What are the risks of using public cloud services for document collaboration?

2 Service reliability and availability

Another risk of using public cloud services for document collaboration and sharing is the dependence on the service provider's reliability and availability. Public cloud platforms may experience outages, downtime, or performance issues due to various factors, such as technical glitches, cyberattacks, natural disasters, or high demand. This may affect your ability to access, edit, or share your documents when you need them, and cause delays, errors, or frustration. Moreover, you may not have a backup or recovery plan in case your data is lost, corrupted, or deleted due to a service failure or a user mistake.

3 Vendor lock-in and compatibility

A third risk of using public cloud services for document collaboration and sharing is the possibility of vendor lock-in and compatibility problems. Public cloud providers may use proprietary formats, standards, or features that make it difficult or costly to switch to another service or integrate with other tools. This may limit your flexibility, choice, and innovation, and make you dependent on the vendor's policies, prices, and updates. Moreover, you may face compatibility issues if you need to collaborate or share documents with people who use different platforms, devices, or software, and encounter problems with formatting, functionality, or quality.

4 How to mitigate the risks

Using public cloud services for document collaboration and sharing may be convenient, scalable, and affordable, but you should also be aware of the risks and take steps to mitigate them. To ensure secure use of a public cloud service, make sure to choose a reputable provider with adequate security, privacy, and backup features. Review the terms and conditions, policies, and SLAs of the service so that you know your rights and responsibilities. Additionally, use strong passwords, encryption, and multi-factor authentication for data protection. Regularly back up your data in a secure location such as an external drive or private cloud service. Monitor the performance and availability of the public cloud service to report any issues or problems to the provider or IT support team. Finally, avoid vendor lock-in or compatibility issues by using standard or open formats such as PDF or ODF, as well as interoperable or compatible tools like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.