Cloud storage vs. Local storage: is it safer for your personal data?

Protecting personal data is an essential aspect of managing your digital life. A breach or loss of sensitive credentials could expose you to financial problems, scams or threats. Losing family photos and videos may not cost you money, but it can be emotionally devastating. Investing in privacy gadgets that can protect your data is one option to try to avoid losses and breaches, but another step you can consider is deciding whether cloud storage or local storage options are safer for your personal data.

This decision does not have a clear answer that will be the same in all situations. Each type of storage offers advantages in certain areas. Some people consider cloud storage to be a safer option because the system creates automatic backups, thus guarding against a physical disaster in one place, erasing the hardware that contains the data. Others simply prefer to have the peace of mind of having their data stored locally on their own devices.

Ultimately, if you don’t mind spending the extra money and want the most secure option, using the cloud and local storage combined is the best strategy. Often called the 3-2-1 rule, it requires keeping three copies of your data in at least two different locations, one of which is off-site (such as in the cloud). Otherwise, you can select an option based on how you personally define data security.

Cloud storage offers many important benefits, including the ability to access your data from anywhere and the ability to create automated backups. With your data backed up to an off-site storage location, it’s safe from a fire or natural disaster destroying your computer and external hard drive at home.

However, some people may feel inconvenient transmitting these files to an off-site provider instead of keeping the data on a local device. Customers may be concerned that the cloud storage provider does not have up-to-date security measures or has poorly trained employees, giving hackers a chance to gain access to the site and putting any stored data at risk. If a cloud storage provider suffers a data breach, it can take several months to discover the problem if the company does not have continuous monitoring procedures in place. Due to the possibility of hackers accessing your cloud storage account, you may have concerns about the security of files containing sensitive personal data.

One of the most common mistakes users make when using cloud storage is using poor security measures when setting up their accounts, such as weak passwords or not enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA). Some cloud storage sites may offer exceptional security measures, but if they are difficult for average users to configure or understand, they may not configure them correctly, increasing the risk of data loss following a breach.

Some people only feel comfortable using USB sticks or external hard drives to store their data securely. Even if the external hard drive is stolen, you can configure the devices with password and encryption protection that should prevent most people from accessing your data. Beyond losing the hard drive, your data security is at risk when you rely solely on one of these devices due to the risk of the unit failing due to wear and tear from frequent use and age.

Reliability can be an issue with these devices. Some physical storage devices begin to operate slowly or make unusual noises before failing, but others provide no warning. The typical external hard drive will last up to five years before failing and potentially losing your data, while USB drives can last 10 years or more. The redundant backup methods used by cloud storage providers eliminate this problem with their storage hardware.

If your external hard drive or USB flash drive crashes, you may be able to recover some data. However, this can be a costly and time-consuming process, with no guarantee of success. Spending that money to have a second backup copy of your data stored with a cloud storage provider and using the 3-2-1 rule may be the best option.