How to Safely Store Sensitive Digital Documents & Banking Data

Storing sensitive documents used to be as easy as locking them away in a drawer, but now that a lot of that information is digital, things are a little harder to safely store your digital documents. 

We have so many great apps for managing our finances and online banking is easier than ever, but that means that we also have a lot of files with very sensitive information stored on our computer. If you don’t store these files safely, you are at risk of fraud because, once somebody has access to a few key details, it’s very easy for them to get access to your bank accounts. However, if you follow these simple tips, it’s easy to securely store banking information and documents on your computer. 

Encrypt Files and Digital Documents On The Computer 

A lot of people think that their computer is safe because they have a password on it. That’s great, but if somebody steals your laptop, they can easily use a simple piece of software to crack that password and then they have access to everything. Unfortunately, a simple password just doesn’t cut it anymore and you need to add another layer of protection to keep your information safe. Encrypting files is the best way to do that because, even if somebody gets into your computer, they won’t be able to see the files. Unless they put in the password, they will just see a jumbled mess. It’s important that you set a strong password that isn’t easy to crack and whatever you do, don’t make it the same password that you use to get into the computer in the first place. 

Use An External Hard Drive 

As soon as you connect your computer to the internet, you’re putting your information at risk. It’s important that you have all of the right security software in place to protect against online attacks, but there are still ways around it, so you’re never completely safe. If you have files that contain a lot of very sensitive information about yourself, it’s best to store them on an external hard drive for Mac or PC instead of leaving them on the computer. You can still access them easily whenever you need them but when you are not using them, they are completely safe. You can even encrypt the hard drive so if it is lost or stolen, your sensitive files aren’t at risk.

Use The Cloud 

Cloud storage is a great way to safely store files and get access to them on other devices. If you suddenly need to check some information while you are out of the house, it’s a bit of a pain if it’s all stored on the home computer or on an external hard drive, so anything that you need regular access to should be stored in the cloud. Before you choose a cloud storage service, make sure that you do your research and find one that has good security measures in place so your files are protected. 

Storing banking information on your computer can be very risky but if you follow these steps, you can protect your information.