3 Cloud storage risks combatted by two-factor authentication

2FA security in Cloud

But risks exist, as they do with any kind of digital storage. The biggest your users face are:

Improved security

Cloud storage is appealing to hackers looking to breach the security of potentially lucrative avenues. People store all kinds of data in the cloud, from deeply sensitive personal information to confidential business data. It’s unsurprising that fraudsters are keen to get in on the action.

A popular security option is two-factor authentication via SMS, which verifies the identity of users attempting to access stored data. Today, 2FA is in regular use, which means your customers won’t be confused by it. It’s a simple way to give them an added layer of security that doesn’t detract from their experience of your product or site.

Accessibility

One of the major advantages of cloud storage is that information can be accessed from anywhere… until it can’t. A risk of cloud storage is that system errors or server downtime can lead to accessibility issues.

For maximum up-time, IT managers need to take a range of variables into account: the applications and server infrastructure of course, but also practical infrastructure like the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems that enable the company to stay operational. If any of these are compromised, downtime – and unhappy customers – are a virtual inevitability.

Longevity

Backup storage for your storage server might sound like storage inception, but technology isn’t 100% fail safe. Plus, there’s the fact that cloud storage companies, like any other industry, come and go. They get bought over, they fail, or they change course.

Customers need to be reassured that, should your services cease to exist (or should the terms of use change), their data is backed up somewhere safe – like another location with the same level of security applied to their cloud-stored data. Again, 2FA via SMS would work well here. And don’t forget, customers need to know that they can still continue to access their info any time they want to.

Bolstering cloud security with two-factor authentication

These are some real and serious concerns that you need to address before asking clients to upload their data and hope for the best. So make sure you’ve covered these basics before setting up your service.

Read more about why you need to secure your cloud services with two-factor authentication.