Security and privacy in the cloud: What’s the difference ?

Security and privacy. We hear these two terms all the time. Have you ever wondered what's the difference between the two, and what the big deal is about them? At Hivenet, security and privacy are the very foundations upon which we are building our products, processes and policies.

What is Security?

In the real world, that’s keeping you safe against dangers. Your front door is locked. Your windows are locked. Your car alarm is on. In the digital world, we rely on firewalls, antiviruses, passwords, biometrics, … to prevent hackers from gaining access to your data and devices. For the operational controls behind these protections, see our cloud security guide.

What is Privacy?

‍In the real world, blinds let you limit what people can see inside your home. In the digital world, privacy also concerns why personal data is collected, how it is used, who receives it, and how long it is kept. Encryption can limit access to content, but it does not settle all of those questions. Removing names alone does not necessarily anonymize a dataset: other information can still make people identifiable.

Privacy can be affected by authorized data use as well as by a leak or attack. Check the service’s stated purposes, sharing practices, retention and user choices alongside its technical protections.

Security and privacy are generally mixed together, but a security breach and a privacy breach may have different impacts. Let’s consider the example the security and privacy of your data in your bank :

1. Security and privacy controls work together. In this example, a bank collects the information needed for an account, protects it, limits access and uses it for stated, lawful purposes.
2. Data can be secure while its use raises privacy concerns. Suppose a bank protects its systems but uses customer data for unexpected marketing or sharing. The purposes, legal basis and choices offered to customers need examination even if no one hacked the database.
3. A security incident can also harm privacy. If criminals obtain personal data, they may disclose it or use it for fraud. A breach creates risks; it does not mean that every affected record has been sold or that identity theft will necessarily occur.

Encryption in transit and at rest protects particular parts of the data path. If the provider manages the keys, it may be able to process readable content under the service’s design and policies. Check key control, access permissions and stated uses rather than assuming that every provider scans every file. The CNIL’s cloud-encryption guidance explains why the location and control of keys matter.

Store with Hivenet: encrypted, distributed storage

Store with Hivenet encrypts file content and distributes encrypted fragments across its storage infrastructure. Assess those documented controls for your use case; the design does not establish superiority over every centralized service.

The client processes file data into encrypted chunks, and file records contain references needed for retrieval. Appropriate keys are used to decrypt and assemble a usable file. The Store encryption and access guide describes this process and its access considerations.

A separate Store encryption passphrase is optional. When enabled, it protects file access separately from the account password; Hivenet cannot recover a lost passphrase. Content encryption does not hide all account, usage, device or support information, and downloaded files need protection on the device where they are stored.

Distributed fragments can limit what an individual storage node holds, but they do not justify a promise that a compromised node, account or device can never cause harm. Protect working access, check that downloaded files open correctly, and keep independent copies of important files. A successful retrieval check applies to that file and version; it does not prove security in every product state. For a broader review of storage settings, see our secure cloud storage practices.

At Hivenet, we believe that distributed cloud is the most effective way to help us embrace the digital transformation of our lives but it can only happen in a world where safety and confidentiality of our data is paramount.