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SugarSync

Why you shouldn't buy iCloud storage

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Manufacturer specific cloud storage solutions are a bad idea. If you buy iCloud storage, it won’t work with your Windows PC or your wife’s Android device. This is the message Drew Houston , Dropbox’s CEO, shared with the audience at the Mobile World Congress. He highlighted the danger of getting locked into one manufacturer’s cloud storage solution (which won’t run on devices from any other brand).

Houston talked about a user being able to store a file in the cloud and share it with any user regardless of their consumption device (Blackberry phone, Windows desktop or phone, Android device, etc). His statements are clearly an attack on Apple’s icloud but they should resonate with most users as true.

Interestingly, he spoke about Samsung which had initially built its own cloud storage solution but then migrated its customers to Dropbox by offering free storage.

My primary phone is an iPhone (for now since I’m contemplating switching in October when my contract is up) but there is no way I would buy iCloud storage. My home PCs are all windows and many of my friends and family use Android devices. Plus iCloud has had a few too many reliability issues over the last year.

I think these comments are very powerful and true. Whether you choose Dropbox, Bitcasa, Sugarsync or Box.net, they are all better alternatives than iCloud (notice I didn't include Skydrive in my list either). My only wish is that these companies drop their subscription prices. Storage prices are falling faster than the monthly fees for these services. The ideal solution is an unlimited plan from Dropbox or for Bitcasa for fix the really annoying service limitations of its unlimited storage offering.

Is Microsoft going through your cloud stored files?

InfoSecEdward Kiledjian

As the CISO of a large multinational organization, I understand the fine balance between flexibility/usability and security. Absolute usability means no security and vise versa. So when I look at cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, Skydrive, Google Drive, SugarSync , Cubby, iCloud & al, I understand the attraction. You pay a reasonable monthly fee and all of your important data is backed up to the cloud and available everywhere on all your devices. They provide ultimate flexibility.

Unfortunately the average consumer isn’t thinking about the security of their in-cloud files, because this would add a layer of complexity and would reduce the ease and flexibility of the solution. But without real file encryption, the security of your data is dependent on the policies and controls of the provider. Yikes!

I was reminded of this reality when I heard about Microsoft’s Skydrive and their no nudity policy. Skydrive is an interesting one because it is used by Microsoft to tie its ecosystem together (similar to how Apple uses iCloud). Skydrive clearly doesn’t want you to upload nudity even if it is for private storage and legally obtained. If you transgress and your Skydrive account is suspended, then you may also be locked out of other Microsoft services that rely on that account like Windows 8, XBOX Live, Windows Phone, Skype, the online version of Office 2013 and Outlook.com.

On one hand, Microsoft is forcing users of its services and products to leverage their Live account while on the other hand mandating strict usage guidelines even for your own private files. Is anyone wondering how they detect and handle these situations? With over 60,000,000 million users, the possible flagging of a violation isn’t done manually but the secondary confirmation just might be.

Of the major cloud storage service providers, Skydrive seems to be the most restrictive while SugarSync seems to be most permission.

I am not advocating the storage of illegal content on cloud storage services but I feel strongly that my personal files are my own and it is creepy to know some cloud provider somewhere is evaluating my content without my knowledge. This reality has created a new need. We are starting to see customer demand for encrypted cloud storage, where the provider can’t see the content.  This new market is in its infancy and the players are still small unknown players but I am sure this will change over time.

For the time being, watch what you store online.