Data storage in the cloud comes with potential risks - discover strategies to safeguard your information and prevent data loss immediately.
In the digital age, cloud storage services have become a popular choice for storing and accessing data from various devices. However, recent incidents have highlighted the potential risks involved in relying solely on cloud services for data storage.
In June 2021, a OneDrive user experienced a loss of decades-old photos and work, with no help from Microsoft support [1]. A similar incident occurred with a member of the LibreOffice development team, who also encountered a OneDrive ban that locked their data [2]. Even Abdelkader Boudih, a software engineer, fell victim to a data lock-up due to an internal mistake at AWS MENA in August 2021 [3].
To mitigate these risks, it is crucial to adopt best practices for safeguarding data stored in cloud services. Here are nine key practices to follow:
1. Use Strong Access and Identity Management
Implement Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools to create individual user accounts rather than shared credentials. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts to add an additional verification layer. Regularly review and revoke unnecessary or outdated permissions to minimize access risks [1].
2. Encrypt Data Both at Rest and in Transit
Ensure that cloud providers offer robust encryption for stored data and during transmission to prevent unauthorized access [1][2].
3. Enable File Versioning and Automatic Backups
Activate file versioning to keep historical copies of files, enabling recovery from accidental deletions or unwanted changes. Use automatic backup and disaster recovery features to maintain multiple copies and quick access during outages or failures [2][4].
4. Apply the Principle of Least Privilege and Continuous Monitoring
Configure access policies that grant the minimum required permissions, preferably time-bound for temporary access. Implement continuous discovery and classification of sensitive data to monitor where data resides and detect anomalies proactively [3].
5. Adopt a Zero Trust Security Model
Use zero trust frameworks where no one is trusted by default; every access request is strictly verified. This limits lateral movement in case of a breach and improves overall security [5].
6. Regularly Monitor, Audit, and Respond to Security Incidents
Maintain logs and auditing tools that track access and changes to data. Have an incident response plan in place to quickly tackle breaches or data-loss scenarios [1][5].
7. Mitigate Third-Party Risks and Misconfigurations
Assess and manage risks from third-party applications integrated with cloud services. Prevent common misconfigurations that expose data by automating configuration checks and security assessments [1][3].
8. Use Secure Collaboration Features with Controlled Sharing
Use built-in secure sharing controls and monitor file access to protect against unauthorized data exposure during collaboration [4].
9. Leverage Cloud Provider Durability and Redundancy
Store data with providers like AWS S3, which offer high durability (e.g., "11 9's") by distributing data across multiple servers and data centers [2].
In addition to these practices, it is recommended to have a secondary backup for important data to prevent potential data loss in cloud storage. Cloud storage services, including OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, AWS, and others, should not be relied upon exclusively for data storage due to potential risks.
Windows 10 or Windows 11 users can back up their PC's data automatically using the built-in Backup and Restore tool. Personal cloud storage usage has significantly increased, with an estimated 2.3 billion users in 2025, up from approximately 1.1 billion users in 2014 [6]. Implementing these practices creates multiple protective layers, reducing risks of data loss from technical issues, cyberattacks, or user errors across cloud services like OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, and AWS.
References:
[1] Boudih, A. (2021, August 28). AWS MENA data lockup: A cautionary tale [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.seuros.com/aws-mena-data-lockup-a-cautionary-tale/
[2] Microsoft (2021, November 10). Protect your data in OneDrive [Web page]. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/security/protect-your-data
[3] Amazon Web Services (2021, November 10). AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) [Web page]. Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/iam/
[4] Amazon Web Services (2021, November 10). Amazon S3 [Web page]. Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/s3/
[5] National Institute of Standards and Technology (2018). Zero Trust Architecture [Web page]. Retrieved from https://www.nist.gov/itl/zero-trust-architecture
[6] Statista (2021, July 29). Number of cloud storage users worldwide from 2014 to 2025 [Statistic]. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/260641/number-of-cloud-storage-users-worldwide/
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