Page 18 - NBIZ February 2021

bits so that nobody can read or see
the information without the secret To secure data, encryption uses
key. This key consists of a password
or digital file encryption (keyfile), mathematic functions known as
which secures plain text as well as cryptography algorithms,
any other digital media like photos,
videos, or software. One can also aka ciphers, some examples of well-
encrypt a whole operating system known and trusted cryptography
and a partition.
To secure data, encryption uses algorithms are AES, Blowfish, Twofish,
mathematic functions that are and Serpent. These ciphers can
known as cryptology algorithms or
ciphers. Some examples are AES, be subcategorized with a number
Blowfish, Twofish, and Serpent. indicating its strength in bits.
These ciphers can be subcatego-
rized using a number indicating its
strength in bits.
An encryption algorithm key-
length indicates its size measured in Protects Privacy 0 Do not use dictionary words
bits and is always even because a bit Encryption is used to protect sensi- as your password; use a long
is a binary unit composed of zeroes tive data, including personal informa- passphrase made up of capital and
and ones. These keys control the tion for individuals. Encryption, there- small letters with punctuation
operation of a cipher. fore, ensures anonymity and privacy, signs and numbers.
The more mathematical strength reducing opportunities for surveillance
the encryption algorithm has, the by both criminals and government 0 Do not use the passphrase you use
to encrypt your data for anything
more difficult it will be to crack it agencies. Encryption technology is so else like your webmail password
without access to the key. Unfor- effective that some governments are or an online forum where security
tunately, a strong cipher normally attempting to put limits on the effec- can be compromised.
requires more computational power. tiveness of encryption.
A few seconds of wait might not 0 Never trust a third-party service
matter much to the home user, but Protection Across Multiple Devices to store your encryption keys
for businesses dealing with thou- Mobile devices are a big part of our or carry out the encryption
sands of calculations each hour lives, and we often own several. As tech- implementation. If you store data
to decrypt/encrypt data in their nology develops, more and more of these online, encrypt it yourself on your
servers it will mean that more devices are joining the Internet of Things computer.
money must be spent in hardware (IoT) phenomenon. Encryption technol- 0 Watch out for keyloggers and
and electricity. ogy can help protect data and sensitive malware on your computer that
information across all devices, whether could capture your keystrokes and/
Advantages of Encryption being stored or even during transfer. or your secret passphrase. Use
Maintains Integrity updated antivirus and firewall.
Hackers don’t just steal infor- Part of Compliance
mation; they also can benefit from Many industries and organizations 0 Never reveal your password
altering data to commit fraud. While have strict compliance requirements to anyone, not even to an IT
highly skilled and technical individuals to help protect the data of their com- support desk. N
can alter encrypted data, recipients of pany and their customers or clients.
the data will be able to detect the cor- ABIP assists clients with regulatory Madhu Maganti is a Partner at
ruption, allowing for a quick response compliance assessments such as ABIP Advisors where he leads the
to the cyber-attack. HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, NYDFS 500, etc. Cybersecurity and Technology
and we opine on the strength of the Advisory services. With more than
Secure Data at All Times existing encryption processes as well 18 years’ experience, Madhu had
Encryption works when data is as provide recommendations based on worked closely with clients across
stored or transferred, making it an benchmark practices. a variety of industries to ensure
ideal solution no matter how data is compliance, identify security risks,
being used. Usually, data is most vul- Encryption Security Tips mitigate threats and protect data by
nerable to attack when being moved 0 Always choose an encryption performing cybersecurity assessments
from one place to another, therefore, program that uses a standard among a host of other services.
encryption ensures protection during cipher that has been scrutinized He can be reached at mmaganti@
this process. by experts, e.g., AES. abipadvisors.com.

18 NBIZ ■ February 2021