WASHINGTON — Almost half of iPhone users — 47 percent — in a recent survey said they have little to no confidence in storing personal information on iCloud, according to Clutch, a business-to-business ratings and review company based in D.C.
And 15 percent of iPhone users don’t know which features they are automatically backing up onto iCloud servers, the survey found.
Despite that skepticism, Apple’s iCloud storage service for iOS devices has at least 782 million users and is one of the most popular cloud storage services in the U.S.
According to Clutch, industry experts said that users’ fears over iCloud’s security may be highly exaggerated.
“Compared to other major platforms out there for mobility, the Apple iOS platform is incredibly secure,” said Matthew Bookspan, CEO at tech consulting service Blacktip IT Services, which specializes in Apple.
That is not to say iCloud is without risks. Clutch points to recent celebrity iCloud hackings and mishaps by Apple, such as iCloud accidentally storing deleted browser history and incidents that highlight the dangers that exist with cloud storage.
Cloud storage security is as much about the provider as it is the user.
Clutch’s study concludes that if users choose strong passwords, use two-factor authentication, stay skeptical of phishing attempts and take other proactive security measures, the odds that their iCloud data will stay secure are strongly in their favor.
