5 Steps to Secure Google Drive
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The document outlines five steps to secure Google Drive, emphasizing the importance of two-step verification, account recovery options, and cautious app access management. It highlights user error as a leading cause of data loss and suggests backing up Google Drive as a best practice. Lastly, it encourages users to understand their responsibility in protecting uploaded data while using cloud services.
5 Steps to Secure Google Drive
- 1. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE BACKUPIFY – AUGUST 2012
- 2. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE Backupify, Inc. 2 INTRODUCTION Introduced a few months ago, Google Drive is more than just an online place to stash files. Google Drive is integrated into many Google applications including Google Apps and lets you access your information from just about anywhere – including mobile devices. But what kind of risks do you face by uploading your data to the cloud? We address Google Drive-specific security issues below. TIP #1: USE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION The biggest risk to your data is your credentials, which for most of us is an easily guessed password. Two-step verification is one of the surest ways to secure your Google Account (which gives you access to Google Drive, of course). Once enabled you’ll have to enter not only your password but a second code Google sends to your mobile phone via text message. It doesn’t add much time to the login process and is infinitely more secure. Why? If someone tries to hack your account they’ll need your password AND your phone. Google’s short DIY on how to setup two-step verification can be found here. TIP #2: SETUP RECOVERY ON YOUR GOOGLE ACCOUNT It can happen – let’s say you lost control of your account to a third party (you left your account logged into on a public computer, forgot to lock your computer, someone guessed your password). Google Drive users should be more concerned
- 3. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE Backupify, Inc. 3 than anyone, especially if they’re uploading identity-theft grade files like tax returns or insurance documents. Fortunately, losing control of your account isn’t the end of the world. You can setup account recovery options which will allow you to regain control of your Google Account. Things you can do include adding a security question, use of your mobile phone, and most importantly, setting up an alternate email address. TIP #3: SECURE YOUR FILES BY APPLICATION Think of Google Drive as a backend platform – while it can simply store files, it’s also designed to act as a storage subsystem for applications (Google Apps, for example, now uses Google Drive instead of the defunct Google Documents). You can find apps that store photos, videos and even faxes in Google Drive in the Chrome Web Store. Why is it important to think about security on a per-file basis? You may not want to give a video editing app access to last year’s W2 form. While it probably won’t hurt, keep in mind that most apps for Google Drive are not developed by Google (read: third-party). It’s not that we don’t trust anyone, but why take any risk, no matter how small, if it’s unnecessary? Chances are you won’t be micromanaging access to all of your files (especially if you have thousands like I do) – maybe just to that W2 like I mentioned. To revoke an app’s permission to a file, right-click the file and click “View authorized apps…”
- 4. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE Backupify, Inc. 4 and then the Revoke button next to any app you don’t want to have access. You will still have access to the file through Google Drive, but the app won’t. TIP #4: CONTROL ENTIRE APPS WITH ONE CLICK Do you want to cut off an app’s access to your data entirely? This would be a good idea if you’re not using the App – and chances are you’ve downloaded one too many that is not being used. Go to accounts.google.com, sign in, and click “Security” on the left. Then click on “Authorizing applications & sites”: This page shows you every app that has access to your data and gives you one button to revoke all access. Neat! TIP #5: BACKUP GOOGLE DRIVE No matter how much you protect your Google Drive data from outside attacks, it’s hard to protect it from yourself. Nearly 63% of all data loss in Google Apps is user error – cases of accidental deletion tops among them. Moreover, if you’ve shared a Google Drive item with another user, they could corrupt or delete those documents through no fault of your own. The best defense against user error (and any other form of data loss) is an independent backup of Google Drive.
- 5. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE Backupify, Inc. 5 CONCLUSION It’s important to be stringent about access to your data. Think about access to your Google Account for starters; make sure you setup two-step verification and your account recovery options. Two-step verification is an extra barrier to hacking and recovery means you can regain control of your account should anyone actually get in. Next we have the issue of third-party apps having access to your data in Google Drive. You can setup access on a per-file basis and even lock out entire applications with a few clicks. Lastly, backup of all data is best practice, even in Google Drive. Remember that Google is doing a lot of unsaid work behind the scenes to keep your data safe, but at the end of the day you’re ultimately responsible for what you upload to the Internet and how you protect it. Hope you’ve got a good backup plan. ABOUT BACKUPIFY Backupify is the leading provider of backup and restore solutions for SaaS applications including Google Apps, Salesforce, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Backupify was founded in 2008 and is based in Cambridge, MA. Backupify has over 200,000 users trusting us with more than 500 million documents, two billion email messages and 350 terabytes of data. WHY BACKUP CLOUD DATA? Your data is one of the most critical assets of your business. Like any important asset, it should be insured. While most SaaS providers, including Google and Salesforce, offer state-of-the-art disaster recovery capabilities that protect you from some forms of data loss, you are still at risk for data loss due to user error, hacked accounts and third-party application bugs. To fully replicate your on- premise backup capabilities in the cloud, you need the ability to perform granular restores, and to retain the control that comes from having your own secure second copy of the data in your SaaS applications.
- 6. 5 STEPS TO SECURE GOOGLE DRIVE Backupify, Inc. 6 FIND OUT MORE If you're interested in the peace of mind you get from an automated Google Apps or Salesforce backup solution, feel free to contact us directly at info@backupify.com. Web http://www.backupify.com Phone 1.800.571.4984 Twitter http://twitter.com/backupify Backupify logo is a registered trademark or registered trademarks of Backupify, Inc. All other names may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. © 2012 Backupify, Inc. Item: GAT-WP-EN-200110608