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In today's digital age, data security is not just an essential component, but a fundamental factor for any professional activity. Systematically, everyone faces unique challenges regarding data privacy and security. But women working in technology face even more of them. While platforms like iCloud offer excellent opportunities for storing and accessing information, they also present significant security concerns. Namely, how to create reliable protection for your data in Cloud storage? Are there really reliable practices for this and how safe will they be for women?
Challenges for Women in Tech
Despite the progress that has been made in terms of gender equality, there are still some areas that require special attention. Among them is the storage of sensitive information and personal data of women. They are often targeted by cyberattacks and intruders, as the latter know that modern women are often responsible for many diverse areas at the same time. It is therefore not surprising that, in addition to work files, they store personal data and sensitive information related to children or loved ones on cloud storage. Therefore, you need to take the storage of such data very seriously and it is crucial to have reliable protection mechanisms in place. Before we go into detail about practical tips for secure data storage in the iCloud itself, let's not ignore such an external, but no less important factor as data backup. No matter what steps you take to ensure the immediate security of your data, it's essential that vital information can be recovered in the event of a loss. iCloud makes this process much easier, while ensuring that all data is automatically saved. As a result, it allows women working in IT to protect their data comprehensively and efficiently, without having to spend a lot of time on manual backups.
So, how to make iCloud backup faster? Here are some practical tips to consider.
Set up automatic backups. This way you will ensure that you always have up-to-date copies of your data.
Regularly check the amount of free space in iCloud. Expand the storage if necessary.
It is also vital to make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi while backing up. This makes the process more stable.
If you delete old backups, it will help to speed up the process. By following the steps above, the backup iPhone process will be much faster and more efficient.
Make sure that all important apps are included in the backup. This will help you avoid data loss if you ever encounter problems accessing your device.
Practical and Useful Advices to Improve Security
Strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) usage
Up-to-date software on a regular basis
Regularly reviewing account activity
Encrypting valuable and sensitive data
Here's a closer look at these strategies:
Strong and unique passwords
Creating a unique password is a crucial step in providing further protection against unauthorized access and hacking. While this may seem obvious, it’s worth reminding that a strong password should include both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Also, do not forget that the longer the password is, the harder it is to guess. Always use long passwords that are at least 12 characters long.
Avoid using simple words or obvious combinations that can be easily guessed.
You can use password generators that create complex yet unique passwords for each account.
What is also helpful is changing passwords on a regular bases.
Do not use the same password for different accounts.
Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the most effective security practices available today. This method adds an extra layer of protection, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access. When you enable 2FA, anyone attempting to log in to your account from an unfamiliar device will need not only your password but also a code sent to a trusted device or phone number you’ve designated. Since the intruder won't have access to this code, your account remains secure.
Turning on iCloud 2FA is easy. First, go to your Apple ID account settings and select Password & Security. Then turn on two-factor authentication. After that, enter a valid phone number to which you will receive new verification codes every time.
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Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on Android also provides an additional layer of security for your Google account and other services. To enable 2FA on Android, follow these steps. Open your Google account settings. Go to the Security section. Select Two-factor authentication. Follow the instructions. Confirm your settings.
As you can see, this is a simple but no less effective way to protect your account even more.
Systematic review of account activities
When you systematically review activities on the account, you will detect any activity that may not be related to you. This way you can take steps to protect your data immediately.
For this, you need to log in to your Apple ID settings and view the list of devices associated with your account.
As soon as you notice any devices you do not recognize, immediately delete them. Also, change the password.
On Android, you can regularly review account activity to spot any suspicious behavior. Open the browser on your Android device and navigate to your account page. In the Security section, tap on 'Devices' to view all the devices with access to your Google account and check for any recent activity.
In any case, do not ignore notifications that say that your account has been accessed from another device. They are always sent to email or trusted devices. You will then immediately have the opportunity to tell if it was you or not. This means that measures will be taken immediately to block access to a user who wants to get access to your personal data or sensitive information.
Protecting your data with encryption
When you store valuable personal information that may be sensitive, such as personal photos and videos of your children and loved ones, on your devices, in addition to work documents, it is crucial to consider encrypting. The encrypting of your data is to protect it from unauthorized access. Encryption is recognized as one of the most effective ways to protect personal information. Cloud automatically encrypts data during transmission and storage. We also recommend using additional tools to encrypt files on your device before uploading them to the cloud. This will add another layer of protection. Among them, you can consider the following.
BitLocker - It is a built-in disk encryption tool in Windows. The one that encrypts both individual files and the entire disk.
VeraCrypt - This is a free disk encryption tool that allows you to create encrypted containers to store your files.
FileVault - It uses 256-bit AES encryption to encrypt your entire Mac disk.
Cryptomator - It creates encrypted containers that can be synchronized with various cloud services.
AxCrypt - A manual tool for encrypting individual files that is suitable for both Windows and Mac users. AxCrypt allows you to conveniently manage access keys and supports strong encryption.
Conclusion
Data security in the cloud is crucial for everyone, regardless of gender. Women working in technology are often targeted by cybercriminals because the attackers realize that modern women are often responsible for many different directions at the same time. It is therefore not surprising that, in addition to work files, they store personal data and sensitive information related to children or loved ones on cloud storage. Following the steps and tips detailed in this article will definitely help to ensure reliable and effective data protection and significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to personal information, while maintaining both confidentiality and data integrity.