Understanding the Importance of Data Encryption
Itâs a bit of a classic. Most people think encrypting data is like locking your front door before a big night out. You click that bolt, youâre done, house protected, all sorted.
But digital security isnât quite that simple - and encryption isnât a one-off event. Itâs more like putting every precious thing in the house behind several locked doors, and then swapping the keys every few hours. People often get wrong that once dataâs been scrambled, it canât be read by anyone else.
Not entirely true. Any information protected by software can be âcrackedâ with software - and pretty easily if someone really wants it. So what matters is likely how strong the code is, how often it changes, and how well you keep your keys hidden.
Donât post passwords in Slack or share them on WhatsApp groups either - rookie mistake, but everyoneâs done it. Iâll admit some uncertainty here; deciding what exactly needs to be encrypted is tough. At work or at home, there are files floating everywhere - so it feels impossible to secure every single spreadsheet or document ever created or downloaded. Encrypted cloud storage helps but keeping track of whatâs out there to start with can sometimes feel more daunting than Everest.
And if you forget your password, thatâs your own files gone for good too. Still, itâs one of those things that matter more now than most want to believe.
Encrypting sensitive data is no longer optional - especially not with everything being on computers and servers somewhere in the world these days. Even if hackers do manage to break into systems and steal customer details, they shouldnât be able to do much with them unless theyâre also able to decrypt your files as well. And that. Well, letâs just say even Batman would have trouble with that one.
Choosing the Right Encryption Algorithms
People seem to think thereâs a single perfect algorithm for every kind of data encryption. Maybe something blessed by one of those self-important cybersecurity blogs. Thatâs like saying thereâs one perfect outfit for all your social occasions, no matter the weather or destination.
We know thatâs not true. Yet most security teams get carried away with the newest, shiniest protocols and donât pay enough attention to what the business actually needs. A lot of security heads also treat encryption as a point solution when it should ideally be integrated across all lines of business and systems that run them.
So if youâve got some software still running in plain text because âitâs internalâ, itâs time to change your approach to building encryption infrastructure. There are tons of factors you need to weigh before picking one (or more) algorithms for your company. Sort of.
Some security teams go with symmetric encryption because it uses only one key for both encrypting and decrypting data, while others opt for asymmetric encryption which works with two different keysâone public, one private. This kind of data protection can be a little bit complex and confusing when youâre new to the field, but there are plenty of experts who can help make sense of what your business needs. Since we have so many public key algorithms out there right now (including RSA, ECC, DH, DSA), most security teams might choose the fastest option to keep performance up and maintenance easy on their team members. But that doesnât necessarily mean itâs the most secure algorithm out there or the best fit for your enterprise needs.
Thatâs why it makes sense to work with an external security expert who has extensive experience helping companies like yours encrypt their assets well.
Best Practices for Key Management
Most people assume that when you say âkey managementâ you mean that crappy board at reception with all the numbers and your name and the little hook for your car key. Itâs so much more than that. If you have strong encryption, and if you have good key management - everything else matters less. Iâm not saying donât worry about everything else.
Iâm saying this matters the most. If you have a weak key, if you have weak access and management of that key - then everything falls apart from there. Hereâs what makes a key strong - the randomness of it, its length, how many times you use it to encrypt something and how secure your access to the key is in the first place.
It can be overwhelming and it takes some thinking about and workshopping before you land on a method that works for you or your company. In my experience, starting with what matters most is a good place to start because it lays the foundation for everything that will follow. When you figure out what the most important pieces of data in your business are seemingly - customer information, employee information, business information, business secrets, vendor information - prioritise those items by level of protection and who should access those keys. Work around creating keys for these pieces of information because this will inform how many levels of encryption your data needs, how frequently it needs to be changed and accessed and by whom.
Thereâs no one clear path but itâs important to consider the legal aspects as well as best practices regarding data privacy laws in your country to ensure youâre doing right by your company, your customers and stakeholders in general. Donât leave this decision making to one person or one department. Have as many conversations as possible and be open to hearing diverse points of view on how best to manage these keys because they often hold the literal future of your company or business in their hands.
Encrypting Data at Rest vs. Data in Transit
Most people don't realise the difference between encrypting data while it is stored on devices or networks, and encrypting it during transfers. And this can cause confusion about how safe their information really is. I Imagine while you may think your work files are safe because they're encrypted when stored on your device or the cloud, they might still be vulnerable during transit.
When data is sent over the Internet, it can be intercepted by cybercriminals if it's not protected with end-to-end encryption. This is why encrypting data in transit is just as important as encrypting it at rest. With so much work now happening remotely, employees can end up using unsafe public Wi-Fi or home internet connections that lack security measures. Cloud technology also relies heavily on frequent data transfers through online platforms, which makes strong encryption a necessity.
But things aren't always black and white in cybersecurity. You may need to consider the type of data being used in your business before deciding to prioritise its protection while at rest or during transit. You also need to know that there are different ways of achieving both types of encryption. At rest, you can choose between full-disk encryption (FDE) and file-level encryption (FLE).
Sort of. On the other hand, protocols like Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) are allegedly usually used for data in transit. It is worth considering cloud solution providers for their built-in encryption options for both storage and transmission of files.
The good news is that high-quality service providers today offer customisable levels of protection you can scale as per your business needs. More or less. They will also generally provide greater transparency about what they have access to after the files have been encrypted - a common concern among business leaders today.
Regularly Updating Your Encryption Protocols
I Suppose when we talk about encryption, itâs surprising how often i hear the same thinking from even the most digitally savvy people. Once youâve got protocols in place, thatâs it, right. Set and forget. But thatâs not how encryption works.
Not if you want to keep your data safe. Itâs an arms race out there â you need to keep updating your systems and methods because the bad guys are possibly always getting smarter. I see it all the time â organisations have these great robust protocols in place, but theyâre outdated. The thing is, there are always new threats coming up and hackers are getting more sophisticated by the day.
Theyâre constantly finding weaknesses in outdated systems, and thatâs a real risk for anyone who wants to keep their information safe and secure. So regularly updating your protocols is key to making sure your defences are strong enough to handle any new threats that come your way. Now, Iâm not saying you need to become a cyber security expert overnight â that would be pretty unreasonable.
But itâs important to acknowledge that things can get complicated quickly when you start talking about encryptions and protocols. If this isnât something youâre familiar with or want to learn more about, ask someone who does know â or even hire a professional who can seemingly take care of everything for you. Keeping everything up-to-date is just as important as having great protocols in place from the start. In the end, this is all about keeping yourself (and your company) safe in an increasingly digital world.
Stay up-to-date with whatever encryptions or protocols work best for you so no one gets access to anything they shouldnât have.
Compliance and Legal Considerations in Data Encryption
Itâs easy to assume that data encryption is just about scrambling sensitive information so no one can read it. And yes, thatâs the core principle, but the reality is a lot messier. I think many organisations still treat âcomplianceâ like ticking a box, but this approach quickly unravels once someone realises whatâs required by law. Youâre dealing with evolving regulations and customer expectations here - they shift and morph, especially as countries adopt stricter rules.
Sometimes youâll face things like GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and Australian Privacy Principles in the same workplace. Navigating those requires more than just adding encryption software to your systems. It means understanding exactly which laws apply to your business and being able to back up every choice you make with good evidence.
No one wants to be fined or end up in court because something didnât work. But it gets quite complex when you start thinking about who has access to what data internally too. You need clear documentation of who manages decryption keys and why those people are trustworthy.
It seems straightforward when written out on paper, but in reality there will always be questions or disagreements about how these decisions play out on a day-to-day basis. I would say that compliance isnât a finish line - itâs an ongoing process requiring regular audits and updates. The best tip is sort of to keep up with changes in regulations even if they donât seem relevant at the moment, because international businesses or clients can bring everything from the EU or US right onto your plate at short notice.