7 common myths about data encryption | Alertsec Xpress Data ...

?IT professionals, at the enterprise level, frequently turn to encryption for protecting data,? read the report. ?Although encryption is a proven technology that delivers strong, effective data security, common myths and misconceptions about it persist, even among some people who are generally knowledgeable about computers. All too often, the myths surrounding encryption are based on misunderstanding of the technology or outdated concepts.?

The report outlines and debunks seven common myths about data encryption & computer security.

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1. Passwords protect laptops. Although it may seem like a username and password is enough to protect your laptop, read the report, this practice is ?woefully inadequate? if your laptop is lost or stolen. In fact, those with little experience can remove the hard drive from a laptop and access data contents from another system. ?A variety of common hacking tools can make short work of the username and password combinations that normally protect a laptop during login,? read the report. Relying on password protection alone for casual computer use works for some, but for enterprise applications, passwords alone are ?weak and unacceptable, nor are they a suitable method for meeting regulatory requirements.?

2. Data encryption slows performance and lowers productivity. Historically, data encryption did slow down less-powerful computer processors. ?To many users, this seemed like an unacceptable trade-off to pay for the benefits of data security,? according to the report. ?It also established data encryption in many peoples? minds as a technology that caused poor performance.? However, encryption operations that were once performed in software, read the report, are carried out more efficiently in processor hardware, and as a result, most users on modern systems don?t even notice when the encryption is taking place. ?Although mobile computing devices ? such as tablets, laptops and smart phones ? don?t have the same processing capacities as desktop machines, typically, even their processors can efficiently handle encryption fairly transparently.?

3. Deploying data encryption solutions can be a challenge. For organizations with thousands of employees, data encryption solutions without a single point-of-control can be a challenge to plan, deploy, implement and maintain. But, well-designed solutions offer aspects, like a management console, to alleviate some of the headaches. ?This ensures consistency in maintaining the highest standard to meet corporate and regulatory policies,? read the report. ?It also eases the IT burden, particularly in comparison with solutions that require several components.? Other aspects of data encryptions solutions that have made their implementation easier include their level of transparency, their impact on IT operations, and the changes required of certain processes.

4. Enterprise encryption solutions are too expensive. Although a laptop costs as little as $300 these days, the financial repercussions if the laptop is breached can easily dwarf the expense, the report shows. According to a Ponemon Institute study, which surveyed 329 private and public sector organizations in the U.S., the use of encryption data can save organizations, on average, $20,000 per laptop, if sensitive data happens to be breached. ?Companies evaluating the costs of data encryption solutions should factor in the true cost, rather than simply the relatively trivial cost of the hardware itself,? it read.

5. OS-based encryption protection is sufficient for enterprises. Encryption capabilities available through operating systems do offer some degree of protection against breaches, read the report, but these solutions lack the manageability and the cross-platform support that characterize serious enterprise solutions. ?For complying with regulatory mandates, data security solutions that let administrators centrally manage the key operations, determine the data content to encrypt, and ensure that corporate policies and practices are being followed, offer a more effective approach,? the report read. ?When a centralized management approach is applied, the level of data security rises, since the likelihood of sensitive files remaining encrypted diminishes.?

6. There is no compelling reason to encrypt data. According to the report, protection of assets, which is the primary reason for encrypting data, encompasses two major concerns that are fundamental to organizations of any size and include meeting the local, state, and federal regulations, as well as preventing unauthorized individuals from gaining access to PHI. ?When implemented properly, encryption of sensitive data can satisfy the requirements of most laws and mandates,? the report read. ?Data encryption backed by a solution that ensures organization-wide compliance serves these goals very effectively.?

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7. IT departments have no practical way to protect mobile devices. With the rising popularity of mobile devices comes a new imperative for data protection, according to the report. ?Incorporating mobile devices, as well as equipment that run diverse operating systems, can be an IT nightmare, unless a solution accommodates all types of computing devices in a uniform, consistent, manageable way,? it read. Since employees use mobile devices running on different platforms, it?s important for devices to be integrated into the infrastructure and data security strategy. ?A mechanism for protecting mobile devices should be an integral part of any serious data security solution,? it added. ?Modern solutions allow you to monitor the data security status of all devices used by a user, irrespective of the form factor or operating system used, within a single administration console.?

Get your personal as well as office laptops encrypted by Alertsec

Unencrypted laptops present a major risk of data loss. 80% of information theft is due to lost or stolen laptops and other equipment. About 50% of network intrusions are performed with credentials gathered from lost or stolen devices. The penalties for a data breach are severe not only in terms of the monetary fines imposed on the organization, but also the potential loss of trust from customers and suppliers. Encryption software greatly enhances the security of your organization?s data as the information is not compromised if a laptop is lost or stolen.

Alertsec Xpress is the full disk encryption service that delivers a mobile data protection system for all information stored on laptops used throughout your organization.

Source: http://blog.alertsec.com/2012/07/7-common-myths-about-data-encryption/

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