Encryption can be the answer to many data security issues faced by small and medium businesses.Not onlycan it protect sensitive information from unauthorized use and minimize the risks arising from data breaches, implementing this technology can also represent another step towards compliance with legislation, especially with respect to the General data protection regulation (GDPR).

But in cybersecurity, there isno silver bullet meaning that no single product or service can handle all the potential threats out there. This applies to encryption also, as even this technology despite its many advantages still has limitations that you need to take into consideration. So before opting for a specific product, be sure you know the one that best fits your needs.

According to a recent study on data breaches carried out by the Ponemon Institute, human error is second only to malicious actors when it comes to the most commonly cited root cause of data leaks. However, these can be avoided by deploying a solution that is easy to use.

There will always be the need for some encryption to be carried out by the user, based on policy and training. If these actions require expert knowledge and the product are not user-friendly, employees might try to find the easy way out and companyrules could be broken. With a simple user-friendly solution, this can be avoided.

A recent IDC survey on ESETs behalf has also shown that ease of management and ability to recover a lost access key are among the most important criteria when a business is in the process of choosing an encryption solution.

To avoid cases where employees are unable to decrypt their data because they have forgotten their keys, search for solutions that use a system of shared encryption keys, managed by on-site system administrators.

This is similar to the use of actual keys, something we all understand before starting elementary school. On top of that, it also makes sharing encrypted data within a predefined group quick, easy and in many cases, transparent for the user.

The solution you choose should be scalable and flexible, so that you can easily add advanced features if necessary, enabling you to vary enforced policies and keys remotely helping you to keep a strong default configuration

Select a product that doesnt require reinstallation for upgrades or renewals. In addition, dont forget that if an encryption solution is available as a perpetual license, including annual maintenance and support, or as a subscription license, it can enable you to manage costsand improve your financial flexibility.

Select a solution that employs industry-standard encryption algorithms that you can trust, and a sophisticated key-sharing system for secure data exchange among all users.

Check if the encryption solution you are considering meets the rigorous FIPS-140-2 standard in the US and is validated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Also verify if it has been certified by key players on the market (i.e. OPSWAT) and has performed well in independent tests.

Set your data protection strategy carefully and choose the encryption solution that helps you fulfill it in a way that suits you best. To make the right decision, dont shy away from any questions you might have about usability and features of the product, even if they sound obvious to you. You might be surprised how many encryption solutions on the market dont cover the basics.

If you want to know which questions you should ask and what answers to seek, we will help you in our next blogpost, so stay tuned and read more on WeLiveSecurity.com.

Author Ondrej Kubovi, ESET

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Avoid getting lost in encryption with these easy steps - We Live Security (blog)

China has demonstrated a world first by sending data over long distances using satellites which is potentially unhackable, laying the basis for next generation encryption based on so-called "quantum cryptography.

Last August, China launched a quantum satellite into space, a move which was called a "notable advance" by the Pentagon.

Using this satellite, Chinese researchers at the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) project, were able to transmit secret messages from space to Earth at a further distance than ever before.

The technology is called quantum key distribution (QKD). Typical encryption relies on traditional mathematics and while for now it is more or less adequate and safe from hacking, the development of quantum computing threatens that. Quantum computing refers to a new era of faster and more powerful computers, and the theory goes that they would be able to break current levels of encryption.

That's why China is looking to use quantum cryptography for encryption. QKD works by using photons the particles which transmit light to transfer data.

"QKD allows two distant users, who do not share a long secret key initially, to produce a common, random string of secret bits, called a secret key," the researchers explained in a paper published in the journal Nature on Wednesday.

"Using the one-time pad encryption this key is proven to be secure to encrypt (and decrypt) a message, which can then be transmitted over a standard communication channel."

State news agency Xinhua called the encryption "unbreakable" and that's mainly because of the way data is carried via the photon. A photon cannot be perfectly copied and any attempt to measure it will disturb it. This means that a person trying to intercept the data will leave a trace.

"Any eavesdropper on the quantum channel attempting to gain information of the key will inevitably introduce disturbance to the system, and can be detected by the communicating users," the researchers said.

The implications could be huge for cybersecurity, making businesses safer, but also making it more difficult for governments to hack into communication.

China successfully sent the data over a distance of 1,200 kilometers from space to Earth, which is up to 20 orders of magnitudes more efficient than that expected using an optical fiber of the same length, the researchers claimed. It's also further than the current limits of a few hundred kilometers.

"That, for instance, can meet the demand of making an absolute safe phone call or transmitting a large amount of bank data," Pan Jianwei, lead scientist of QUESS, told Xinhua.

The Chinese government has made the development of the space sector a key priority. For example, it has laid out plans to get to Mars by 2020 and become a major space power by 2030.

And China has global ambitions for its QKD. It sees its satellite system interacting with ground-based QKD networks to create a global secure network.

"We can thus envision a space-ground integrated quantum network, enabling quantum cryptography most likely the first commercial application of quantum information useful at a global scale," the researchers said.

Original post:
China uses a quantum satellite to transmit potentially unhackable data - CNBC

Windows Central

Best Encryption Software Windows Central Folder Lock (about $40) is like the Swiss Army knife of encryption apps. It can encrypt files and folders, it has encrypted cloud storage, and it can even be used to create encrypted save locations that you can dump files and folders into before ...

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Best Encryption Software - Windows Central