How exactly does data encryption work?

Encryption in general refers to the modern method of cryptography that lets users hide information from others. It does so by applying a complex set of algorithms called ciphers, which convert normal data (technically called plaintext) to what amounts to seemingly random characters (ciphertext). Only those who hold the key can decrypt the data and view them in plaintext anew.

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Again, today’s encryption processes are based on old cryptography methods that create and decipher codes, tracing its origins back to ancient Greece. However, encryption in the internet age is done for a wide array of security measures, from protecting our private correspondences, personal information, and sensitive business data to keeping our credit cards, bank accounts, and social security numbers from being compromised.

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In 1976, the U.S. National Bureau of Standards initiated the so-called Data Encryption Standard (DES), a shared secret encryption method or block cipher as the country’s official Federal Information Processing Standard or FIPS. Today, DES is being used more and more on a global scale.


Modern encryption essentially has two types: those that use symmetric key algorithms and those that apply asymmetric ones. Symmetric key algorithms use identical or related encryption keys for both encryption and decryption. On the other hand, asymmetric key algorithms have different or separate keys for encryption and decryption. Experts in the industry often refer to the latter as Public-key Cryptography.


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An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Data Encryption

The internet has become a massive revolution, and almost every transaction is being conducted online. It’s no question that big-scale businesses have invested so much in cybersecurity with the threat of hackers getting into systems that contain highly classified information. However, startups are not exempted from this threat by cyber-criminals.

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Private Wi-Fi

Small businesses should at least have their own private Wi-Fi connection to conduct transactions, which puts their data at high risk of being stolen by hackers. When a Wi-Fi network is protected by a password, the password used protects the websites visited from being tracked by other people. Without a password, all websites and transactions hackers have access to anything that's been typed into unencrypted web forms.

If it’s still not possible to have a private Wi-Fi network, the next best thing to have one’s devices protected by using a VPN to route the traffic through an encrypted server. Take note that using VPN isn’t a guaranteed solution, yet it does lower a business’ risk of getting hacked.

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Encrypted websites

While the website says it’s encrypted, if the network isn’t private, for hackers can still access anything that’s being logged onto the website. Cyber-criminals use fake HTTPS links to create a man-in-the-middle attack that intercepts what’s perceived to be a secure browsing option.

Beware of a keystroke logger as this can read anything that’s being typed into a computer and will be transmitted to the hacker even if the network is private and secure.

It’s best to invest in cybersecurity regardless of the size of the businesses as all transactions can be hacked if remain unprotected.

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What you need to know about VPNs

A VPN or virtual private network is an encryption service that allows you to connect to the internet via a VPN service provider’s server. This means that data traveling between your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) is protected and hidden from your ISP, passing through a VPN tunnel that only you and the VPN server can see.

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VPNs are prevalent today because they allow internet users to access data and services denied them by unfair or inconvenient arrangements and circumstances like censorship or geographical location. VPNs likewise protect users from potential hacking, especially when one is using public Wi-Fi domains or hotspots.

VPN services in the US typically cost between $5 and $10 a month, with lower pricing for longer contracts like annual packages. Keep in mind that you’d still need your ISP, to begin with, as it’s your portal to the internet.

VPN technology started in the corporate world, previously used mainly by huge companies to securely connect to and access corporate resources when workers are not in the office. Nowadays, it has come into commercial use and is offered mainly for the above-stated reasons.

VPNs can slow down your internet connection since encrypting and decrypting data demand longer processing. Also, your connection takes an extra route with a VPN. The best advice is to get a VPN provider closest to your location.

Finally, aside from certain repressive countries, and while many governments require logs of VPN-provider activities, the use of VPNs is legal.

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Secure Channels provides innovative, state-of-the-art designs that complement its clients’ existing investment in security. The company’s solutions are customizable to the clients’ environment without compromising the level of protection provided. For similar reads, visit this website.