One often encounters the term cloud when it comes to data storage. There are many different cloud providers that can store our data for a small amount of money. We therefore took a look at which cloud is the most secure.
Which cloud is the most secure?
Which cloud is the most secure? This question is gaining weight as cloud storage becomes more important. In a highly connected world, it is very convenient to have access to the data in the cloud from an Internet-enabled device at any time, regardless of where you are. When choosing a cloud provider, privacy and data protection should be ensured in addition to an attractive price. Which cloud is the most secure? The following text gets to the bottom of this question and presents some of the cloud providers in more detail.
Amazon Drive
Amazon has long since ceased to operate solely as an online mail order company and has expanded its business areas to include the production of film and series formats, among other things. In 2011, the Internet giant entered the cloud storage business and offers Amazon Drive, a cloud service that includes five gigabytes of storage in the free plan and allows an unlimited number of linked devices.
Amazon Drive offers a total of 13 paid plans with storage capacities ranging from 100 gigabytes to 30 terabytes. Amazon Drive uses the low security standard HTTPS for encryption. The speed of data transfer when uploading and downloading files is a double-edged sword. While the download is quite fast at around ten megabytes per second at different times of the day, the upload can be time-consuming at less than one megabyte per second.
For uploading, Amazon Drive provides two apps that are needed to save files to the appropriate location in the cloud. Pictures are stored in “Photos” and documents in “Drive”. Automatic synchronization of files is possible with Amazon Drive. Functions for sharing files, for example to share photos with friends, are not available, users can only manage their data.
Dropbox
As one of the pioneers in cloud services, Dropbox laid the foundation for the cloud storage business. Founded in 2007, the company is one of the best-known cloud providers and enjoys integration with many online office solutions. Dropbox is available on all major operating systems with its own app, which is used to transfer the files to the servers.
Dropbox’s free version includes two gigabytes of storage space, which is supplemented by paid plans for private and business customers that offer two to three terabytes of storage space. For free use, Dropbox uses AES-256 encryption. The more secure end-to-end encryption is available to customers with paid subscriptions. Dropbox usually stores data on servers in the USA. Only business customers have the option of storing data on servers in Germany.
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This circumstance should be taken into account when choosing a provider, since storing data on servers abroad often results in poorer data protection. Dropbox’s upload and download speeds are within the usual market range of other competitors. The download averages around ten megabytes per second, while the upload speed leaves room for improvement at just over one megabyte per second.
Dropbox does not show any weaknesses in terms of usability and functionality. The interface of the cloud service presents itself very tidy and can be used intuitively. The cloud provider allows synchronization in both directions as well as download in the background and automatic upload of files is also possible. Additionally, Dropbox offers a sharing function to share uploaded files with others.
Google Drive
Google has also been active in the cloud storage market for quite some time and offers a free basic plan that includes 15 gigabytes of storage and a comprehensive Office package. Customers can choose from different plans at Google Drive with paid storage sizes ranging from 100 gigabytes to 30 terabytes. Google Drive is present with its own apps on most operating systems and access to the service is already possible with every browser.
With Google Drive, customers’ data is stored on servers around the world. However, most are located outside the EU in the US, which opens the door to the collection of data from Google Maps, Gmail and browsing history. When it comes to encryption, Google Drive offers the option of using G-Suite or SSL/TLS. In addition, two-factor authentication for the Google account can be used optionally.
The average speed in terms of uploading and downloading files hardly differs from that of the competition at Googe Drive. Downloads achieve an average data rate of around 12 megabytes per second and uploads are in the range of one to one and a half megabytes per second. As is the case with Amazon Drive, Google Drive also stores documents and photos in two different locations via two different apps.
Pictures move to “Photos” and documents to “Drive”. Backup and synchronization run smoothly on Google Drive across multiple end devices without any problems, and when uploading, there is the option to upload files automatically in the background. A file sharing feature is available and storage management is also easy with Google Drive.
Microsoft OneDrive
The software giant from Redmond has a cloud service on offer with Microsoft OneDrive, which has been integrated into its operating system since Windows 8, but is also available for numerous other platforms. The free plan includes at least five gigabytes of storage space. The paid plans OneDrive 100, Office 365 Personal and Home offer storage space from 100 gigabytes to two terabytes.
Microsoft operates servers for OneDrive in Germany and also stores the data of German users there. This practice represents a privacy plus for end users in this country. Encryption is also on a high level with IPSec and can be done with end-to-end encryption in the paid plans. The OneDrive account can be additionally protected against unauthorized access with two-factor authentication.
Conclusion: Which cloud is the most secure?
Which cloud is the most secure? This question cannot be answered unequivocally, as each end user has different requirements. In the meantime, most technology companies are represented on the market with their own cloud services and are courting customers. Which cloud is the most secure? Ultimately, users must decide this question for themselves, weighing up the various cloud providers’ offerings.
