- Cloud storage is essential in this era and there are many services that provide us with different features.
- Microsoft's OneDrive is one of the most popular, we'll see if it's as secure as they say.
Cloud storage services are very popular and necessary nowadays. There are many alternatives in this regard, but one of the features that we look for most is security and following this line we ask ourselves: Is Microsoft OneDrive really safe ? We are talking about one of the most popular services in the industry..
Is Microsoft OneDrive safe?
Main disadvantages
While we can find a few things we like too much about OneDrive, it does have its negative points which we'll start with before jumping straight into all the good things it has to offer.
The first thing we will have to consider is that it does not have end-to-end encryption. This means that your encryption key belongs to Microsoft. It does not mean that the company can access our files. The issue is that, if it had even client-side encryption, the service would not know what it loaded into its storage space..
Many cloud storage services offer this. The encryption happens on our device. Therefore, the encryption key remains with us, this would provide more security, privacy and control.
Another important aspect is the Privacy Policy. While they keep up with industry standards, OneDrive doesn't have specific strengths when it comes to privacy..
Microsoft analyzes and collects information about our files to improve product experience and personalization. This is a data collection system that is largely automated, although company employees can access the data manually. They may even be forced to share this information with third parties in any legal process.
Positive things OneDrive can offer
One of the positive things is that the company encourages its users to use the famous two-factor authentication that works perfectly without any code, reducing the verification effort. We will receive a notification on our device and by tapping the correct number we will be able to enter.
At the same time, we clearly find ourselves with a personalized experience in Windows. OneDrive is perfectly integrated into the operating system and we do not have to install anything extra.
It also features ransomware detection and recovery. If we have a subscription to Microsoft 365 we are protected against ransomware. This is a very positive thing, especially in this day and age where ransomware attacks are so common.
We will be notified if any malicious attacks are found and Microsoft will help us recover our files if they are compromised.
To all this, we must add the fact that it has additional security functions. Since the integration with Windows Defender; monitoring suspicious activity to prevent unauthorized access.
It has version history for different file types. We will be able to protect passwords and set expiration times for shared links.
We also find the popular personal vault, which helps us keep our files password protected. It allows us to create a private space in the same OneDrive account where we can save extremely private files with two-factor authentication. This function can be used from web browsers, mobile devices and computers.