Encryption

In this digital age, a large amount of sensitive data is transmitted through various networks until it hits its final destination. The vast majority of it is sent in a plaintext format and then translated to be readable by a software application when it hits the intended recipient. Along the way this data is vulnerable to interception and is fairly easy to decipher. Encryption software takes this data and makes it unreadable by altering it using an algorithm or cipher. Once it is delivered to the intended recipient, they use a key to “decrypt” it and return this data into a readable format.

Encryption of data in transit is already widespread whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time you use an ATM machine, it automatically encrypts your information before sending your withdrawal request to a central processing center. E-Commerce transactions via the Internet will also utilize encryption to ensure your credit card information cannot be intercepted as the information is sent to a payment processing center by the vendor.

Encryption can also be used on data that you have stored on digital media such as your hard drive or memory sticks. Sensitive data can be encoded using encryption software to prevent hackers or other unethical individuals from getting access to sensitive material.

Email is another area where privacy experts suggest you explore encryption options. When you click the send button on your favorite email program, the resulting emails and attachments are sent as plaintext and can be intercepted and decoded. Individuals and business send a large amount of data through emails and take it for granted that it will be safe until it reaches its destination.

There are a large number of companies that are currently offering email encryption solutions to businesses that work in conjunction with standard email programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird and Lotus Notes. One popular application is PGP Desktop Email, which has been released by the same company that owns the rights to Philip Zimmermann’s encryption standard called PGP, or Pretty Good Privacy. This software automatically encrypts and signs outgoing messages as well as decrypts incoming messages without any additional steps by the user. If you’re sending an email to a client who does not have encryption software installed on their network, you can encrypt the email and documents in a self-extracting archive and send it as an attachment.

While this particular piece of software is geared towards large business, there are a number of scaled down applications that individuals would find acceptable for their privacy needs. Comodo.com offers an incredible piece of software called SecureEmail. This product is free for individuals and allows you to conveniently encrypt email messages and attachments before sending them. Like PGP Desktop Email, it works seamlessly with most email clients and can even be setup as an Outlook plugin, making installation and implementation effortless.

Software such as SecureEmail PGP Desktop Email minimizes the chances of sensitive emails and attachments falling into the wrong hands. With an increasing reliance on email for our everyday personal and business needs, it is very important to take steps to protect this data, especially when transmitting sensitive material.