When you store your files on your computer, you know exactly where they are saved. They stay in your computer’s hard drive inside a folder created and organized by you. The files will remain safe in their respective folders, and no one will be able to access them unless you decide to share them. 

Now let us consider cloud storage. In reality, cloud storage is just a fancy term used for a network of computers/servers that provides storage services to other computers. It implies that whenever you save a file on cloud storage, it gets stored on one of the servers connected to its network.

It is not just a few servers connected with CAT5 cables. Instead, it is a complex system that comprises thousands of servers housed inside large warehouses. So it is not just a vague and virtual concept of data storage. 

Paying for Cloud Storage Services

The biggest advantage of using cloud storage is that you can access them from any device, and you do not have to be afraid of losing your data if your hard drive crashes or gets stolen. However, unlike physical hard drives that you only have to pay for once, you have to pay a monthly fee to cloud storage services to store your data.

Many cloud storage services offer free storage with a fixed cap. Google used to offer unlimited photo backups, but even that will change from June 1st, 2021. The good news is that they will not be counting any photographs stored before June 1st against the cap. However, it was certainly a selling point for Google Drive, since people did not have to worry about storage caps to store their photographs in high quality. 

But does that mean you’ll always have to pay for cloud storage services in the future? While most cloud storage services charge a monthly subscription fee, new technologies are getting developed every day to curb that. Cubbit is one of the latest start-ups offering its customers to create personal cloud storage spaces. 

Customers do not have to pay a monthly fee while using their services. The company claims to offer access to cloud storage for free forever. People have to buy a physical device called a Cubbit Cell that provides 512 GB or 1 TB of physical storage space, which people can expand up to 4 TB on the cloud.

Every file stored on the Cubbit plant is protected by AES-256 encryption, which is a military-grade algorithm used by the US government. Once the file gets uploaded on the cloud and encrypted, it is split up into several parts and distributed throughout their peer-to-peer network.

Concerns With Cloud Storage Security and Privacy

Since the data on cloud storage is physically stored somewhere else, people feel concerned about its security. You will be uploading your data on another company’s website, which will probably get saved thousands of miles away. So you will have to depend on them to keep your data safe and secure.

You can rest assured that any data you save on cloud storage is much more secure than in your computer’s hard drive. The warehouse housing cloud service is heavily guarded on off-site locations. Companies that provide cloud storage services use several layers of encryption to make sure that it is safe from cyber crimes like malware infection and ransomware threats. 

Security is not the biggest risk when it comes to cloud storage services. Even though your data is safe from getting stolen, it can still be viewed by others. For example, governments are legally entitled to ask for any information stored on cloud devices.

However, cloud service providers have the right to deny access to anyone. That is why new start-ups like Cubbit claim that no one can access the data stored on their devices since it gets split up into several chunks before getting stored on different Cubbit Cells.

Final Verdict

Data stored on cloud storage is much more safe and secure than on your computer. It is also easier to access and maintain those files. If you feel concerned about the security and privacy of your data stored on cloud storage, make sure you choose reputable service providers.

If you need help with your decision, you can read Neil Patel’s comprehensive cloud storage review on this website. These are some of the best practices to follow when you store your data in the cloud. 

• Use cloud services that offer two-factor authentication and data encryption.
• Backup your data using more than one cloud account instead of putting all your important files in one place.
• When accessing data storage from public computers, make sure that you log out and never save your login information on the web browser.