A Microsoft user lost 25 years of data, including photos of his infant son and thousands of euros worth of games, after the company deleted his OneDrive account following a hack. Joshua Khane recounted on X that his Microsoft account was compromised, leading the company to permanently suspend the account and delete all files stored in OneDrive. The move was described as irreversible, and Microsoft stated that even its engineers cannot recover the data due to encryption and privacy safeguards.
Irreversible deletion after unauthorized access
Khane received an email from Microsoft explaining that because unauthorized access occurred, the account had been permanently suspended. The company confirmed the action is irreversible and that files in OneDrive are no longer accessible. Khane expressed his frustration on social media, noting he had spent thousands of euros on games and lost everything. He admitted learning a lesson about security but criticized Microsoft for not attempting to restore the account, given its corporate size.
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Other users report similar experiences
After the story was posted on Reddit, many users shared similar experiences. One user reported losing 20 years of data despite having payment proof. Another suggested creating a new account and asking Microsoft to clone the old one, a method that sometimes worked. Others advised taking legal action against Microsoft. The incident highlights the importance of not relying on a single backup system.
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Strategies to protect your digital data
To avoid a similar fate, it is crucial to adopt a backup strategy with redundancy. Relying solely on one cloud service like OneDrive or an external drive is insufficient. Experts recommend combining a cloud backup service such as Backblaze with a local NAS or offline archive. Having copies in different physical locations, including an off-site location, provides greater protection. A Reddit user emphasized owning a NAS and a cold storage location like a safe deposit box, using the cloud only as an additional layer. In an era where even event ticketing software demands robust backup systems, Khane's story underscores the fragility of exclusive reliance on the cloud.
The importance of multi-factor authentication
Beyond backups, strengthening account security is essential. Implementing passkeys and multi-factor authentication, along with using a reliable password manager, reduces the risk of compromise. This makes it harder for attackers to gain access, decreasing the likelihood that Microsoft will take drastic measures like deletion. As Khane noted, blind trust in a single cloud provider can lead to devastating losses. For further reading, consult Wikipedia entry on cloud storage and the original article on TechRadar.
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