Although online backup services have become very popular in recent years, there are lots of users who still have doubts about the safety of online backups. While nothing can be guaranteed to be 100% safe, cloud backup is considered to be the best backup solution that you can get these days.
Why your data is safe
Data encryption is the first layer of protection used by online backup providers to keep customers’ data safe. When you use the services of a reliable cloud backup provider, such as Asigra, you will be given software that creates backup settings and encrypts all data. Before the files leave your computer, they will be encrypted using at least 128-bit SSL encryption technology.
When the files arrive at the online backup servers, they will be moved immediately to a server that cannot be accessed via the internet. Once your data is placed in the server, another layer of protection is added to prevent any illegal access. Depending on the backup solution that you use, your data will be secured using either AES or 448-bit Blowfish encryption technology.
Restricted access
If you are the only person who holds the username and password for your backup storage, then the backup files can only be accessed by you. If you want to restore the files in the server, the server will make a copy so that you can download it right away; again, the files are encrypted before they leave the server. Therefore, to ensure that you get the best data protection, it important that you subscribe to an online backup provider that uses 128-bit encryption technology or higher.
The third layer of protection provided by cloud backup providers uses geo-redundant data centres. To avoid data loss when one data centre is down, they also back up the servers in one data centre, to other data centres in a different location. In this way, when the data centre that stores your backup files is down, your data is still available and accessible in other data centres.
With the three layers of protection mentioned above, even hackers may give up. However, you can only enjoy this level of security if you use the services of a reliable provider, such as Asigra. One of the best ways to check the quality of a provider is to read their privacy statement. A reliable provider always has a privacy statement that explains how your information is kept secure. If a provider cannot provide a detailed explanation about its disaster recovery plan and security policy, it is better to find another provider.
As a conclusion, internet backup is definitely the safest solution to backup your data as long as you use backup services from a reliable provider. Make sure you compare several providers before you make a commitment to one of them.
1 Comment
I disagree on the statement that the safest solution is an internet backup. The most secure solution is always an in-house local backup to which you would need to apply encryption as well. But even in-house backups are subject to theft….