Is pCloud Safe for Online Cloud Storage – Are My Files Secure Here?
Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – February 19th, 2022
Moving storage to the cloud has some appealing advantages, but how secure is online storage, particularly when dealing with this Switzerland-based online service provider, Is pCloud safe for online cloud storage, are you files safe on pCloud? Almost all cloud security problems get caused by the cloud consumer rather than the service provider.
Data storage difficulties for IT department leadership is becoming more common due to increasing occurrences of cybersecurity breaches, notably with ransomware. Choosing the proper cloud storage provider is critical since using the cloud may minimize or eliminate physical infrastructure requirements and save you time and money from physically storing all your files.
Table of Contents
pCloud: Quick Summary
Pros
- Switzerland Privacy Laws with 30 Days tracking
- Trials for New users for Free 14-day & 10GB free storage
- Unencrypted data can get synced with Facebook and other services.
- Customizable sharing links and valuable media players
Cons
- For encrypted data, not all functionalities are available
- There is an additional fee for pCloud Crypto and Extended File History.
- There is no document editor or limited collaboration options available
- Support is limited.
Continue reading the article about whether or not pCloud is safe online cloud storage; I will explain the features and security protection pCloud provides to its clients.
pCloud for Cloud Storage – What We Know
Cloud storage allows you to store data and files in a secure, off-site location that you can access through the internet and get managed by a third party. It gives you flexibility, worldwide scalability, and reliability, as well as access to data at any time and from anywhere.
Your data is sent to a pool of servers in data centers by the server you connect. Cloud storage, like any other cloud-based technology, has certain specific advantages. However, it creates significant problems, particularly regarding security and administrative management. So, keep these things in mind while choosing a cloud storage provider.
- Standards & Certifications
- Data Security, Data Governance, And Business Policies
- Performance & Reliability
- Business And Company’s Profile
Because these capabilities are necessary for data security, I’ll assess pCloud based on them while discussing additional factors.
Is pCloud Safe for Online Cloud Storage?
Based in Switzerland, pCloud is a new, forward-thinking company that is attempting to make a substantial impression on the fast-developing IT industry by offering liberal price levels and a no-knowledge local encryption option.
pCloud got launched in 2013 with the primary purpose of providing people and organizations with a comprehensive, easy-to-use cloud storage solution. pCloud already has over 14 million members and is continually expanding. They claim that they have come to fix an issue that other cloud storage systems are either too technical or not user-friendly enough for customers to receive all they want from them.
With over 46,806 reviews on Google Play and a 4.5 overall rating, the organization seems to convey its solution to the target audience effectively. And based on the number of user evaluations, the answer to the question is pCloud safe for online cloud storage might be a resounding yes. But before we make any conclusions, let’s take a deeper look.
Starting Up a pCloud Account
pCloud, like other cloud storage services, offers free accounts with 10GB of storage after signing up and authenticating your details, which is 5 GB less than Google but significantly more than Apple, Microsoft, and Dropbox. They also have a referral program to refer each friend and get $5 back if they sign up for a membership. There’s no limit to how many people you may recommend; they have two options when it comes to storage plans.
- Annual plans: The 500GB Premium plan on pCloud costs $3.99 per month, while the 2TB Premium plan costs $7.99 per month.
- Life Time Plan: The 500GB Premium plan from pCloud is only $175 for a one-time payment, while the 2TB Premium plan is $350.
Security Features with pCloud
- Pcloud Integrated Audio And Video Player: pCloud is the only service that lets you store both encrypted and unencrypted data in the same account while still enabling you to utilize fun features like playing media files on unencrypted files.
- File Restoration: By default, the system saves the latest 30 days of file versions, and you may restore your pCloud account by seeing a preview of your account from a specific date in the past.
- Data Encryption: All of your data gets secured in transmission between your devices and the pCloud servers, and zero-knowledge encryption is available for your files.
- Copy of Copy: By keeping five unique copies of every file you upload into their servers in 3 different places, pCloud has an unbroken duplicate of your content ready for download.
- Synchronization: Synchronizes across all of your devices and browsers, much like other services, and is available on Windows, Android, iOS, Mac OS, Linux, and major browsers.
- Backup: You may easily link your pCloud storage with other cloud providers using the Backups tab in the web interface. If you’re migrating to pCloud in addition to backing up your different account, this functionality makes sense.
Interface – Ease of Usage
The online interface does an admirable job of displaying your uploaded files, and you can navigate them just like you would in a file manager on a computer. It doesn’t employ right-click for more choices, and it’s not as slick or neatly built as competitors like Google Drive and Dropbox, but it’ll suffice. The drag-and-drop capability is there for multiple simultaneous uploads, but after uploading, you can read the documents but not alter them like with competitor services.
Is pCloud Safe? Let's Look at Privacy Protection
Because privacy regulations vary so widely throughout the world, it’s essential to double-check that the nation where you’re keeping your data satisfies all of your criteria. When it comes to pCloud, it’s a different story. The company’s first data center gets located in the United States. Existing customers will continue to utilize the US data center, while new users will have the option of processing data in the European Union data center. Because Switzerland has stringent privacy rules, you may be confident that your information will be kept safe.
The European Union data center, located in Luxembourg, is the best option. It is SSAE 16 SOC 2 Type II certified and uses TLS/SSL to transmit files. Not to mention that who knows how many other spy organizations get based in the United States and warrants order might get used to providing the US government access to people’s data, the European Union data center is far more secure than the data center in the United States. Swiss privacy regulations are among the most stringent in the world regarding personal information.
The pCLoud collects your IP address, operating system, browser type, version referral source, and device information, so the company may have access to it to engage in targeted marketing or improve its services. However, the company also states that it does not share your data with third parties for marketing purposes.
Security - Standards & Certifications
We may describe the quality, safety, and efficiency of products or services provided by businesses through certifications. Selecting the highest physical and technological security application level is part of achieving complete data security compliance. Certification is becoming a must-have guarantee of quality in the IT industry, and pCloud does not lag in leading certifications. To answer for is pCloud safe for online cloud storage, let’s discuss the security standards pCloud has.
They have two leading industry certifications.
- ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems (QMS):
- ISO 27001:2013 – Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
The parent firm manages the pCloud Quality Management System from a central location in Switzerland. In addition to accreditation, data centers get subjected to rigorous risk assessment methods that demonstrate their service quality and dependability.
pCloud Crypto – Zero-Knowledge Encryption
You may subscribe to pCloud Crypto, an add-on that features client-side encryption, for an extra degree of protection. You can secure your most sensitive information on every device, such as confidential papers. No one, not even the administrators of pCloud, will have access to your data. A zero-knowledge system should make a cloud storage service safe regardless of the data center. Even if the data center may be required to provide your information to the government, they will not extract any relevant information.
Two-Factor Authentication
pCloud now supports 2-factor authentication, which you can enable to offer extra protection to your pCloud account by entering an additional code when signing in. Even if your password leaks, no one will be able to access your saved information.
pCloud - Customer Support
Conclusion
With all of the above justifications regarding the security aspects of pCloud, you should not be concerned about the data you store; as previously said, the problem with online storage is not with the service providers. However, because the Crypto feature isn’t available for files you wish to share with friends, you won’t always have complete security because there isn’t end-to-end encryption for all uploads.
Overall, pCloud is simple to use, and its support for numerous systems ensures that it will be a viable storage solution for many users. pCloud is an attractive option to keep your information preserved and safe since it provides a significant amount of free storage and users get a competitive price.
**Onlinecloudsecurity.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases.**
Dave Miller
IT Consultant at Online Cloud Security
Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.
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About Online Cloud Security:
Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information.
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About Online Cloud Security
Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information.
Recent Posts:
