How to encrypt data before storing it in the cloud (and why you should)

Are my files encrypted when I save them to the cloud?

After another round of high-profile celebrity hacks, it's becoming clear that cloud storage isn't exactly as safe as it's made out to be. It's easy to sync your files with a service such as OneDrive or Dropbox, but it's also easy to forget about those files down the road. You may have deleted some sensitive photos from your phone, but they still ended up synced in the cloud, and now they're in the hands of a hacker.

Let's take a look at how your cloud data can be potentially compromised and how you can add another layer of protection by encrypting them before they reach the cloud.

Cloud-storage encryption

There are two forms of encryption when you're dealing with cloud storage services: transit and resting. When your files travel between your PC and a cloud service, the files and folders you upload are generally encrypted with at least 128-bit secure sockets layer (SSL) technology.

When your data is resting in storage, however, there is less of a chance that it will have encryption, and if it does, the cloud service will likely hold the key. In the case of OneDrive, only those with a business subscription can take advantage of resting encryption. Dropbox, on the other hand, provides resting 256-bit encryption, but it holds the encryption keys.

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