Storing personal files, photos and other data in the cloud (Internet) has become an imperative today. Almost all Internet users need to access their data from different devices including:  desktops, laptops, smart-phones and tablets. Whatever device used to  create a file or a piece of data, a copy is saved locally on the device and automatically transferred to the user’s folder in the cloud  storage service such as Microsoft Onedrive, Google drive, Dropbox, etc. during the synchronization process. The user does not need to manually copy file from one device to another as it used to be in the past.

Even if enterprises pay for better data storing services, most of these online storage services are offered free of charges to personal usage , provided that the user register for a free mail account or a limited storage space.

Many people are rightfully very reluctant to putting their personal data in the cloud, not knowing who manages and access their data and where they are physically stored. This attitude of mistrust vis-à-vis cloud services is general, regardless of the type of cloud service needed such as: IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), SaaS (Software as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service).

Technically speaking, irrespective of the online storage service provider taken into account, a safety hazard exists and there is no current adequate solution to it. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to encrypt (password protect) critical data before storing in the cloud. In case the online storage system is attacked and data stolen, the hacker will need the password to have access to data. It’s just like adding a second door to the room having your valuable jewelry.

File encryption jargon may sound complicated for any IT related layman. In short, symmetric encryption of a file it nothing more than protecting it with a secret code (password). This is called Symmetric encryption method, away from more complicated encryption method asymmetric encryption using a key pair (public key and private key) . The simplest method of encryption (symmetric) is generally used to encrypt file with a secret code (password), before storing or sending electronically. The recipient of the file should absolutely enter the same secret key to be able to open the file.

Let’s see exactly how to encrypt a file using Windows Operating System. You need to download and install the freeware 7-Zip on your computer. Once is it installed these are the steps to follow :

• Right click the file or folder to encrypt
• Select 7-Zip, add to archive, the following windows opens on your screen

• Select .zip as Archive format
• Type in and confirm your password (secret code) in the Encryption zone and click OK to save the encrypted file.Any attempt to open the encrypted file will request the password to open the file. So, keep the password for yourself in a safe place (like a password manager), you will need it whenever you want to open the file.

Emmanuel T.T.

ICT Professional.

Certification : MCP, MCSA, A+, Network+, Linux +, Cloud+