File storage and transferring hold a very dear place in most people’s lives. However, the safety of files is really tough to maintain. In this guide, we are going to help you protect your files and explore secure file storage and transfers.
What is Secure File Storage?
Secure file storage protects your files by preventing others from accessing your files or altering them in any way. Good storage grants protection to your files using locks, and only you can unlock such files.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks will always be in vogue. They make you give away your personal data by sending a phony message or a fake website link. You can avoid falling victim to an attack by always checking the sender’s email address and not clicking on suspicious links.
Types of Secure Storage
Files can be stored securely in various ways, as listed below.
- Cloud Storage saves files through an internet connection.
- Hard drives that are external save files on a device you can hold.
- Encrypted USB drives use special codes to lock files.
Why is secure file storage necessary?
Secure storage keeps your information private. It prevents thieves from stealing your data and helps you comply with data protection laws.
Risk of unsecured storage
Unsecured files can lead to massive troubles, including but not limited to:
- Identity theft
- Financial loss
- Privacy breaches
These risks explain why secure storage is essential and why you need to protect your personal and work files.
How Can I Make My File Storage Safer?
You can do so many things to make your storage safer, such as:
- Use strong passwords that are hard to guess.
- Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra step and security layer to your logins.
- Encrypting your files scrambles them so others can’t read them.
- Keeping your software up to date frequently fixes any security issues in your software.
Best practices for passwords
Good passwords are important. Here are some tips to make your passwords stronger and keep your files safer.
- Use long passwords
- Mix letters, numbers, and symbols
- Don’t use personal info in passwords
- Use different passwords for each account
What is Secure File Transfer?
Secure file transfer is a way of safely sending files between individuals or devices. It prevents unauthorised access to files and prohibits modification of files while in transit. Better methods of transfer protect the files with encryption.
Common secure transfer methods
There are several ways to transfer files securely. They include:
- Secure FTP (SFTP)
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
- Encrypted email attachments
- Secure file-sharing services
Each of the above methods provides additional security when you transfer your files and ensures your data is secured during transfer.
How to Transfer Files Safely
Transfer of files safely can be done by following the steps below:
- Select a secure method of transfer
- Encrypt the file before you send it
- Give strong passwords for file access
- Authenticate the recipient
- Send the access details separately
These steps will keep your files safer in transit and ensure that they are only accessible by those for whom they are intended.
How to email attachments safely
Attaching to an email poses a risk. Here’s how to make it safer:
- Encrypt important attachments
- Use a secure email service
- Avoid writing sensitive information in the body of an email
- Double-check the recipient’s email address
These will help protect your email attachments from being viewed by others.
Common File Storage and Transfer Mistakes
People make a lot of mistakes when it comes to file storage and transfer safety. Here are some common ones:
- Poor password creation
- Forgetting to encrypt files
- Sending sensitive information over public Wi-Fi
- Not updating the security software
- Giving out access information with the files
These can expose your data to unnecessary risks, and avoiding them means you are keeping your data safe.
How to Avoid These Mistakes
You will avoid these errors by:
- Setting up a password manager to help securely manage your passwords and create strong new ones.
- Setting up automatic encryption so you don’t need to remember every time.
- Using VPN on public Wi-Fi to keep your data safe when it’s necessary to use public Wi-Fi.
- Allowing auto-updates to install the latest patches and security updates as soon as they become available.
- Sending access info separately from the files ensures a higher level of cybersecurity and follows best practice.
These steps keep you from making common security mistakes, making the storage and transfer of your files safer.
Ready to Secure Your Files?
Use strong passwords, encryption, and safe methods of transfer to protect your data from thieves and snoopers.
Need help with secure file storage?
Feel free to contact us today, and let us walk you through setting up safe systems for your files. Don’t wait until it’s too late; take the next step in protecting critical data!