In an era during which online privacy’s validity is underscored by leaked personal information and doxxing attempts, any attempt to add a layer of security is appreciated. To that end, Microsoft OneDrive users will be pleasantly surprised by its new feature: an encrypted folder protected by two-factor authentication.
Microsoft OneDrive’s aptly named Personal Vault is the answer to skepticism around online storage. The folder will be added to existing and future OneDrive users’ file pages, and any files synchronized between your desktop and the Personal Vault folder will be encrypted both on your computer and in the cloud. To access these files, you will need to go through Microsoft’s two-factor authentication.
For those not in the know, two-factor authentication—often abbreviated as “2FA”—requires you to log in from two points: the credential page and a secondary location, such as your phone or a verified email address. Typically, 2FA services prompt you for your login information, after which point they will send a login code to your registered phone number or a different email address; you’ll enter the code before being allowed to continue.
As you might imagine, 2FA makes it nearly impossible to fake someone’s credentials in order to log into their account; to do so, one would need both the correct credentials and physical access to the user’s 2FA device or email address. It’s this layer of security that makes the Personal Vault folder a step up from competing cloud storage services, but hopefully we’ll see 2FA working its way into Google Drive soon.
It’s also pertinent to note that the Personal Vault will avoid caching your files if you’re using the web version of OneDrive on an unregistered computer, so it’s clear that OneDrive’s emphasis on security this time around extends past the initial file access.
There are a few drawbacks to 2FA, chief among which is the lack of convenience. If you leave your Personal Vault folder open and idle for more than a few minutes, it will lock again, forcing you to go back through the 2FA process. Additionally, if you lose access to your phone or your backup email address unexpectedly, recovering your files can be a hassle.
That said, you can’t put a price on the peace of mind that this security brings — especially when it means the files you handle with sensitive info, are safe. It’s worth the mild inconvenience and the extra few seconds to keep them that way.
Jack Lloyd has a BA in Creative Writing from Forest Grove's Pacific University; he spends his writing days using his degree to pursue semicolons, freelance writing and editing, oxford commas, and enough coffee to kill a bear. His infatuation with rain is matched only by his dry sense of humor.
