Data encryption and cyber security

What is data encryption?

Data encryption is the conversion of editable, readable data into encoded format. Encryption is the basic foundation of data security. Generally, internet users share a huge amount of data and communications. To ensure the safety of the users and servers providers use hardware and software to get security, this process is called data encryption.

Encryption means converting human readable texts into incomprehensible texts/ ciphertexts which are hard to recognize. The data encryption method uses a cryptographic code which is a mathematical key that both the server and user know and agree on.

Benefits of data encryption.

Data encryption limits the access of outside parties to confidential data of somebody and uses them for malicious purposes. This confidential data includes personal information and payment details.

Data encryption helps to protect data when transferring them to the cloud storage and safeguards the data by using an encryption key after storing data in the cloud.

Data encryptions are used by individual users, and large establishments to safeguard the extreme privacy of data that is transferred between a user and a server.

Nowadays, after facing several pandemics, distance learning and remote working has become a privacy common habit among people, so people have to deal with private information and data of relevant establishments, so data encryption aids to limit access and safeguard those details and prevent hackers or malicious parties from accessing them.

Protection of privacy of every user/individual and the establishments. And encrypted data helps to prevent the unwanted modification of the available data.

And data encryption helps to verify the origin of data and its authenticity.

And the well-protected data could demonstrate to the outside parties how a company is well responsible for its sensitive data.

Common techniques of Data encryption.

Symmetric key encryption- The symmetric key encryption could be used in either way, to decode and encode again. This is the private data encryption method. Both parties must have data encryption keys. Mostly this method is used to decrypt a message or a file.

Asymmetric key encryption- Asymmetric method has two ways as public and private ways. This method is slower than the symmetric key encryption methods and it pairs the users/ devices through large mathematical keys that are publicly available. One key must be a private key and the other key is a public key.

Examples of data encryption cases.

When using ATMs, and CDMs and when doing online shopping, data encryptions help protect the privacy of data.

Using digital signatures is also a method of data encryption. And use of digital fingerprints/face recognition methods also could be considered as data encryption methods.

Data encryption is mainly used in WhatsApp to prevent a third party from accessing a conversation between two or more limited numbers of individuals.

And the cloud storage is encrypted with VPN ( Virtual Private Network). Using the virtual private network, you can encrypt your whole hard drive.

And data encryption could help to delete data without a trace. When a third party tries to recover our deleted/ erased data, they fail to recover those data because those data cannot be identified again due to encryption.

Types of data encryption

End-to-end data encryption (E2EE)- End-to-end data encryption is a method that protects or hides the privacy of a conversation between two individuals and the special feature of end-to-end encryption is even the service provider cannot listen to their conversation. This end-to-end encryption is mostly in social media chatting apps.

BYOE encryption ( bring your encryption)- This type of encryption allows the user to use the encrypted key that he/she prefers. It enhances the safety of the personal pieces of information of the individuals. This method is commonly used when doing digital transactions in banks, mobile transactions, and when ensuring the security of companies.

Field level encryption- This encryption method is used to encrypt the statistics like payment details, security numbers, credit card/ debit card numbers, etc.

Encryption as a service ( Eaas)- This method is mainly provided by company owners to their clients. The clients have the opportunity to handle data in a way that they prefer.

Cloud storage encryption- This data encryption method is used by cloud storage providers to ensure the safety of the stored data.

Data encryption is an important element in cyber security because all data and information have a value and a cost. So it is necessary to use the data encryption method which is most effective.

References

Bug Zero is a bug bounty, crowdsourcing platform for security testing. The platform is the intermediatory entity that enables client organizations to publish their service endpoints so that bug hunters (security researchers / ethical hackers) registered in the platform can start testing the endpoints without any upfront charge. Bug hunters can start testing as soon as a client organization publishes a new program. Bug Zero also offers private bug bounty programs for organizations with high-security requirements.

Bug Zero is available for both hackers and organizations.

For organizations and hackers, register with Bug Zero for free, and let’s make cyberspace safe.