What Happens To Your Files When a Cloud Service Shuts Down? 592
MrSeb writes "Megaupload's shutdown poses an interesting question: What happens to all the files that were stored on the servers? XDA-Developers, for example, has more than 200,000 links to Megaupload — and this morning, they're all broken, with very little hope of them returning. What happens if a similar service, like Dropbox, gets shut down — either through bankruptcy, or federal take-down? Will you be given a chance to download your files, or helped to migrate them to another similar service? What about data stored on enterprise services like Azure or AWS — are they more safe?"
And if you're interested, the full indictment against Megaupload is now available.
Files = Pokemon (Score:3, Funny)
I've always wondered what happens to Pokemon in a trainers' computer when the trainer dies/quits/etc. I imagine the same would happen to megaupload files. Like the pokemon lost in a nonphysical oblivion for all eternity, these files will endure an endless torture of nothingness.
Simple... (Score:3, Funny)
Your files will glow in golden sunlight when the cloud dissipates... =)
Re:Evidence (Score:5, Funny)
As a point, the government will be using all files hosted on those servers as evidence in the case. They will not likely, and are not required to, give access to those files.
Yeah, expect a subpeona in the mail.
"Uh, I was so shocked by the news I forgot the password to my 8GB zip file."
"No worries, we have a crack team of security hackers who will have it open in a few minutes if you can't supply it."
"..."
"We'll call upon you if we need you for anything. Bye!" *click* nrrrrr...
*click* diit-doot-doot-deet-diit-doot-deet-doot-deet-doot "Hello, I'd like a ticket to New Zealand! FAST!"
Re:Evidence (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Evidence (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Is it an interesting question... (Score:5, Funny)
Cloud backup: The safety of an 8-member RAID0 array of SSDs combined with the speed of tape.
Obligatory XKCD reference (Score:4, Funny)
It had to be said: obligatory xkcd reference. [xkcd.com]
Re:Files = Pokemon (Score:5, Funny)
Lots of us do but few are willing to admit it ;-)
What happens to them? (Score:4, Funny)
First Rule of Cloud Computing Use: Never upload anything to the cloud you wouldn't want the entire world to see.
Are you going to get this data back? Of course not. The servers have been seized by the government because they were used for criminal activities. They're not going to take the time to go through everyone's files to find the good ones and give them back.
They're going to count up the number of items that look like copyrighted content (7 billion copyrighted photographs, 28 million ripped DVDs, etc.), come up with a multiplier for each type ($5,000 for each photo, $15 million for each DVD, etc.) and then tell the judge the copyright infringement at Megaupload was so massive, the value of the damages is greater than the amount of U.S. debt held by China.
Second Rule of Cloud Computing Use: Never assume that you have any guarantee of access to anything in the cloud.
Keep in mind that the Rules of Cloud Computing Use are a necessary because of the Three Laws of Cloud Computing:
Re:Evidence (Score:5, Funny)
No, pirates don't use RAR or ZIP. They use YARR, matey!
Re:Evidence (Score:2, Funny)
Ah, they'll just check the header info of the file and see it's not really a zip file. Actually, the initial forensics test will alert them that the file has an incompatible file header pointing it to them quicker. Plus, the hash value will match the know bad copy they are looking for anyway since you probably just copied it from someone online and thought that renaming the file extension would super secret hide it.
In the end since they rely on the same backend encryption algorithm it won't really slow them down at all...
Re:Evidence (Score:4, Funny)
Yet Another Recursive Repository?