Is It Bad to Upload Tax to Google Drive
If you lot want to go on your files rubber from prying eyes, encryption is your best bet—especially if you're going to store those files in the deject, where information breaches and other security issues can expose them to the outside world.
There are several ways to continue your cloud-jump documents protected with a password. Unfortunately, Google has nevertheless to add together a true password-protection feature to Google Docs. At that place are third-political party scripts that promise to "hack" password protection into the service, just information technology'due south a rather involved process that is not guaranteed (and flawed when it comes to security).
There are too browser extensions that merits to serve a similar purpose—though nosotros don't recommend trusting your sensitive files to random, unknown extension developers. There are, however, a few things you tin can do to lock downwards documents yous've stored in Google Drive.
Keep Your Devices Secure
Yubico YubiKey 5C NFC
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides documents may non accept an option for individual password protection, but they are all the same protected on Google'southward servers. Unless yous've shared them, other users can't run across your files without your Google Account username and password.
To protect your docs from outsiders, make certain your account is as secure as possible: utilize a strong password, enable ii-factor authentication, and—for best results—use a hardware security cardinal like a Titan or YubiKey to protect your accounts. With these in place, it's highly unlikely anyone will be able to go into your business relationship.
If you're worried about someone snooping on your laptop or phone, you lot'll want to protect those devices with a countersign or Pin if you haven't already—and encrypt the onboard storage. Your phone is likely already encrypted, but on your laptop, be sure to enable BitLocker (Windows) or FileVault (Mac) in your calculator's settings to keep thieves out.
With these security precautions in identify, you lot can feel pretty safe that your friends, family, or laptop thieves will exist locked out of whatever Google Docs you take stored online. It does not, however, protect you if Google'due south servers go hacked or its employees get nosy.
Encrypt Documents With Word or Acrobat
The most secure cloud storage is the ane y'all control—or, at the very least, the ane in which you control the encryption. However, until Google adds its own password-protection feature, the best yous can exercise is add together an extra layer of encryption to your certificate earlier yous upload it.
If you have Microsoft Part installed on your PC, its built-in encryption feature is likely the easiest option. Open the certificate in question and head toFile > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password. Pick a password for the file and brand sure you remember it—if yous forget, that file volition be lost forever—then upload information technology to Google Drive. (Sadly, this won't work in other office suites like LibreOffice.)
If you have a paid Acrobat program, yous can password protect a PDF under File > Protect Using Password, then enable a countersign. Otherwise, there are several free online services that tin exercise the trick.
Google won't be able to read the file, so say goodbye to online editing, simply it'southward probably worth the trade-off if you only have a few truly sensitive documents. If you demand to view or edit the file, you'll notwithstanding be able to download it and open information technology on whatever PC with Microsoft Function or Adobe Acrobat installed. Decrypt the file, make your edits, then encrypt it again and replace it in Google Drive.
Encrypt Documents With Boxcryptor
If you need to encrypt non-Part documents, or you don't own a copy of Microsoft Office, Boxcryptor is a more than versatile choice. It's very similar to Dropbox, Google Drive, and other cloud storage services, although instead of using its ain deject service, it hooks into the cloud-syncing programs already installed on your PC.
So yous can install Boxcryptor, enable Google Bulldoze in Boxcryptor'south settings, and so access Boxcryptor from File Explorer's sidebar. Right-click on whatever files you desire to secure, choose Boxcryptor > Encrypt, and spotter the checkbox plough green. You'll notwithstanding run across the files in Google Drive, merely they won't be accessible unless you accept Boxcryptor installed and logged in.
(Note that Boxcryptor is costless for syncing one cloud storage service betwixt two PCs, merely if you want to utilize multiple services—or more than devices—you'll need a paid programme for $48 per year.)
Encrypt Documents with Veracrypt
If you want something completely gratuitous that you tin utilise with any deject storage service and any device, Veracrypt is incredibly powerful. Information technology'due south available for Windows, macOS, and Linux and tin can create an encrypted container in which yous can stash any files y'all want—then put anywhere for safe keeping.
Information technology's not the nearly user-friendly plan for beginners, just information technology'll do the trick at no cost. Just install the program, create a new encrypted file container within your Google Drive folder, and mountain that file from Veracrypt's main window.
It will appear every bit if information technology were an external hard drive—you can then drag your sensitive files there, unmount the volume, and the encrypted container will exist safely stored in your Google account. Simply know that you'll demand Veracrypt installed on whatever PC you apply to access the documents inside that container.
It'due south unfortunate that Google notwithstanding hasn't added a simple password-protect characteristic to Google Docs, but for now, at least y'all accept a few different options.
Similar What You're Reading?
Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for good advice to become the nigh out of your technology.
This newsletter may contain advertizing, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/encrypt-a-document-stored-on-google-drive
0 Response to "Is It Bad to Upload Tax to Google Drive"
Post a Comment