Just how secure is Dropbox for online file storage?

Q. Just how secure is Dropbox for online file storage?

A. The overall safety of the files parked in a cloud storage service depends on a number of things, including the security of your username and password for logging into the service. The cloud server’s own protections and your connection to the server are also factors.

Many users of the Dropbox file-storage service got prompted to change their passwords last month after it was revealed that a 2012 security breach had resulted in 68 million Dropbox users having their account login information stolen. If you are a Dropbox user and did not get a message from the company to change your password, do so anyway. For more safety, turn on two-step verification in your Dropbox account settings, too.

The Dropbox site has other security measures in place. Your files on the company’s servers are encrypted with the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (A.E.S.), which is an algorithm developed by the United States government for use with secure and classified data. To protect data transfers between your computer and Dropbox servers, the company uses Secure Sockets Layer (also known as S.S.L.) and Transport Layer Security (T.L.S.) technology to create an encrypted connection between the two of you.

Of course, if your Dropbox password is compromised, a thief can get to your stored files through the front door, so stay vigilant about your account security. As with other online merchants and services, use strong passwords to protect your account and change them regularly.

Other cloud storage sites have varying degrees of built-in security. For example, Apple’s iCloud service uses at least 128-bit A.E.S. encryptionfor data in transit and stored on its servers. Microsoft and Google both have information about data protection on their sites, although business customers tend to have more safety measures in place. While free services may not have as many security tools, you can also lock up your files on your own with cloud-encryption programs like Boxcryptoror Viivo, which have free versions for personal use — so even if your account is compromised, the thief cannot easily open the files.The New York Times

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