How Should Sensitive Information Be Stored?

When we think about storing sensitive information, two types of information come to mind: digital data and physical data. While physical data can be securely stored in a physical vault, digital data should be stored in an encrypted cloud storage solution to protect it from common cyber threats. 

Continue reading to learn the best ways to store your sensitive physical and digital information, plus the storage methods to avoid. 

The risks of insecurely storing sensitive information

Insecurely storing sensitive information such as your login credentials, credit card details, Social Security card and passport can place you at a greater risk of having your online accounts compromised and your identity stolen. This is why it’s important to securely store your information both physically and digitally so unauthorized individuals aren’t able to access it.

The storage methods you should avoid for your sensitive information include the following.

• Storing physical documents in places where anyone can access them (e.g. under your mattress or in an unlocked drawer at home)
• Storing digital sensitive information in unencrypted cloud storage (e.g. on your device’s notes app or spreadsheets)

The best way to store your digital sensitive information

The best way to store your digital sensitive information is in an encrypted cloud storage solution like a password manager. A password manager is essential for cybersecurity because it aids in generating, storing, managing and sharing passwords. Some password managers can also store passkeys, files, documents and images. Password managers were designed to keep your digital data protected from unauthorized access so cybercriminals aren’t able to use your data maliciously to hack your accounts or steal your identity. 

When choosing a password management solution, it’s important to take into account the solution’s security architecture. The password manager you choose should provide you with the highest level of encryption and have a history of being secure and reliable. Some features to look for in a password manager include the following. 

• Zero-trust, zero-knowledge security
• 256-bit AES encryption
• Secure password and file sharing 
• Passkey and 2FA code storage
• Multi-device compatibility
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) support

The best way to store your physical sensitive information

The best way to store your physical sensitive information is in a safety box. This ensures that no one but you will be able to access it without providing a code, biometric authentication or key. There are many safety boxes to choose from, but we recommend looking at reviews and doing research before investing in one so you choose the best and most secure option. 

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using a safety box.

• If your safety box has a key, make sure no one can easily gain access to it
• If your safety box requires a code, don’t use numbers that are significant to you such as your birthdate or the birthdate of loved ones

How Keeper® helps you securely store your sensitive information

Keeper is a zero-trust and zero-knowledge password manager. Keeper uses 256-bit AES record-level keys and folder-level keys which are generated on your device to encrypt each stored record in your password vault. All contents of your vault are encrypted, including logins, file attachments, 2FA codes, payment information, URLs and custom fields.

Additionally, Keeper’s advanced cloud authentication and network communications model is built for the highest levels of privacy, security and trust, so there’s no need to worry about your stored data falling into the hands of cybercriminals.

Ready to start securely storing your digital data? Start a free 30-day trial of Keeper Password Manager today.