Loss of files when using the cloud
In the cloud we can store all kinds of documents and files. Many of them may be important, so losing them could be a serious problem. But of course, in the end we depend on a service that we are using. It is not as if we had a physical hard drive, of our own, where we are going to be able to control what happens.
The platform stops working
The first reason is that the platform stops working. This does not usually happen overnight, but it can happen that you are using a secondary service, which does not have many users, and it closes. Maybe they warn you with a certain amount of time but you don’t realize it because you don’t use it frequently and when you want to access you find that no longer exists.
If you use stable platforms, such as Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, this will not happen. Not in the short term at least. But it can happen if you use other less popular and more unstable services.
files expire
Another thing to keep in mind is that you can lose your cloud files if they expire. There are many services that allow you to store content but up to a certain time. Once that time has passed, they are automatically deleted by the platform and we can no longer access them.
Is this common? Well, it depends on the service. Once again, it is important to use secure cloud storage platforms to avoid these problems. Always check if the files are going to expire after a while or if they are going to remain there until you decide to delete them manually.
computer attack
You cannot rule out that there is a computer attack. A hacker could exploit some vulnerability on the storage platform you are using and remove all user files. That could cause big losses, logically, but it is a possibility that is always there.
For this reason, it is advisable to make backup copies, at least of the most important files that may be irreparable. Only in this way will you always be protected and you will not run any risk in the event that any cloud service you use may be the victim of a cyber attack.
Lost account or password
That attack may not be directed against the platform itself, but against your account. Could steal your password and access everything you have stored. That, inevitably, is going to put all the content at risk and they could delete it without you being able to do anything to prevent that from happening.
To avoid these it is essential to protect the account. Always use passwords that are strong and complex, keep computers up to date and with a good antivirus, as well as enable two-factor authentication whenever possible and create that extra layer of protection against account theft.
accidental deletion
But of course, human error can also be the cause of files to be deleted on the cloud. Maybe you have a folder with important documents and, by mistake, you hit delete. In that case the files would be deleted and would no longer be available on that platform, so it would be the same as if you erase a hard drive.
Now, sometimes these platforms have a trash can, similar to the one in Windows, so you can go there and restore deleted files. However, it is not something that is always available and therefore you must be careful when you are going to delete a file and not make a mistake.
In short, for these reasons you could lose the files you have stored in the cloud. It is important that you take certain precautionary measures so as not to have problems and thus always keep the documents in a safe place, without losing them and that being a major problem.
