By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
There is an interesting video on Slashdot of an interview with Tom Henderson, principle researcher at Extreme Labs, Inc. He provides a primer into his well founded concerns on privacy in the world of cloud computing. His research has led him to the position of distrust of companies hired to store data on behalf of users as opposed to the advantages of these users self-storing and archiving. It is reminiscent of the convenience placed above privacy that is coming to a greater magnification today and likely to be more so into the future.
Mr. Henderson wrote several articles in his Thumping the Clouds blog relating to the rise in cloud technology and its encroachment into private lives. The link can afford readers with good information on the topic.
The video interview may be watched here.
Source:
Slashdot
Thumping the Clouds blog
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DBQ
just put it on a Data Stick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive
Aridog & DBQ: Thanks for the recommendations. I’ll check them out.
Max – that reminds me of that scene in “Clue” where the Butler said “Herbert Hoover is on everyone else’s phone nowadays. Why shouldn’t he be on mine, too?”
Inga (Annie)
Good grief, always looking to stir up dissention. Why is that?
= = =
And I was gonna respond, “your brain?”
I’d feel safer about cloud computing IF the NSA and USGov weren’t in the business of theft. They steal the keys so they can steal your info. It’s as if you caught the DNS rummaging through your underwear drawer when you arrived home from work one day and he insisted it was legal because he copied your house key from the valet the other night… “What’s that? The DOJ said it was justified?”
Ross
Government agencies will never protect our privacy for very long.
= = =
Ha! The USA took 200 years to stop caring about “privacy”…
… It’s as if we need a Constitutional remedy to all this intrusion.
Oh, wait…
The USA stole encryption keys…
… Then the DNS says that it is legal.
It’s legal to steal???
Aridog, You and Darren are real geeks. I appreciate information from you propeller heads!
Karen S asked…
What is the best recommendation for physical, on-site storage of photos and videos, which take up so much space? And do I really have to worry that removable drives will break?
As I have said, and others have said, do your back ups on separate hard disk drives. I use a double back up system, using both Retrospect and Acronis True Image, and back up to at least two separate HDD’s. My better half has used RAID 1 Array for her PC’s, which also backs up everything on the main HDD on a parallel HDD built in to her computers….plus another back up on a separate HDD. Reason I ordered RAID 1 is simple…ease of fast recovery for a failed main HDD ….that and one does not want to be around Ms Judi if her PC goes down so prompt recovery is a distinct headache (literally) remedy.
A professional photographer friend of mine goes one step further, he backs up his computers and back up HDD’s monthly to regular normally built in HDD’s via a hub device that lets you plug a SATA or IDE drive in to it and then acts like a separate storage device…that he monthly takes down to his bank to his safe deposit box. He’s not lost a single photo since his Vietnam days. Redundancy of storage devices is the best solution to potential drive crashes….e.g., probability that all would fail simultaneously is very remote. Engineering grade PC’s can be ordered, through the small business portals, direct from manufacturers (Dell & HP) that have several levels of RAID Array redundancy….some PC’s at my old office had 4 HDD’s built in to it. In short everything I ever did via computer was stored redundantly, as well as all shared data via our servers, and left there when I retired…and signed my obligatory OA-109.
If you are interested in how a RAID Array works, Google it and look a various mfgr’s & descriptions to determine if the idea is right for you. Then still also back up on a separate HDD for more redundancy. Here is a link to get you started: RAID Array.
There is a place for cloud storage and/or computing, but it is limited. Exampes: data or simulations that are or should be available to everyone, like weather forecasting or many types of scientific modeling. Wikileaks used an innocent-sounding shell name to open AWS instances for its big data leak several years back. But for most uses, cloud AKA “other people’s computers” is a bad idea.
What is the best recommendation for physical, onsite storage of photos and videos, which take up so much space? And do I really have to worry that removable drives will break?
The technology changes so fast that what was once leading edge is now obsolete. So, even if you back up your data, photos etc to a portable source like a thumb drive or cd, remember to continually back up in the new format or newest device to prevent your data being stored on obsolete sources that can only be read by also obsolete equipment
Remember THESE?
http://oldcomputers.net/floppydisks.html
I do not use ANY cloud services, in fact I avoid it. I back up everything on separate hard drives. Heck, I don’t even activate Wi-Fi on my iphone, other than for short periods (minutes) if I need to find something, and my iPhone is not synced to my computers….no email, it is a telephone after all and if I need to see email I can do so via my computers, using webmail when out of my ISP’s service area. I realize I am “unenlightened” but I feel comfortable that way.
Government agencies will never protect our privacy for very long. Anything meant to be private don’t use electronic communications. Courts have not adequately “checked” those agencies for constitutionality.
Even if Congress passed new privacy laws they will never be enforced and can be undone at any time.
Last I heard, telecommunications companies retain records between 3-8 years. That means even if Congress passes new laws, your records from 8 years ago may be able to be obtained.
The NSA is also recording entire conversations, like a tape recorder, for some Americans. They are building a giant data storage facility that would indicate they want to record every American’s conversations and store it for several years.
Simply stop using electronic communications altogether for things you want to remain private – there are no real watchdogs for these abuses.
About half the cloud storage thing is a scam. The holders scan all your stuff and sell info to advertising groups. Put cat pictures in the cloud and here come the kitty beds, and kitty toys, and crunchy treat ads. I feel objectified. Plus, once it’s in the cloud, you might as figure everybody from the NSA to Obama operators to sex perverts have it. IMHO.
Crowd Storage???
And Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm
There once was a thing called the “Cloud,”
The proponents of which were quite loud.
The real reason for it,
Was to scan all your sh*t!
And sell it to the advertising crowd.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I don’t trust the Cloud for files, but I did upload photos to a similar system because I worried I’d lose them if my hard drive went out. Now I regret that, because the syncing wrecks my bandwidth.
What is the best recommendation for physical, onsite storage of photos and videos, which take up so much space? And do I really have to worry that removable drives will break?
Good grief, always looking to stir up dissention. Why is that?
Very informative post and link. Like DBQ, I don’t trust the cloud. I have come to consider that anything I do on the computer is not completely secure. I try to just use tools that seem more secure than others. I have limited knowledge so I always tread lightly.
These are the posts that the hijackers hardly ever even read or comment. So, hello to all the normal commenters here. I hope all is well w/ your computers and your lives.
Nope. No cloud storage for me. I don’t trust the security or privacy. Plus, there is really nothing that important to me that I can’t access either directly through my computer or that can be stored on thumb drives or other portable devices.
I do regular data back ups of my important files, photographs and music. When I was working in the financial arena, not only were my hard drives encrypted, my back ups were on a competely separate hard drive which was also encrypted by a program purchased by my firm. None of my stuff now is that sensitive or important.
The only thing that could conceivably be considered on a “cloud” would be my Kindle books bought through Amazon and downloaded to my device. The books are still up on the Amazon server somewhere in book cloud heaven. So I suppose I could access them from another computer if I wanted to by downloading the Kindle reader. Whatever.
Convenience is sometimes not really a good thing.
I don’t use cloud storage. It’s to risky. Instead black hole storage is preferred.
Harry – what is black hole storage?
As an Eighth Day Dog Adventist I can state from observation that there are not angels or former humans sitting up on clouds. The safety of your private information being stored “on clouds” by these companies is totally at risk. These companies have no angels to guard over your private social security number or your bank account number. The owners of these companies are not angels. People with Smartphones are dumbschmucks. Google the stories on “Stingray” devices and you will learn why. As in why it is unsafe to be sitting on the parking lot next to a stingray device with your Smartphone on which you have your private information. Dumbschmuck is one word and Word Press does not agree. Cloud 9 is a place where your privacy can be stolen. Get rid of your debit card accounts. Take cash out with a check once a week and be more frugal. Do not use your debit card at Target or Staples. Do not e file your tax return. It is not safe that way. Do not let your kid use your computer. Be safe out there. Get a safe.
To be perfectly honest, storing things in the cloud makes me nervous. If I store things at a storage unit, I control the lock, however with the Cloud I do not have that control. Given the intrusion by the government into our daily lives, the Cloud is not safe either.