continues to receive new features and support for new formats, but the instability with the free volume does not allow it to rise higher in the ranking.
5. Yandex.Disk
Cloud storage from Yandex is surprisingly stable in terms of volume. At launch, they gave 10 GB of free volume. Several years have passed, and 10 GB has remained, but there are constant promotions, when you can either temporarily get a free volume, or increase the cloud on an ongoing basis. We add support for a large number of formats, integration with Office Online and continuous application development.
At the end of 2017, Disk also stood out and. Everything that you upload to Yandex.Disk from your phone will not be taken into account when calculating the total volume. Apparently this is not an action, since no dates have been named. There are also no size restrictions, which makes this feature even better than what Google Photos has.
4.iCloud
If you love Apple technology, then you will definitely come across this cloud storage. Many applications work through it, backup and synchronization takes place. You can also use iCloud as our usual cloud storage. Throw in Apple's screwed-in office suite, Windows app, and you've got some pretty good cloud storage with a dedicated fanbase.
But if you do not use Apple products, any other cloud storage in this top will be a better option for you, since it will give you more options.
3. Dropbox
It is Dropbox that is considered the service that started the explosive growth of cloud storage. Dropbox was one of the first to popularize this type of service, and although it is not the best of times now, the service continues to evolve and receive new opportunities. Free Dropbox gives you only 2GB. There have been no promotions increasing the free volume for a long time, and the restrictions on the free tariff do not allow using the cloud to the fullest. Unfortunately, Dropbox is no longer perfect for cloud storage.
2. OneDrive
Cloud storage from Microsoft. There is tight integration with the Office Online office suite, which is also integrated into other cloud storages, with the consent of Microsoft. By default, it is integrated into Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Support for formats is also quite extensive. Working in this cloud, many users can safely abandon the full-fledged Microsoft Office or Microsoft Office 365, which provide only advanced features for more professional tasks.
When you buy a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, you also get 1 TB of OneDrive as a bonus. So many people simply do not expand the volume of the cloud on a paid basis, but simply purchase an Office subscription, and at the same time increase the cloud space.
1. Google Drive
Google cloud storage has the most file formats supported, which can be expanded with additional cloud extensions. Small office documents, as well as photos and videos with a small extension, are not counted when calculating the available space in the cloud. And this place is 15 GB.
The cloud is integrated with the cloud office suite Google Docs, which has a simple and user-friendly interface, which is why many prefer to use it as the main office suite. More recently, the Google Drive and Google Photos apps have been merged into one app called Google Startup and Sync. There were rumors about an application for Linux, but so far many continue to use unofficial clients and this is almost the only serious drawback of the leader of the current top.
In this regard, we decided to turn to experts in the field of information security and cloud technologies to understand whether cloud storage can replace physical media, how secure such services are, and how users can protect their information placed in the "cloud".
"Is cloud storage the future?" Will cloud storage completely replace physical storage media?
Alexey Fedorov, director of the recommendation system for cloud services Startpack :
“In applications like working with documents, cloud storage will really replace physical media. This is the model used by Google and Microsoft in Google Drive and OneDrive, respectively. Cloud storages Dropbox, Yandex Disk, Cloud Mail.Ru initially did not have the ability to work with documents, but they introduced such an opportunity. Combining working with documents and storing them is so natural that back in 2005, Box repository positioned itself "like SharePoint, only better." Six years of the existence of the Chromebook - a laptop with nothing but a browser - also shows that the model has a right to exist. At the same time, there are applied tasks for which storing files in the "cloud" is impractical: video processing, working with sound, engineering design. Most games assume that the user has a computer with a large hard drive. Even to run a remote desktop, a thin client must have some basic functionality in place.
Alexey Shipov, Head of ICL Cloud Platform Development at ICL Services
Alexey Shipov, Head of Cloud Platform Development ICL Cloud in company ICL Services :
“We are now seeing an explosive growth in the use of cloud storage for data generated on social media. After all, many photos and videos taken on a smartphone automatically go to the "cloud". The use of the cloud for business data is growing at a slightly slower rate, but steadily at 30-50% each year. See how Microsoft is building Windows Server with fast data migration capabilities to the Azure public cloud. The same trends can be seen among other vendors. Probably, in 5-10 years more than half of the data will be stored in the "cloud". However, for especially valuable and important information, local storage using the most modern means of protection, for example, quantum encryption, will not lose its relevance. "
Denis Polyansky, Head of Virtualization and Cloud Platform Protection, Security Code
Denis Polyansky, head of the protection of virtualization and cloud platforms of the company "Security code" :
“Cloud storage has many benefits: high availability, scalability, and so on. And they will continue to gain popularity in the short term. But there are a number of aspects that make the cloud model difficult to apply in some cases. For example, the impossibility of obtaining the consent of the subjects for the transfer of personal data to the side of the provider or the unwillingness of the customer to transfer a certain type of data to the side (client bases, financial systems). The problem can also arise if there are problems with the network connection on the client side, but you need to continue working (locally). Therefore, in the near future, cloud services will not completely replace local data processing. The most popular and promising model today is the so-called "hybrid clouds", which combine the advantages of cloud services and local storage and processing of data. "Clouds" have proved to be good for backup storage of information in case of problems in the local infrastructure. "
Rustem Khairetdinov "Attack Killer"
Rustem Khairetdinov, CEO of the company "Attack Killer" :
“Of course, there will not be a complete replacement, at least in the foreseeable future. For a hundred years, mankind has not learned how to provide people with electricity with a 100% guarantee, every now and then there are cliffs and "blackouts" due to natural phenomena and man-made disasters, what can we say about cloud services. There is information that today is more convenient to store in the "clouds" - these are "heavy", not often needed and at the same time rarely changing files, for example - films, music, photographs. But for them it would be good for them to have a physical backup copy, especially if such information is made by you and exists in a single copy. For data that is needed constantly and at the same time it is constantly changing, while it is better to use an on-site or at least a hybrid architecture - to store data both in the "cloud" and at home. "
How secure are cloud services?
Alexey Fedorov:
“The dangers of using cloud storage can be divided into two types: information loss and information leakage. Loss of information is now impossible in almost any cloud storage, since information is repeatedly copied and stored on different servers and in different data centers. For example, for Google to lose a user's files, two continents must disappear overnight. However, domestic cloud storage at the dawn of its appearance had precedents with the loss of user data. Some storages, according to the terms of the user agreement, delete data if the user has not used it for several months. Usually, to enter the cloud storage, you need a username and password, if an attacker finds out this data, he can get access to the stored files. This is how personal iCloud photos of celebrities were leaked. "
Andrey Rybin, head of the information security sector of the Department of Information Technologies (DIT) of the city of Moscow
Andrey Rybin, Head of the Information Security Sector Department of Information Technology (DIT) cities Moscow:
“Using cloud services is not secure. The main threats to information security when using cloud technologies are: theft and loss of data, hacking of accounts, vulnerabilities in interfaces and APIs, DDoS attacks, actions of insiders, the possibility of hackers penetrating, as well as simple negligence of the provider. In addition, there are additional threats associated with the use of virtual infrastructure - the dynamism of virtual machines, attacks on the hypervisor as a key element of the virtualization system, attacks on control systems. "
Csaba Krasnai, IT Evangelist, Balabit
Chaba Krasnai, IT evangelist of the company Balabit :
“For many companies, mainly SMEs, the cloud is more secure than their own infrastructure. Cloud providers have the necessary expertise and workforce to ensure security. In large companies, it depends on the information that needs to be managed. Organizations are moving towards hybrid "clouds", some business processes use public "clouds", while others remain within the internal infrastructure. To determine the security level of cloud services, a risk assessment is needed. Many solutions help secure hybrid infrastructure, such as PAM tools that monitor and track the activity of administrators in a networked environment. "
Vladimir Fomenko, head of the hosting company King Servers
Vladimir Fomenko, head of a hosting company King Servers :
“Cloud services are clearly better protected from technical failures due to several factors:
- For storage, specialized "hardware" is used, the probability of failure of which is much lower than that of conventional home appliances.
- The equipment of such services is located in specialized data centers, where it is protected from voltage surges and overheating.
- Naturally, backup technologies are used to store data, which will save data in the event of equipment failure.
From the point of view of information security, such services are reliable enough that only an authorized account owner could access the data.
The only vulnerability will be insufficient concern for security on the part of the user himself, such as setting a simple password or connecting to the storage from untrusted devices. From the point of view of the reliability of the services themselves, if the user is interested in the safety of data, then I highly recommend using large services and not relying on startups that provide more space on free accounts. Quite possiblethat for small companies the provision of such services will be unprofitable, and they will close after a while, as was the case with the vSeife and Copy services. In such a case, you may not have time to download your data back, and they will be lost. "
Artem Marusov, expert of the Information Security Center of Jet Infosystems
Artem Marusov, expert of the Information Security Center of the company Jet Infosystems:
“How secure are cloud services? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question. And even the professional community cannot come to a common opinion on this matter. It is enough to flip through the profile sites and forums to understand that a lot of ambivalent opinions have already been expressed (and continue to be expressed) on the topic, and quite well reasoned ones. Supporters of cloud services believe that since such services are provided, as a rule, by large corporations with serious IT and information security competencies, then security is provided by them, if not the highest, then at a sufficiently adequate level. Opponents of the "clouds" do not stop listing the facts of large data leaks from cloud services, recalling that using them, we, in fact, give our data to a kind of "black box", the implementation aspects of which are unknown to us and, accordingly, cannot be estimated adequately. Personally, I believe that it is necessary to accept the fact that no one can provide a 100% guarantee of protection against leaks. In this regard, you just need to take it as a rule:
1) Never upload information in the open form to cloud services, the leakage of which is undesirable for you (work and financial documents, personal files).
2) If such a need cannot be avoided, then be sure to encrypt files before sending them to the "cloud". To do this, you can use both simple tools (for example, creating password-protected archives), and more advanced (software for creating encrypted partitions). "
How can users ensure the security of their information in the cloud?
Ashot Hovhannisyan, CTO and Founder of DeviceLock
Ashot Hovhannisyan, CTO & Founder DeviceLock :
“First of all, you need to use two-factor authentication (2FA) to access cloud services. It is highly recommended to store files on such services in protected containers (at least in password-protected archives). Organizations actively using cloud storage for storing and exchanging information need to regularly scan their data stored in the cloud using Data Discovery products to identify those data that got into cloud storage by accident or in violation of company policies. "
Alexey Fedorov:
“If the data is extremely valuable, it’s better not to rely on one store and send it to another store. It should be remembered that if a cloud storage client application is installed on the device, when files on the disk are damaged by a virus, the corrupted files will also be loaded into the storage, replacing the uncorrupted ones. And even if the storage allows you to roll back to previous versions, it will be quite problematic to fix the corruption: you will have to restore each file separately, the depth of the stored versions may not be enough. Therefore, it is better to upload files to at least one repository through a browser without installing the client application. Of course, you should come up with a complex password for your account: 10 or more characters, letters in different case, numbers and special characters. Store the password in the password container or remember. "
Denis Sukhovey, Head of Technology Development Department, Aladdin R.D.
Denis Sukhovey, head of the technology development department of the company "Aladdin R.D." :
“Today users have the opportunity to use an impressive arsenal of organizational and technical measures to ensure the protection of information in the cloud. However, this approach negates all the benefits of the cloud itself, as it increases the total cost of using the service. In this light, cryptographic protection of confidential information in the "cloud" is the only option. Data encryption solves a whole bunch of cloud-based security problems at once, including countering leaks of important and business-critical information, differentiating access rights, meeting a whole set of requirements of regulatory organizations, and, of course, cost-effectiveness and ease of solution. "
Maxim Zakharenko, General Director of the company "Oblakoteka"
Maxim Zakharenko, CEO of the company "Cloud" :
“It is possible to ensure almost absolute confidentiality if data is transferred to the“ cloud ”and stored there in encrypted form, and decryption occurs only on its own hardware. Another thing is that it is very inconvenient and in fact it is rarely practiced, especially when it comes to private users. As soon as the decrypted data is placed in the "cloud", of course, security is significantly reduced, but the question is how relevant this security is, for example, for vacation photos or for a small individual entrepreneur who has nothing to "hide" even from the tax authorities. "
Thus, against the background of the growing role of cloud services, users need to be more responsible in placing their information in the "cloud". Of course, it cannot be ruled out that you may encounter the provider's negligence, but we must not forget that the user himself must protect his data. Therefore, we join the experts and strongly recommend using the two-factor authentication mechanism, setting strong passwords and differentiating information storage (use several different storages and pay attention to hybrid "clouds").
How and where to store your data? Someone uses flash drives, someone buys packs of hard drives and equips their own home storage, but there is an opinion that the safest place to store data is in the cloud. And this opinion is quite reasoned.
Cloud storage providers are currently offering you the most advanced solutions in terms of data security and management. Of course, you can make such loud statements as much as you like, but here are the arguments:
Data in reliable "paws"
What is the user worried about? About personal data: card and phone numbers, information about actions, and so on. The cloud is like the Presidential Administration: a bunch of guards, CCTV cameras and locks.
No matter how far away the boss's laptop with the data of all employees is, it is still easy to get to it by hacking the network to which he is connected. Now conclude why a secured and scanned around the clock by various security tools, the cloud is more reliable than your physical medium.
All data in the cloud is carefully encrypted, so even having access to it, an attacker will have to deal with this:
Backups in the cloud are automatic and permanent, so even the angry “young lady” you parted with yesterday is not capable of destroying your collection of German films that you have been cataloging since the distant 90s.
Safety close at hand
If you, for example, are a software developer and develop your own application, then you probably update it often, because without updates it becomes a dead weight. Each new version is associated with code debugging, and during this very important process vulnerabilities appear that can give an attacker access to your users' personal data. The cloud can solve this problem thanks to its chips:
- The administrator can define the rights and roles of each user who works on the project
- Automation of some processes excludes the human factor: accidental or deliberate damage to the release code
- Various utilities like Amazon Inspector scan the system around the clock looking for holes
- Any actions are secretly recorded in a log file - total control is provided
Google reads my letters!
Numerous rumors that Google and Amazon employees gather at a round table every day and begin to read users' private messages are nothing more than rumors. This is not why companies spend millions of dollars maintaining cloud infrastructure.
All files are stored on several hard drives that can be recovered on their own. Moreover, one file can be split into parts on different disks.
In the end, the cloud's advantage comes down to minimal human impact, which already guarantees flawless security. Think for yourself, who is more likely to fail, your hard drive or the entire cloud system in which such drives are used as consumables and are constantly updated?
Clouds, clouds - gigabyte sites!
If you are tired of running between work and home with a flash drive, constantly carrying a laptop with the necessary files, and you want your important files to be available to you or your team on any computer or mobile device, then you can come to the rescue .
Cloud data storage- a model of online storage, in which data is stored on numerous servers distributed over a network, provided for use by clients, mainly by a third party. In contrast to the model of storing data on its own, dedicated servers, purchased or leased specifically for such purposes, the number or any internal structure of servers is generally not visible to the client. Data is stored, as well as processed, in the so-called cloud , which is, from the client's point of view, one large, virtual server. Cloud data storage.
Brings to your attention overview of 10+ free and paid cloud storage services.
Cloud data storage:
1. Google Drive
Google drive- cloud data storage from Google, which speaks for itself. Google Drive allows users to store their data on servers in and share it with other users on the Internet. Cloud storage divides the space between Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photo. The service can store not only documents, but also photos, music, videos and many other files - 30 types in total. Everything is very convenient and familiar for users of Google services.
Google Drive plans
The maximum file size is 5 TB.
Available on web browsers, Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, and more.
2. Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive- Renamed in February 2014 Microsoft SkyDrive, a cloud-based Internet file storage service with file sharing functions. By the way, SkyDrive was created in August 2007 by Microsoft. Now OneDrive one of the flagships of cloud storage.
Service advantage OneDrive in that it is immediately integrated with Office 365 so you can create, edit, save Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word files directly from the application in Windows Live OneDrive.
Service OneDrive allows you to store at the moment is free 5 GB (although 15 GB was previously offered) information organized using standard folders. For images, there is a preview in the form of thumbnails, as well as the ability to view them in the form of slides.
Many cloud storage services offer very lucrative subscription plans, but are they secure? In this article, I decided to answer this question.
At the very beginning of this article, I would like to provide you with a summary of the research I have done. The table below summarizes the current security offerings of the 5 cloud storage providers I have selected.
Below is my experience with these cloud storages, as well as information collected by me from expert sources. This article looks at the security features offered by these online storage companies in order to determine which ISP is the safest. First, we will look at the security features of each individual provider, and at the end we will summarize the results.
Google drive
The web giant Google provides many great features in its cloud storage. Google provides 15GB of free cloud storage for Gmail, Docs, Google+ Photos, and Drive users. So you should use Google Drive more efficiently, as this size is spread across several services. Google says it's safe to store data with them. Even if your computer, tablet or phone fails, the data on Google Drive is safe. The company also claims that the files stored in their data center cannot disappear.
But what security does Google offer at the consumer level? What can a consumer do to protect their online data? To answer this question, we need to get inside the Google Drive security tools.
To use Drive, you need a Google account. Signing up for a Google account is as easy as shelling pears. Google will prompt you for a strong password. The password must be at least 8 characters long. However, there are no requirements for case-sensitive or miscellaneous letters and numbers when registering with Google. It could improve security though.
Protecting your Google account is a key step in keeping your Drive safe. Google suggests two-step verification(two-factor authentication) in order to increase the reliability of the account. Once you activate this feature, each time you log into any of the Google services, you will need to enter an additional code. After entering the correct username and password on your Google account page, you will receive an SMS with a verification code to your mobile phone. You will only be able to log into Google after entering this code. Thus, two-step authentication can make Google Drive more secure from hackers. You can also receive such codes using smartphone apps.
The Google account has a security question and the ability to enter an email address or phone number to recover the account, as well as allow you to regain control of your account in the event of a breach. You also control the apps that you log into with your account. The browsing history, IP address and device data are also available so you can track the activity on your Google account.
Encryption is vital for any cloud service. Although Google Drive uses HTTPS in operation, it does not provide its own file encryption service. So if you want to encrypt your files, do so before sending them to Google Drive. You can use Boxcryptor for free to secure your cloud files.
Google Drive offers a range of personalized sharing options. Using these settings, you can define who can access your files, who can upload them, edit them, and more. You can view versions of files on Google Drive. So if you need a previous version, you can get it by right-clicking on the required file and selecting the ‘Version control’ option.
In conclusion, the security of Google's online storage service depends on the security of your Google account. If you can protect your Gmail ID account, then you can safely count on the reliable protection of your files on Google Drive.
Microsoft OneDrive
Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the most popular online storage providers. It is used for both personal and commercial purposes. Dropbox is purely cloud storage. So all their forces are concentrated on the cloud. Dropbox offers new users 2GB of free cloud storage. You can increase this volume with a new customer acquisition program.
Dropbox says data security is their top priority. When I signed up for Dropbox, I noticed that the process is pretty simple and quick. I was required to enter a name, email address and password. The account creation page prompted me to use a strong password. However, there was no obligation to maintain a certain level of security. Next to the password entry field, only its strength was indicated: 'weak ... reliable'.
However, a Dropbox subscription may not require immediate email verification, but you must verify your email in order to seamlessly share files. All these options will be available to you as you use the service.
Dropbox offers a file revision feature so you can quickly revert to an older version of the files you need. If you edited a file and later wanted to get its previous version, just right-click on the new version of the file and select the "Previous Versions" option in the context menu.
Your Dropbox account comes with a range of additional security features. You can use two-step verification, which requires you to enter a unique code each time you log into Dropbox. You will receive this code on your mobile phone. You can also get the code via the smartphone app. In any case, two-factor authentication can significantly increase the security level of your account.
On the Dropbox Security Settings page, you can also monitor and manage connected devices, browsing history, linked apps, and more to prevent unauthorized access.
Dropbox uses an HTTPS connection on its site and when transferring your data between you and the cloud storage. You can control access to your files using data exchange options.
Dropbox itself does not provide an option to encrypt files prior to uploading them to their server. Dropbox assures that they encrypt files during transfer and during the rest of the time. However, you can encrypt your files before sending them to Dropbox. There are a variety of tools for this. Boxcryptor is one of them. It uses industry-standard "AES-256 bit" encryption technology to further enhance the security of your files.
Copy
Copy is one of the most popular cloud storage services competing with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more. Copy gives every new user 15GB of free cloud storage. The service also offers a new customer acquisition bonus with which existing users can increase their free space. The registration process for Copy takes only a few seconds. You will be asked for your name, email address and password. During the registration process for Copy, I was not prompted to choose a strong password. All that has been indicated regarding the password is that it must be at least 6 characters long.
Mega
Now let's move on to the Mega service, which is known for its privacy. Mega was founded by Kim Dotcom. The service provides each new user with 50 GB of free space. To register with Mega, you need to provide basic information such as name, email address, password, etc. Mega requires you to use a strong password. If your password is not strong enough, you will receive the following message: 'Your password is not strong enough to continue'.
Mega uses HTTPS connection and client side encryption technology. This means that your locally encrypted information will be sent to Mega. When downloading information from the service, it is decrypted. As stated on the Mega security help page, your files cannot be read on the server. The company strongly recommends not to lose your password. The Mega password is not only a password, but a code that unlocks your master decryption key. Mega claims that it is impossible to recover the password on the service. If you do not have a backup copy of your main decryption key and you lose your password, then you will also lose all data stored on the service server. So grab your Mega Master Key from this Mega link and keep it in a safe place. It is very important.
However, there are reports that there are certain weaknesses in Mega's browser-based encryption system.
Mega offers excellent security features, but unfortunately, the service does not have a file version history. You can simply recover deleted files using the ‘SyncDebris’ application from the Sync Client, or from the ‘Rubbish Bin’ folder on Mega. To monitor your activity, Mega provides a visit log option and an application management option.
Interestingly, Mega does not have a two-step verification option that would greatly improve the service's privacy and security efforts.
Conclusion
In this article, I tried to take a closer look at the security tools available from 5 popular cloud storage providers such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Copy, and Mega. When it comes to security, they all have their own special offers. Now let's take a look at the basic security features these services offer. Below is an easy-to-read checklist.
- Password strength requirement: Google, Microsoft and Mega all require a strong password. Dropbox and Copy are more flexible in this regard.
- Email verification requirement: All services sooner or later require you to verify your email address.
- Two-step verification: Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox provide two-step verification. Copy and Mega do not provide this option at the moment.
- Client side encryption: Only Mega offers client-side encryption. This is done from the device from which the files are downloaded.
- Server side encryption: Dropbox, Mega and Copy keep your files encrypted on servers. You can use local encryption to avoid risks.
- Using a secure connection (HTTPS): All five providers use a secure HTTPS connection. However, Mega gives users the option to turn it off (optional).
- Using security questions to verify users: Google Drive has this option available. OneDrive, Dropbox, Copy and Mega do not use the secret question at this time.
From the above, it is clear that Google Drive provides almost all security features other than encryption. Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox are close behind. Mega provides sophisticated security such as encryption, but the service lacks two-step verification. Copy needs to work to turn great cloud storage into a more secure environment through two-step verification, password strength requirements, and other innovative security systems.
Hope you found this article helpful when looking for a secure cloud storage provider. For even more tips and tricks, stay tuned. Thank you for attention. May safety be with you!
