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Its Time to Sing the Encryption Song - Again!
Yes, I'm wearing my encryption hat again. Why you may ask? Well I just finished reading about the newest security hole in Microsoft's latest server product. Then couple that with all the recent hacker activity, new reports from the GAO (that's the Government Accounting Office) that the government can't protect it's own computers and data much less the data WE send them, reports that computer theft is on the rise and news that the FBI is now developing a new computer "worm" (read virus) to spy on citizens, I decided to sing the encryption song again. This time I'll sing a verse about personal data encryption. So what do I mean by personal data encryption? I mean ANY data on ANY storage medium that relates to you, your family or your business. Encryption is the process of scrambling electronic data in such a way that it's unreadable to all but the owner. For the purposes of this article I'll cover two different ways to encrypt data and the pros and cons of each. The first way is file/folder encryption. This is the process by which someone identifies what data they want to protect on a file by file or folder basis and then encodes each file or folder using some kind of software encryption tool. What are the pros of this style of encryption? First, each file or folder can be assigned its own "encryption key". Then, even if one key gets "cracked" open, all the other files or folders will still be safe. Next, only those files and folders you identify and select will be encrypted. This allows for a "gnat's behind" level of detail that some folks need to feel secure. What are the cons of file or folder level encryption? Well, at this level of detail, tracking of all the different encryption keys and file locations would be an administrative nightmare! So, unless you have days to spend identifying files and folders and encrypting them or if you are really, really into details, file level encryption just isn't practical for most people. The second way to protect personal data is drive encryption. Unlike file encryption, drive level encryption allows a user to create a reserved area on the hard drive called a container. Once created, this container can be "mounted" or set to act like another fully functional hard drive on a computer. It will appear in the file manager just like any other drive. What are the pros for drive encryption? This space can be "mounted" using a single encryption key and the key only needs to be entered once. After it's mounted, this virtual drive can contain any data and / or program, just like any regular drive. But when it's dismounted, the virtual drive is no longer visible and the container looks like any other file, the contents of which are completely inaccessible without the encryption key. What's the down side to drive encryption? If you forget your key, all the data and / or program information in the container is lost. Also, all the information is only protected by a single key. So if your key is compromised, all your information is available to prying eyes. What's my recommendation? Drive encryption. Drive encryption is far more efficient than file encryption especially if you need to access your data frequently. Drive encryption also allows for the complete encryption of programs, something virtually impossible to do with file level encryption. (Well not impossible but certainly problematic and time consuming!) And by creating an encryption key of sufficient size and complexity, the single key issue becomes almost moot. One site I visited recently stated that it would take one million computers performing one million operations per second approximately 11 trillion years to crack a 128 bit encryption key! So, by using an encryption key of about 64 random characters, a hacker would need multiple life times to crack open your files. There are several programs available online for both file and drive encryption. All these programs differ in functionality, price, encryption algorithms and interfaces. The best way to proceed is to do a search from your favorite search engine on encryption tools and read about the options available. Don't wait! The day will come when your system gets compromised by some hacker or thief or FBI agent and then you'll wish you had protected your data. Privacy is your right! Exercise it! Michael Ameye has been developing web sites since 1995. He started writing about online privacy issues to answer questions from family, friends and co-workers. Visit http://www.canyourspam.com to see his latest work. He is also the chief editor of PSS Online, A Privacy, Safety and Security eZine dedicated to bringing important information to people in order to foster a safer more secure environment - online and off. Visit http://www.pssonline.info to subscribe.
MORE RESOURCES: Waltz and staff used Gmail for government communications, officials say The Washington Post Blocking 7-Eleven deal on security grounds would hurt Japan's image, head of state-backed fund says Reuters Armenia refuses to finance Russian-led CSTO security alliance budget The Kyiv Independent A week in security (March 24 – March 30) Malwarebytes Fight at maximum security unit precedes tour by state’s prison work group - South Dakota Searchlight Fight at maximum security unit precedes tour by state’s prison work group South Dakota Searchlight White House suggests national security adviser Mike Waltz received work-related emails on his personal Gmail account New York Post EU analysis highlights space capabilities, lists scenarios for space security by 2050 Industrial Cyber Musk Again Misleads on Social Security Fraud The New York Times Alaska Capitol will get airport-style security checkpoint, legislative panel orders Anchorage Daily News Forget Signal. National Security Adviser Waltz now accused of using Gmail for work - theregister.com Fortress Government Solutions receives impact Level 6 security accreditation from US Navy Industrial Cyber Mobile police installing new security cameras at city parks, following shootout at Langan Park fox10tv.com Lawmatics Achieves SOC 2 & HIPAA Compliance, Reinforcing Commitment to Data Security and Privacy LawSites Mike Waltz Faces Another Embarrassing Data Security Failure The Daily Beast Leaders Describe Host of Threats to Homeland, Steps to Mitigate Them U.S. Department of Defense (.gov) Restaurant owner hires security guards after quadruple shooting; residents wonder if it is enough WBAL-TV MPD: Driver of security truck issued several traffic citations after hitting pedestrian along S. Parkway East Action News 5 Breaking the Cone of Silence: The Jigsaw Puzzle of Operational Security Security Clearance Jobs The urgent reality of machine identity security in 2025 csoonline.com SCOTUS examines court’s role in national security Courthouse News Service Could drones replace school security guards? FOX 7 Austin Women in Security: Tia Eskandari, Senior Director, Allied Universal Security Sales & Integration City to receive $94K in Homeland Security grant funding Oil City News Your smart home may not be as secure as you think Help Net Security Pasadena school security guard fired after allegations she forced student to duct tape mouth Pasadena Star News Security officer made Pasadena middle schooler duct-tape her own mouth shut, father says Los Angeles Times Two new security K-9s join Lehigh Valley Health Network NBC10 Philadelphia LightPath Technologies to Exhibit Advanced Infrared Solutions at 2025 Border Security Expo PR Newswire ReliaQuest Closes $500M Round to Boost Agentic AI Security BankInfoSecurity BitLyft Gives Back to the Information Security Community GlobeNewswire Pasadena school security officer accused of duct-taping 11-year-old girl's mouth shut for 'talking too much' ABC7 Los Angeles "Credible Threat" to 2025 Chincoteague Pony Swim Prompts New Security Policies Chesapeake Bay Magazine Akron-Canton Airport has new security measure: K9 Luna Cleveland 19 News Winnetka hires private security to patrol village NBC 5 Chicago Israel’s National Security Council Warns of Increased Threats to Jews Abroad Ahead of Passover Algemeiner.com South Korea’s acting president urges calm, tighter security ahead of impeachment ruling The Mighty 790 KFGO AI Agent and Copilot Podcast: Microsoft Exec Dorothy Li on Role of AI Agents, Ecosystem in Security Cloud Wars Senate Education Focuses On School Security, Classroom Aides West Virginia Public Broadcasting Hazleton Anesthesia Services warns of security breach Hazleton Standard Speaker Gun-detecting dogs join LVHN security team Times News Online MIT Wins $12.2B Contract to Drive Innovation for National Security at Lincoln Lab Security Clearance Jobs Northwest Dallas security guard fatally shoots man outside motel FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Oracle Cloud security SNAFU latest: IT giant accused of pedantry as evidence scrubbed theregister.com Secure Passage and Sunflower Labs Take Security to the Skies with Autonomous Drone Integration PR Newswire Security dog bites woman at Mayfair Mall, police describe fight FOX6 News Milwaukee Motel security guard kills man after altercation in Northwest Dallas FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Jozu Accelerates Enterprise AI with 10x Faster Deployment and Contributes Security Project to CNCF Morningstar |
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