A common misconception that many people have about securing data and privacy of data communications is “as long as the connection between the sender and recipient of information is secure then the data itself is also secure”. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

In reality, electronic data will never be entirely private or secure, but you can make it harder to steal. I often use the example of a home with burglar bars on every window and an alarm system. Burglar bars and alarms are just deterrents because they will not stop a motivated thief from breaking in; it only slows him down or encourages him to look for an easier target. It is similar to the choice we face when it comes to protecting electronic data: you must employ deterrents as they make it more difficult for would-be thieves and hackers. Please don’t make your data their low hanging fruit.

Protecting your data is essential, especially with the advent of portable data storage devices like CD-ROMs, DVDs, USB (jump) drives, laptops, mobile phones and tablets. Many of us are walking around with extremely sensitive data on these devices with absolutely no protection or encryption installed. When these devices are lost or stolen, the sensitive data goes with it.

It is no longer good enough to have a simple password on these devices as the protection method. “Brute force” password attack programmes can easily circumvent these basic security measures. Many of us don’t even have a password on our computers or mobile devices, let alone encryption.

Encryption to the rescue

The best way to start protecting your electronic data from prying eyes is through the use of encryption. Securing your data is a necessary inconvenience in an increasingly data-driven, digital economy because digital information is portable and, as a result, more vulnerable.

What is encryption, and how does it work?

Encryption is the process of encoding messages or information so that only authorised parties can read it. Data is scrambled at its source before sending and then descrambled at its destination. The scrambling method is often referred to as the encryption algorithm. (An algorithm is a technical term used to define a process used to perform a specific type of calculation). There are many types of encryption algorithms, such as AES, DES, Twofish, Blowfish, TDES, and Serpent.

Because of the nature of data communications methods, encryption of data files and encryption of data communications are handled differently. As such, e-mail communications, for example, are encrypted using a different process from data files. So it is essential to ensure that you take a complete end-to-end encryption approach; if you intend to secure all of your information and communications, no weak links can be allowed.

Today, encryption systems and methods are available to just about everybody. You can acquire very sophisticated data encryption solutions for free in many instances, and many desktop and mobile phone operating systems now come with encryption software available. Many vendors provide complete encryption solutions; some of these include Microsoft (BitLocker), Symantec (Endpoint), TrueCrypt, Sophos (SafeGuard), McAfee (Endpoint), Apple (FileVault), new software (FolderLock). To ensure that your data is protected and shielded from prying eyes, even when stolen with or without your knowledge, ENCRYPT IT!

Trevor Forrest is the founder and CEO of 876 Technology Solutions, a data and information security solutions and consulting services provider. E-mail:trevorforrest@876solutions.com