Is it REALLY safe to store your private photos and documents in the ‘cloud’? Experts

Precious photos and family videos used to be stored in hardback albums and cardboard boxes kept safe at the back of the wardrobe.

But these days most memories – alongside all our crucial files – are being kept on smartphones and laptops instead. Then, around half of us back these files up, in case our gadgets get damaged or lost, on an external storage facility known as ‘the cloud’. This is where computer data is sent via the internet many miles away to a giant digital storage warehouse.

However, experts warn that this mode of storage is not infallible. Here’s what you need to know to keep your files safe – and to keep costs down in the process.

Explore a variety of cloud options

Computer company giants, such as Apple and Microsoft, have been eager for us to sign up to their basic free cloud services. This is because the providers know all too well that as we start to take more photos, videos and download music, the storage we need increases – and we eventually might have to pay for extra data space.

How you store information on a cloud largely varies depending on the computer and software that you use. Computer users with a PC running modern Windows software can use Windows Backup to automatically sync files, which is then stored on Microsoft OneCloud.

Apple, instead, encourages users to tap on Apple menu, go to System Settings, sign in with your Apple ID and then use their own storage system known as iCloud.

You can also set up a cloud with an alternative provider, such as Box, Google One and Dropbox. To do this you must visit their websites and download their software or app. You sign up and follow the instructions to ensure that files on your computer are sent over to the cloud services in encrypted format to be externally stored.

Toby Walne sits down with Colin Tankard, managing director of cyber security company Digital Pathways, to discuss the cheapest options available when looking to keep important files safe

Deciding which cloud service you should adopt should not just be made on convenience but also price, but experts admit it can prove a challenge to shop around.

Andrew Laughlin, principal researcher at Which?, says: ‘The market needs to be standardised because at the moment it is far easier to choose the cloud system being promoted by the computer software provider that you use. But you should consider exploring other options.’

Prices depend on the provider and amount of data you want to have stored (see box below). The most generous for offering free storage is Google One, with 15 Gigabytes (GB). However, Laughlin points out a typical computer might need 100GB of storage space. For this amount of data, Microsoft OneDrive is one of the most competitive, offering such storage for £19.99 a year. This deal is cheaper for those who are willing to pay via an annual subscription rather than £1.99 every month.

Which? believes the way Apple operates makes it particularly hard for users not to opt for iCloud. In November last year Which? went to the Competition Appeal Tribunal claiming Apple has breached UK competition rules – enabling it to overcharge. Two years ago Apple raised the fee for its 50GB plan from 79p to 99p a month and for 200GB from £2.49 to £2.99 a month.

Which? is seeking damages for affected Apple customers ‘locked in’ to their service. If successful it believes consumers could be owed as much as £70 if they have been signed up to iCloud for the past decade.

Anabel Hoult, chief executive of Which?, says: ‘We believe Apple customers are owed nearly £3billion as a result of the tech giant forcing its iCloud services on customers and cutting off competition from rival services.’

A judgment is not expected until at least next year.

An Apple spokesman said: ‘Apple believes in providing our customers with choices. Our users are not required to use iCloud, and many rely on a wide range of third-party alternatives for data storage. In addition, we work hard to make data transfer as easy as possible – whether it’s to iCloud or another service. We reject any suggestion that our iCloud practices are anticompetitive and will vigorously defend against any legal claim otherwise.’

A cloud does not guarantee total security

Experts fear an increasing reliance on a cloud storage service can be dangerous because there is no cast iron guarantee it will not lose your data – and it can also turn out to be an over expensive way to pay for storage.

Tankard warns that your information could be destroyed in extreme circumstances such as a terrorist bomb or natural catastrophe

Colin Tankard, managing director of cyber security company Digital Pathways, says: ‘In the small-print of the terms and conditions of cloud storage providers they all boast of how they guarantee to offer you a service – but not that data can never be lost. Unfortunately, despite it being extremely unlikely, if there was a disaster, such as a cyber-attack, terrorist bomb, or natural catastrophe like an earthquake, it is possible the information could be destroyed. This is because all your data is sent over the internet and is stored in huge computer storage facilities inside giant warehouses that are dotted across Europe.’

Rather than sitting in an actual cloud in the sky, your personal information is encrypted and stored on land or even under water in top security lockups. Due to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules data is primarily kept in European locations. Storage facilities use a lot of energy and give off heat, so these tend to be in cold countries such as Iceland, Sweden and Ireland. There was even a 117-foot underwater shipping container-sized storage centre trialled offshore in Scotland’s Orkney Islands by Microsoft, but it was abandoned five years ago.

Ensure you get additional data backup

To ensure your data is fully secure you should also store information on an external hard drive – and not just rely on your computer and a cloud service.

Tankard says: ‘A back of your backups is vitally important and need not cost the earth. It is not good enough just hoping the storage on your computer as well as the cloud is enough. What happens if you lose the computer or it breaks? All you need is a £10 memory stick with a USB port that you can stick into your computer after downloading all the information from your smartphone.’

Consumer group Which? says most photos taken on a smartphone use no more than 2 megabytes (MB) each. It suggests getting more storage for photos than required – perhaps enough for 10,000 photos and video clips. A 128 gigabyte (GB) USB memory stick flash drive offers more than enough storage space. One GB is 1,000 MBs.

Another option for those who might forget to upload data on to a memory stick or fear they might lose the handheld device at the back of a kitchen drawer, is to invest £60 in an external hard drive that plugs into your computer and can automatically download information on a weekly basis from your laptop on to this separate box. These tend to offer more storage capacity than required, but if you take lots of high-resolution photos, videos and download computer games, then it provides a solution.’

Among the external hard drives that Tankard recommends is a £60 One Terabyte (TB) Seagate, a £100 One Terabyte (TB) Buffalo, and a rugged £90 2TB LaCie.

Backing up information on an external hard drive straightforward. If using a PC to back on an external USB memory stick or hard drive go into ‘settings’ and ‘files backup’. Under ‘back up using File History’ press ‘Add a drive’ – which is where you select the device to back up.

If you have floppy or hard discs, then a £20 external floppy disc drive that plugs into your computer is all that is required. Once your data has been downloaded on to your computer you can back it up on a cloud or hard drive.

Be aware the biggest security risk is YOU

Your cloud storage details are encrypted to ensure they cannot be hacked. The biggest weakness in the security chain is you and your password. If you accidentally share the secret information, then you could be giving criminals access to your backups – so always be wary of unsolicited ‘phishing’ emails that try to convince you to share this information. They may try to trick you by explaining your account has been hacked and they need you to provide details of your password to make it secure.

Laughlin says: ‘Do not go for an obvious password, such as a family pet or favourite football team, but go for random letters, numbers and symbols you will not forget.’

He also recommends using two-factor authentication. This is when, on top of the password, you are sent a separate code to another device – such as a smartphone – to be tapped in for access to back-ups. Two-factor authentication is offered in computer settings.