Protecting Vital Documents

I discussed some of this issue in my post, Where Do You Keep Your Valuables? Safe Deposit Box, Home Safe?

This WSJ article recommends something else besides a safe deposit box or a home safe. It recommends that you store important documents electronically via online storage. It lists several online storage services like Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive, Google Drive and Apple iCloud.

Do you use any online storage for your important documents? There are security concerns. One thing that can help with this is to encrypt your files before uploading, but encryption doesn't eliminate the risk.

One way that your digital files (like a tax return copy) could be accessed by a thief is from malware and/or viruses on your own PC. If you're connected to the web, there is always a chance of your PC becoming infected with malware or a virus. That virus could then be used to steal your sensitive files.

Another way is if you upload digital files to a service like Dropbox. If a hacker finds a way to break into Dropbox, he could potentially access your digital files.