Cyber Protection - Acronis True Image: Anti-malware and Backup

Local storage is quite straightforward: you save your files on a physical device, such as your computer, an external hard drive or a USB stick. The advantage? You always have access, as long as you have the device with you. The downside? If the device crashes, gets stolen or lost, your files are gone too. Plus, you have to manage the security yourself, something most people struggle with. This makes your files more vulnerable to viruses and malware.

Cloud storage, on the other hand, means your files are stored online. You upload them to a server via the internet and can access them from any device – whether you’re at home or on the other side of the world. Well-known examples of cloud storage are Google Drive, Dropbox, Jottacloud and OneDrive.

You can find more information about the difference between cloud storage and local storage in this article: cloud storage vs. local storage.

Cloud storage is mainly focused on accessibility: you manually move or copy files to the cloud so you can open them anywhere. That’s convenient, but it doesn’t offer full protection against errors, data loss or cyberattacks. On top of that, version control in cloud storage is often limited. You can sometimes go back to a previous version, but not to one from months ago or dozens of iterations earlier. Malware like ransomware often overwrites several versions, making the version history of cloud storage virtually useless in such cases.

Cloud backup goes a big step further. This system automatically makes a copy of your files – and sometimes even your entire system – and stores them securely in the cloud. A detailed version history is maintained, which you can configure to restore to a situation from six months or even a year ago. Perfect if you accidentally delete something, but also essential during serious incidents like a crash or ransomware attack. In those cases, you can restore everything precisely.

Cloud backup also comes with strong security: encryption, anti-ransomware and other protective measures ensure your data stays safe. That’s unlike cloud storage, where such security is not standard. Think of cloud backup as a secure online vault: data can go in, but not just come out. If something is retrieved, it must be because you started the recovery process yourself.

Finally, with cloud backup you can, in principle, restore everything. Not just your files, but also Windows, your programmes, databases, settings, licences – your entire digital workspace. Cloud storage only focuses on the files you manually select and upload.

You can find more information about cloud storage and backup in this blog article: cloud storage vs. local storage.

A backup is basically a copy of your important files. Super handy in case something goes wrong with your device. And if you want to arrange it easily and automatically, Acronis is a smart choice.

• Set up automatic backups
  With Acronis, you can set up your computer or laptop to automatically back up to the cloud. That way, you don’t have to think about it, and you're always protected against data loss.
• Full system backup possible
  What makes Acronis unique is that you can back up not just individual files, but your entire system. That includes settings, programs and even your operating system. If your computer ever crashes, you can restore everything as if nothing happened.
• Extra security included
  Acronis also protects you against ransomware and other online threats. So your backups are not only convenient but also secure.

You can find more information about this subject in this blog article: how to use cloud storage.