Cloud backup tools have made us lazy about data security. We just set it on Auto and forget that it exists. We confuse synchronization (instant updates) with backup (historical preservation). While the cloud is seamless, it lacks the true ownership of a local server—even if setting one up feels archaic and complicated.
The trade-off for the cloud’s ease of use is privacy: your data may be used to train AI models or for vague “experience improvements” without ever really receiving a full explanation. But given how hard it is to leave the super-easy, incredibly accessible cloud storage apps behind, I strongly suggest you take a peek at how to properly secure your data—before something happens to it!
The encryption illusion
Your private files aren’t really private
The common misconception is that encrypted means “private.” Once you upload data, such as photos and documents, it is encrypted, but the host holds the keys. It’s a matter of trust. If the server is hacked, subpoenaed, or simply decides to let the algorithm train the data for “training and optimization,” they get to access everything. This is server-side encryption, and it is the default for a reason: it allows them to sell you features like search and AI organization, but it strips you of true ownership.
But you can prevent drive providers from accessing your data by adopting zero-knowledge encryption. It simply means you encrypt the data before it touches the cloud. You own the encryption keys, and the server knows nothing but gibberish. You can encrypt your data directly on the device, or even use open-source tools like Cryptomator to create an encrypted vault within your existing cloud storage.
This definitely results in friction that many of us want to avoid, but that is the price you pay for privacy. It turns your cloud storage into a dumb hard drive, which is what it should be in the first place.
Strong password = strong security
Even your strong password needs authentication
tete_escape/Shutterstock
MUO Shutterstock license
Edited by Yasir Mahmood in Canva
Credit: tete_escape/Shutterstock
We think that setting up a strong 16- or 18-digit password is enough to protect our data. And to an extent, it is correct — a password should always be long and strong, but it should not be repeated across sites. Hackers use passwords stolen from one site to breach another. This is the number one way cloud accounts are compromised.
To truly secure your account, you should always keep at least two-factor authentication or SMS-based two-step verification enabled. However, to secure your account with sensitive data, I’d suggest investing in hardware authentication using a security key like a YubiKey or Google Titan. Using this method, you must tap the security key plugged into your account.
It feels a little backwards to carry a physical key for a digital account, but it renders sacrificed passwords useless. A hacker sitting on a different continent cannot copy the physical hardware sitting on your desk. It demands a level of intentionality that software-based security cannot match.
Ransomware loophole
Don’t ignore the threats
Ransomware has evolved to exploit our trust in cloud sync and backups. Some ransomware variants can also encrypt linked cloud backup drives present on your computer, rendering any backups held in the cloud useless. In that, sometimes, your cloud storage can be just as vulnerable as your local storage.
The best defense against this is immutability and rigorous versioning. You need a backup history that is WORM (Write Once, Read Many). This guarantees that once the backup is created, it can not be modified or deleted for a set duration, even by the owner (you). To use WORM, you might need to fiddle with advanced settings or specific software; it is the only guarantee against deletion. It reinforces the “3-2-1 Rule” for data backup: keep one copy of your data offline or immutable, so that no amount of automation can destroy it.
Big tech is secure enough
Cloud apps will keep our backups secure
Sure, such billion-dollar data farms must have measures in place for data security. And this argument is true to some extent. But these security measures are often taken to protect the platform, not each individual’s data from their own mistakes.
If your account is breached because of a weak password, or your data is subpoenaed because it wasn’t encrypted client-side, that is a failure of your responsibility, not theirs.
Related
It’s 2025 and I still back up files manually
Cloud storage is convenient, but manual backups still win for reliability, control, and peace of mind.
Depending entirely on the provider’s default settings is akin to assuming your homeowner is responsible if you leave your apartment door unlocked. You must take active measures to lock your own digital doors.
That is why the Shared Responsibility Model is the best approach. The cloud provider is responsible for the security OF the cloud (hardware, networks, global infrastructure). You are responsible for security IN the cloud (who has access, how data is encrypted, and data integrity).
Protect your digital history now
Losing data is usually a matter of when, not if. It could happen due to a hard drive failure, a bad link, or just an accident. The safety of your digital history depends on what you do now to protect it. You don’t have to change everything at once, but don’t just trust the “Sync Complete” icon.
Start the process by setting up two-factor verification, then move on to more complex solutions, such as creating a vault in your cloud storage. If you treat your backups like a chore to automate, you’ll eventually pay the price. If you treat it like a craft, you’ll end up with files that last a lifetime.
