Previously, I have shared actionable tips on online privacy, and insights on technologies like passkeys to secure your account.
With that, you can ensure enhanced digital privacy and stronger security protection for your online accounts ā
But, how do you store private information with Fort-Knox-level security? Is it something only techies or security professionals can do?
Of course not! š Anyone can do it, easily! And, I have realized that after trying countless options to store my sensitive data.
š¢ News flash: You already know some of these methods, but we lost track of them in pursuit of countless āsecurityā tools to help make our digital lives safer. Let us get right into it.
1. Notebook / Paper
Yes, exactly. Just get a notebook or a piece of paper to write down your recovery codes, important pass phrases, and master passwords for your password manager or any other tool.
Almost everyone knows about it ā but they missed doing it, right? It is an inexpensive tool. šø
Instead, maybe you chose to upload your recovery codes to Google Drive or One Drive. Or, just saved it to your password manager?
Well, it is a bad idea to store any sensitive data like recovery codes on platforms like Google Drive. And, it’s also not a great idea to save it with a password manager.
Why?
Well, any online platform without end-to-end encryption is a no-go. Furthermore, what will you do if you lose access to your password manager? Where do you save your recovery codes to your password manager?
You will eventually come search for a place where everything can be reliably accessed, right? And, a physical notebook is a safe option.
No encryption needed, just make sure no one else has access to your notebook except you.
2. USB Drive or Storage Drive
A USB drive (or pen drive) is yet another solid tool to store sensitive data without spending a bomb. You can get a Type-C one to access it on your phone, or the usual Type-B ones for computers.
You can get a couple of USB drives, and save the same private data (documents, media, etc.) to all of them for redundancy. For organizing them, you can also label them.
Whether you choose a compact pen drive or an external SSD/HDD to store lots of information, that is up to you. Any physical storage drive that is not connected to the internet is a solution.
And when are done storing data in it (in encrypted form or unencrypted form), keep them locked away until you require it.
Of course, you should only plug it in a system that is absolutely secure. š
3. Encrypt Files Using Cryptomator
Cryptomator is a free and open-source tool that lets you encrypt files locally on your computer or phone. The mobile applications require a one-time fee, desktop ones are entirely free.
Just create a strong password for your vault of documents/media or any types of files, and that’s it. You can access the vault on any platform using Cryptomator app.
This way, you can encrypt your files locally, and also upload them to any cloud storage service, without worrying about them.
4. End-to-End Encrypted Cloud Storage Service
This is a less secure way than the ones mentioned above ā because the service is not in your control. If your access is compromised, the sensitive files will be at risk.
But, if you want convenience of access and redundancy without making too much of an effort. You can try services like Mega.nz (Free), Ente, and Internxt to store some private data as they feature end-to-end encryption by default. š
You can also take a look at pCloud’s premium offering to encrypt your files on the cloud. Trust me, using these services is better than storing your sensitive data in an unencrypted form in Google Drive.
I also suggest you watch this video for more options:
It is evident that some good-old ways are the most secure ways to store confidential information.
How do you choose to store your private information? Let me know in the comments down below! š¬
