I am a user of wd my cloud ex 2 ultra, brought the product for private cloud storge.
Is this os5 firmware just local? Or can WD access my files?
Sorry that I am not so bright to understand the documentations on this topic.
Online User Guide and Solutions for My Cloud OS 5 (wd.com)
There is a sub-forum for your device. You have posted in the sub-forum for the single bay WDMYCLOUD.
My bad, thanks for reminding.
What follows is a very general explanation. If one isn’t sure what various terms means they should use their favorite internet search engine to learn more about the terms they don’t understand. One should also see the user manual for their device by clicking on the Support link at top of page.
The OS5 firmware is what runs your My Cloud. Within the My Cloud Dashboard you can set various options and features including granting (inviting) users the ability to access the My Cloud from a remote location. Don’t want anyone to access your My Cloud? Then disable Cloud Access and don’t send any invitations (via the My Cloud Dashboard). Some go further and block all internet access to their My Cloud at their network firewall (router firewall).
If you have enabled Cloud Access in the My Cloud Dashboard then certain usage information and data files will be indexed and transmitted to the MyCloud.com web portal (and WD) so users you have invited can access the files on your My Cloud from a remote location. Read through the End User Licensing Agreement and Privacy Statement for your My Cloud device to see what specific information or data WD may collect and use, when you use their products and services.
https://www.westerndigital.com/legal/privacy-statement
By default anything that is “cloud” generally means the information is either hosted elsewhere or is being routed through someone else’s service(s). Only way to have an indepenant “cloud” is to setup your own VPN tunnel to your My Cloud and disable the My Cloud Cloud Access service, and any telemetry reporting, in the My Cloud Dashboard.
Thanks for the detailed answer.
I think I did not phrase my question clear, sorry for that.
My real question is:
would WD look into my files when they take “certain usage information and data”? Like the artworks of mine and my random half naked pics etc.
And what if there are illegal stuff getting uploaded by the app? Like pirated movies, do they do anything?
I could not find a lot about those questions in the manual or the documentations, from those I found anyways.
Anything connected to the internet is subject to being hacked.
The WD OS5 products are designed to allow remote access into your system by others you specifically authorize and invite. This is accomplished using WD owned servers to transmit data (specifically thumbnails) FROM your WD Device (a NAS (network attached storage)) device TO a remote system (like a phone). The thumbnails are STORED on your system. . .but are they cached somewhere in the WD server system? Likely.
Last I checked, the WD privacy and EULA (end user license agreements) say all the right things in terms of “Your data is your data, and yours only”. They also reserve the right to change the policies at any time.
OF COURSE; they have to reserve the right to change the agreements and policies. If you are a trusting person; there is nothing wrong with any of this. If you are NOT a trusting person - - → Then you could worry that they suddenly declare all YOUR data to be THEIR data at the stroke of a spam email sent 15 minutes before it happens.
I am not worried about snooping as much as drive-by ransomware - - - > Historically WD doesn’t have the highest reputation for security. The only way to be truly secure is to NOT HAVE YOUR BOX ON THE INTERNET.
MY approach is simple: * When not in active use, the NAS box is OFF. When it is in use. . .I have it connected to a router dedicated to the NAS boxes. I then swap my computers onto THAT router for file management. (Doing this takes the computer actually off the internet).
When really lazy; I will have a wired connection to the NAS boxes; and Wifi to the router that has an internet connection. Yes - - that does create some vulnerabilities.
For those that are less paranoid - - - and not paying members of the TinFoil Hat brigade - - - - simply blocking the NAS from the internet at the router will more or less take the NAS off the internet by blocking both inbound and outbound traffic from the NAS to the outside world, while still allowing normal access to stuff on your own network.
With your device blocked; you can still access the box remotely via a VPN connection into your network. A bit of complexity. . .not for the faint of heart . . . . .but it works fairly well. I have played around with it. . .and was quite happy with how it worked.
For normal people worried about privacy - - -simply turning off cloud services will accomplish much of what you want in terms of keeping WD or others from snooping on your stuff. The device can still get to the internet for time-checks and firmware updates. NOT a big fan of this path. Still leaves one open to backdoors, rogue firmware updates and such.
Want a good cybersecurity scare? Readup on how the Stuxnet virus was used to compromise centrifuges that had no connection to the internet. You will think twice about ever using a USB key or SD card again after that. (I am not that crazy - - - > I have a dozen USB keys and SD cards on my desk)
That is good wisdom.
However I am not too concerned about hackers, but the WD official. Most of the time it’s the provider being pain in the a.
So I am looking for if they allow storing any illegal copy on NAS, and if the data they collect includes my file themselves. I also shot a ticket, no hope getting anything there tho.
Thanks for the wisdom.
