Like many of you, the DropBox service has come in handy on more than one occasion. However, an interesting article on bnet.com (read here) raises the question 'how secure is your data on DropBox'?

Having read the article a couple of times now, and the responses from DropBox, I'm not quite sure of the answer!  It sounds like there are procedures in place to protect user data, but it doesn't rule out the risk of someone breaking procedure?  My main question; is DropBox storing the user's encryption key online somewhere?  I have a feeling that the answer is 'yes'.

Like some other backup companies, KeepVault doesn't store the encryption key online. You don't need procedures if you don't know the key.  Perhaps this is the difference between a product designed from the outset to be a secure online backup solution, and one that was designed to be a file sharing platform.

Just saying ...

Version 4.0 of KeepVault.com data backup service available now; fastest data backup and recovery, intelligent file versioning and differential uploads, higher encryption levels, file protection queue manager, improved web access and account management, support for new Microsoft 2011 Server Platforms. Prices start from under $4/month, with no per computer fees, free trial available.

Read the full press release via the link below

http://www.prweb.com/releases/keepvault/onlinebackup/prweb5222944.htm

IBM recently announced that it is building a new data center near Beijing China.  The new data center is set to be among the ten largest in the world.  This announcement brings to mind an important subject for consideration.  Where is your data warehoused, and why is location even important?

I will address the latter of these two questions first.  With the near ubiquity of bandwidth and storage, having your data cross a border, state or otherwise, at some point is all but guaranteed.  Though not often considered, not all governments view personal privacy the same.  As recently as August of 2008, the Chinese government has been known to lock down data centers to search through archives.  Do you know where your provider’s data center is?

Perhaps you are backing up family photos or patient health records.  Either way, if you are reading this blog, you care enough about your data to protect it.  You also want to know that you are the only with access to your data.  KeepVault begins the process by encrypting your data –at the source– using up to 256 bit AES encryption.  Then communication with our servers is accomplished using an encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection.  This connection prevents would-be eavesdropping while data traverses the Internet.

The final piece of the equation is the data center.  All the encryption on earth provides only limited protection if third parties can gain physical access to your data.  KeepVault only houses data in places that have laws to protect your personal and business data.  Our servers are currently located in California, Kansas, and Michigan, USA.  Moreover, as we expand our global network, we will only ever house data in states or countries with similar laws already in place.

The data center is an often overlooked aspect when considering an online backup provider.  Those of us who have created KeepVault consider it a sacred bond of trust with our customers.  Ensuring your data is safe and that only you have access to it motivates us throughout the day.  Rest assured that your data is secure when you use KeepVault backup.

Looking for a really thorough review of KeepVault?  Check out this review on SeanDaniel.com

The conclusion?

If you’re still debating having a Cloud Backup solution for your most prized data, you should approach it like an insurance plan.  You have one for your house, you have one for your car.  You cross your fingers every day that you don’t need to use it, but when you do, it’s there for you.  If your hard-drive fails, recovery of such drives can often cost $1,000s, with no guarantee you can get your data back.  If you’re house burns down, like my uncle’s, this sort of thing is priceless.

I’m using KeepVault, what are you using?

Just a quick announcement that we won’t be performing any scheduled maintenance and that you won’t be experiencing any outages any time soon!

I’m always surprised when online backup providers have to turn everything off to perform maintenance.  It points perhaps to a lack of redundancy in their systems, or maybe it’s just the way in which their processes are structured.  Either way we’re proud to be here for you (and your data) 24x7!