All You Need To Know About Data Encryption

• By Matthew Stern
• 07-09-2021
• Technology

Varonis research reports that 7 million data records are being compromised every day. Having that in mind, watching over your precious data and encrypting it every step of the way should be your number one task on your cybersecurity agenda. Suppose you don't know much about data encryption, to simply put it, after the encryption process. In that case, your data will turn into a scrambled and unreadable pile of gibberish, and it'll stay safe and protected from anyone who tries to gain access to your accounts and doesn't have a secret key.

Moreover, here are some valuable tips on how to start using encryption to protect your data.

HOW CAN YOU ENCRYPT YOUR DATA?

1. Use built-in encryption programs on your devices

Most of the newer generation devices have an encryption feature embedded into their system. For example, Mac users can encrypt their entire disk by enabling FileVault in their settings, while Windows lovers can use a BitLocker. However, if you want to cipher your data on a removable disk, you'll have to have a Windows business account. Disk encryption is an excellent solution for securing the data stored on your device, it's easy to use, and it can be a lifesaver if your device gets stolen or lost.

2. Use a VPN to encrypt traffic

Since we spend most of our days online, our data in traffic can quickly become quite vulnerable and susceptible to various threats. One of the easiest ways to take proper care of your data is to start using a VPN for traffic encryption. A VPN service creates a unique encrypted tunnel to hide your data so that it can safely travel through the internet.

3. Switch to encrypted messaging apps

With encryption becoming a security standard, we can see new apps and programs with ciphering features emerging every day. Thus, messaging apps with encryption features are a more frequent choice, especially among business people who want to keep communication with their clients and employees as private as possible. One of the most popular messengers with encryption tends to be Signal - it'll cipher conversations shared with other Signal users, and the only data they'll store on their servers is the mobile phone number that you need to type in upon registration. However, those who don't want to share even a single piece of their data with the app provider can choose Threema - it works similarly to Signal, but you don't need to share your phone number or email to register.

4. Embrace password managers

Memorizing credentials for all of your accounts seems like a hopeless job. Thus, if you don't want to deal with that much information, consider using a password manager. It'll create resilient passwords for you and store them in a special encrypted vault that can be accessed with a master password. What's more, keeping your credentials encrypted will considerably strengthen your overall account security because if a data breach emerges, your passwords will remain an unusable bundle of symbols that no one can use.

Considering that cyberattacks are becoming more vicious and more threatening, encrypting your data should be the main priority if you want to build a resilient cybersecurity framework. There’s a variety of security apps and tools that you can pick from, but don't get overwhelmed and choose the easiest option to implement and expand your security arsenal little by little.