My Cloud First Gen

My Cloud OS 3 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud
1

Due to security concern regarding recent data wipeout on MBL I removed that device from my network. I also have My Cloud First generation device which i can upgrade to OS5 due to firmware being WDMyCloud v04.05.00-342 : Core F/W.

I am wondering if there is safe way to use this device without being exposed to outside world. I dont mind only using this device while I am on my LAN.

Also what is best way to back up data on this device to my windows machine?

Thanks

2

Where did you get the data that is on your WD MY CLOUD? My Windows computers are backed up to my WD MY CLOUDS.

My Cloud Personal Storage User Manual (wdc.com)

I feel that my WD MY CLOUD, 1st generation, is safe on my home network. I haven’t had any problems.

3

What data on My Cloud? I have My Cloud and MBL and I use to create safepoints from MBL to My Cloud. Now when MBL has been hacked I took it off my network and I only have My Cloud. I upload my fam pics etc from my phone to My Cloud and I would like to back that data up to somewhere off of My Cloud.

eveywhere on line you see how to back up Windows stuff to My Cloud. I want to do it the other way. Back up folder from My Cloud to my Windows 10

4

There is additional discussion and suggestions on what one can do if they have an OS3 My Cloud that either cannot be updated to OS5 (ie first gen v4.x single bay My cloud) or that is running v2.x firmware that one does not want to update to OS5 for whatever reason.

At the very least one can disable all methods of remote access on their My Cloud by accessing the My Cloud Dashboard and disabling remote access options (FTP, Cloud Access, etc.) in the Settings section.

One should go a step further and access their local network router and see if their router offers the capability to block all inbound/outbound connections through the router firewall to the My Cloud.

One could even go a further step and disconnect the My Cloud from their router and connect it directly to a local computer that has an available Ethernet port and use the My Cloud, on that one computer, as a glorified external hard drive.

How to Access a My Cloud When Connected Directly to a Computer
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16312

In the end though, because WD has indicated the v4.x single bay My Cloud will no longer receive security updates, any security vulnerabilities that currently exist, or that are discovered in the future, will not be patched by WD. And those vulnerabilities will potentially be exploitable so long as the unit is operating with the latest/last OS3 firmware (v04.05.00-342).

5

If you are asking how to backup the v4.x single bay My Cloud’s data/contents then one has several options. Easiest is to attach a USB hard drive to the My Cloud USB port and run a backup to that USB hard drive using the Safepoint option in the My Cloud Dashboard. One will need to use a USB hard drive that is large enough to store the contents of the My Cloud.

How to Create a Safepoint Backup of a My Cloud
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22015

Otherwise there are various other options from using software to copy data from the My Cloud to another location to just using Windows File Explorer to drag and drop files from the My Cloud to another location. There are many third party software programs one can use to copy or backup the My Cloud to their computer or a hard drive attached to their computer. For example some use Free File Sync (https://freefilesync.org/) to copy data from a My Cloud to their local computer’s external or internal storage drives.

6

I already blocked remote access and disabled FTP and SSH. I changed username and password (only one user which is me). My router doesnt allow incoming trafic to my network unless traffic is initiated from within my LAN. I do notice that My Cloud send domain traffic to 8.8.8.8 even with remote/cloud access disabled

7

Data Definition (techterms.com)

8

The My Cloud accesses the internet from time to time for various other services unrelated to remote access. That’s why one has to block outbound traffic in addition to inbound traffic if they want to isolate the My Cloud from the internet.

The NTP Service, if enabled, will access the internet to find a time server. One can disable the NTP Service within the My Cloud Dashboard > Settings > Language & Clock. One will have to set the device time manually if they disable NTP Service.

The Firmware Auto-Update service, if enabled, will attempt to contact WD to check if there is a newer firmware version. That setting can be disabled in the Dashboard > Settings > Firmware.

The Product Improvement Participation service, if enabled, will also contact WD from time to time to send information. One can disable Product Improvement Participation in the Help icon at top of Dashboard, then select Support.

The downside to blocking outbound and inbound broadband traffic to the My Cloud is certain other services or options other than Cloud Access/Remote Access may be affected. But it is one way to block broadband traffic to the My Cloud…

9

Is there a way that MBL and My cloud can be turned into just hard drive without any features of NAS?

10

I know what data is :)…I was confused by your question above. Data on my My Cloud I got from my iPhone, My work documents etc. Not quite sure why where data comes from matter?

11

If you want to turn a My Cloud or My Book Live into “just” a hard drive, extract the hard drive from the enclosure and use a (powered) USB to SATA adapter to connect that hard drive to your computer. Or if the computer has a spare SATA port, connect the hard drive to that spare SATA port. Then repartition/reformat the drive and use a standard external hard drive.

Otherwise, as my previous reply indicated one can connect the My Cloud (and I assume My Book Live) directly to a computer using that computer’s Ethernet port (if it has one). Provided one hasn’t bridged that Ethernet port to another adapter that is connected to your local network/broadband, the My Cloud should generally be isolated to just that computer. Repost of WD’s knowdgebase article about directly connecting a My Cloud to a computer.

How to Access a My Cloud When Connected Directly to a Computer
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16312

And before it is asked. No one cannot use the My Cloud’s USB port to connect a My Cloud to their computer. The My Cloud USB port is generally used for attaching external USB hard drives to the My Cloud to increase My Cloud available storage space and to use as a backup target for the My Cloud Safepoint / Backup feature in the My Cloud Dashboard.