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Are Your Cloud Files Encrypted? If Not, They Should Be

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Alex Sanders
Are Your Cloud Files Encrypted? If Not, They Should Be

Do you store any important files in the cloud? Maybe you have a cloud file storage account, or perhaps you’re storing some of your files on your web server. Are all of your files encrypted? Wherever you have files in the cloud, if they’re not encrypted, your data is at risk.

 

What is file encryption?

 

File encryption is one of the most effective security solutions for digital data. Encryption encodes files in a way that makes them unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the decryption key.

 

When used with advanced security controls, encryption provides a significant layer of protection against cybersecurity incidents.

 

Different types of encryption

 

There are several types of encryption that fall under the category of either symmetric or asymmetric encryption. Asymmetric encryption is ideal since it uses authentication and the private key is securely stored which prevents the need to exchange keys offline first.

 

Within these two categories are multiple encryption algorithms, including DES, AES, 3DES, RC5, RC6, and several more. DES and AES are the most widely used encryption algorithms.

 

Thankfully, as a consumer, you don’t need to figure out which type of encryption to use. Provided you find a reputable vendor, they’ll take care of everything for you on their end. If a service comes with encryption, it will be set up for you when you sign up for your account.

 

Does your cloud provider encrypt your data?

 

You may not have thought about encryption when you signed up for your cloud accounts. However, it’s critical to know if your cloud providers encrypt your data on their servers. This includes your web servers and file storage accounts.

 

If you’re using a secure file storage account from Box, for example, your files are automatically encrypted in your account. If there’s a security incident where your data gets exposed, it will only expose the encrypted version, which will be worthless to cybercriminals.

 

Do all of your cloud providers encrypt customer data? If you’re not sure, make some calls to find out. If you discover your data isn’t encrypted, consider finding another company that provides the same service, but with encryption.

 

Data breaches are a big problem

 

Encryption is your first line of defense against data breaches. Unfortunately, data breaches are a huge problem and are only getting worse. In just the first half of 2019, there were more than 3,800 reported data breaches exposing more than 4.1 billion records. These numbers have risen in the last few years, as data breaches have been increasing in frequency and consequence.

 

However, businesses with encrypted data haven’t been getting hit that hard. At least, not with the consequences. Encrypted data gets stolen all the time, but there are virtually no consequences afterward.

 

Encryption can prevent hefty fines

 

Encryption can actually prevent your business from having to pay regulatory fines after a data breach. When data is stolen, it can’t be read if it’s encrypted. This is why encryption can save your business from paying regulatory fines.

 

Data breaches are costly, with the average incident costing more than $8.6 million in 2020. That’s a significant increase compared to the average cost of $3.54 million in 2006.

 

In some locations, businesses are required to report most data breaches, and many incidents result in hefty fines. However, in some areas, a data breach doesn’t need to be reported if the data was encrypted because it was never exposed.

 

Businesses are embracing encryption – finally

 

Finally, more businesses are embracing encryption after watching small and large businesses get hit with fines after unexpected data breaches. The common attitude before was, “it can’t happen to me.” However, the steady rise in cybercrime has made it clear that it can happen to any business, no matter how small.

 

Business owners are finally realizing that not all breaches can be prevented, and they’re realizing the best option is to encrypt all data to prevent it from being read.

 

Add encryption to your list of security measures

 

If you haven’t prioritized encryption, start now. Talk with your IT security head if you have one, and ask them to help you implement encryption wherever possible. If you’re a small business without an IT team, consult with an information security professional to develop a plan for implementing encryption across your organization.

 

You might need to change the way you do certain things, and you might need to introduce new software to your team. However, the cost of not encrypting your data is too high to skip encryption.

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Alex Sanders
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