In the times we’re living in, you need to take steps to ensure you are protected online. Cyber security threats have become commonplace the world over, and you need to keep your data protected at all times. Let’s see why your data needs to be encrypted. If you want to learn more about data authentication, protection, and privacy, click here.
Online games use data encryption tech, along with social media sites, banks, and other websites and institutions. Data encryption is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this, yet it’s often overlooked. This post will detail why you should jump on the encryption train. What is Data Encryption
In simple terms, encryption locks your data away behind a wall of ciphers, which translates regular text into unreadable data. Those who created the encryption have access to a key, which can unlock this data again.
This encryption can’t be unlocked by other users, systems, or even software and therefore protects and hides your data from all threats. This means that, unless you authorize access to it, your data is protected at all times and can’t be read, even if it is stolen.
The Importance of Encryption
Many of us understand how important cybersecurity is. Everything from having a passcode on your smartphone to having a password on your home WiFi is part of your cyber security. However, these things aren’t guaranteed to stop an attack.
This is where encryption enters the frame. Since we live in a digital world, all our most important information and documents are most likely stored online. Bank statements, wills, and investment information can most likely be found on your computer or smartphone.
No security system is foolproof, and unless you are a cyber security expert, you don’t know where the weaknesses in your security are until they are exploited. Hence, once again, why encryption is necessary.
There are also multiple types of encryption. DES, or Data Encryption Standard, is the lowest form of encryption, and as technology has advanced, it has become obsolete. Triple DES is DES encryption, except it is done three times. Your data is encrypted, decrypted, and then encrypted again, making the unreadable data even more indistinct.
RSA encryption is one of the more popular types of encryption. It is much longer and is widely used for data security. Advanced Encryption Standard, or AES, is the new standard used globally, replacing DES.
TwoFish is currently regarded as one of the fastest forms of encryption, is free, and is becoming more widely used.
What Data do you Need to Encrypt
If you are new to encryption, you may now be thinking about all the data you need to protect. However, that is unnecessary, as the data which needs protection is everything with personal information about you.
Considering we bank online and store photos of IDs or something similar on our phones or computers, we often forget how much of our seriously personal information we have just lying about in emails or documents on our desktops.
The first thing you should do is consolidate all this information, ensure it is all in the same place, and then encrypt it. This should be done regularly, and it is something you need to keep on top of if you want to protect yourself efficiently.
Another thing to remember, don’t store your encryption keys, decryption keys, and encrypted data all in the same place. Have a couple of flash drives that you keep in a safe with the keys on them, and ensure no one outside of those you trust knows they are there.
You must also not forget your backups. Cloud storage is standard nowadays, but the data you are saving is still vulnerable to attack. Remember to encrypt that data as well.
Why Encryption is Necessary Now More Than Ever
Hacks, phishing emails, malware, and ransomware are all on the rise. Individuals and companies are being targeted regularly, and you need to ensure your information is protected constantly. Hence, businesses should use GoAnywhere’s Managed File Transfer. GoAnywhere’s ftp server solution has cybersecurity practices that are ensured using strong authentication methods.
Hacking is big business. Millions of dollars are stolen each year through hacks and phishing. Individuals are losing their life savings because they made the simple mistake of exposing their banking information to the wrong people.
Internet privacy has also become a serious concern to many people. Encryption turns your online information into private messages. Most email clients have an encryption option that you can choose to perform the same task.
Cyber security is coming under threat more and more, and while you may think your data isn’t significant enough to be stolen, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Hackers are looking for anything they can get their hands on.
You mustn’t forget that hackers are looking to gain access to mass amounts of data and information; therefore, who they get that information from is irrelevant. This is why encryption needs to become an integral part of your online security protocol.
It is easy to do, doesn’t take much time at all, and offers an incredibly high level of protection compared to the minimal amount of time and effort it requires to complete regularly. There are also several free tools, meaning there is no excuse not to encrypt your data right now. Read this article from PacGenesis to learn more about the different solutions that can help you to protect your organization from cybersecurity threats.