If you're like me, you're using lots of different cloud applications these days. Who isn't? So you have a right to be concerned about data privacy and data security. The companies that host your data are ultimately responsible for keeping hackers out of their networks. But unfortunately, most cloud breaches are due to user error. So it's important that you, the user, are being smart about security.

Here are three things you can easily do to improve your security in the cloud. First set up a multifactor authentication and maintain a strong password of at least eight characters. I personally prefer more with both uppercase and lowercase letters as well as numbers and symbols. Never make it easy like password 1 to 3 with an uppercase P and an exclamation point. While that may technically meet the requirements, any hacker or bot can easily crack it. Next, make sure the device you're using to access the application is secure. This is an area where you're probably going to need some professional help to install and maintain an advanced security stack that goes far beyond just having a firewall and antivirus and spam filtering software.

If you can avoid it, don't access your cloud applications with the device that you also use to check your social media or free email accounts like Hotmail and Gmail. And finally, back up your data. If the data in the cloud application is important to you, make sure you're downloading it from the application and backing it up in another safe and secure location. That way, even if your account is hacked and the data is corrupted, or if the cloud company just shuts down your account, you have a copy.