In a major security breach, the employee of a private company misplaced a computer memory stick that contained the names and passwords for a big public sector site. Atos Origin that manages the U.K government’s online Gateway was responsible for this data breach. After this incident came to light, the ministers immediately ordered a temporary shutdown.
The memory stick however was found later in the pub car park near Staffordshire where the company is based. Though the content of the memory stick was encrypted, an expert hacker could have easily accessed it and this is why conventional storage devices like USBs, hard disks etc are not safe.
If this could happen with a government agency and confidential matter, how can you consider your personal and other valuable data that is stored in hard disks and CDs or DVDs safe? Such hardware can easily be stolen and is also easily breakable and prone to damage.
Hence, conventional storage devices have been rendered obsolete and the best place to store your information is on the internet. Companies have taken a note of this problem and have set up ‘online vaults’ where data can be uploaded securely. All you need is a computer and a decent internet speed to upload your data and you can be sure it stays damage proof and even safe from accidental data loss.
