Between customers and employees, organizations have thousands of data transfers each day. Even the average internet user transmits data multiple times per day. With cyber attacks becoming more dangerous, frequent, and sophisticated, it’s essential to learn how to protect data in transit.
This article will go over the best methods to transmit data securely.
Email encryption
Since most corporate communication is done through email, encrypting these messages is crucial for organizational security. Personal communication through email also tends to be more sensitive than other methods like text or social media.
By default, most email platforms like Gmail or Outlook are encrypted. However, the emails are stored in plain text, which can be tricky if, for example, the email provider suffers a data breach. That’s why it’s better to enable end-to-end encryption. S/MIME and OpenPGP are the two main email encryption protocols. You can enable them in your email provider settings.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Using a VPN is one of the most straightforward ways to transmit data securely when browsing the internet. A VPN will encrypt all your data traffic by funneling it through a third server. It will also hide your IP address and geo-location, making you far less vulnerable to external attacks.
Remember that a VPN won’t directly encrypt messages like email or SMS. It will merely hide the source, not the plain text itself. You will still have to enable encryption to send messages securely.
Encrypted cloud data storage
Many businesses are turning to the cloud for storing vast amounts of data. A good cloud storage solution isn’t only a convenient alternative to large data centers. It’s also a great way to transmit data securely within an organization.
More complex cloud solutions offer capabilities to create, share, and download files. Communication will be end-to-end encrypted, which means that no one outside the organization will be able to access the data. Hacking into an organization’s cloud server is also very difficult, as there are many security measures to overcome.
The correct data specified centre ensures the robustness of the infrastructure, guaranteeing optimal performance and reliability for the secure cloud solutions they offer, and providing peace of mind to organizations entrusting them with their sensitive data.
Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
Most people are familiar with FTP. It’s the traditional protocol for sharing files on the internet. The SFTP is a newer alternative that adds a layer of security when transferring files. SFTP protects data from outside entities by encrypting it with SSH (secure shell).
SFTP is available in public cloud solutions. You can also enable it on a private network. Businesses must transition to SFTP, as traditional FTP does nothing to protect the files in transit. Even amateur hackers can easily intercept FTP transfers. You can’t afford to take that risk if you’re transferring sensitive data, especially since it can cost the integrity of your business.
Website data encryption
Websites can also hold data that needs to move securely. That’s especially true for e-commerce websites, which hold sensitive financial data on their customers. All websites must use HTTPS to encrypt personally identifiable information. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) transfers the data in plain text, making it readable for anyone.
HTTPS runs HTTP over the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. TLS is the newer version of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), but the two terms are used interchangeably. In fact, more people are familiar with the SSL certificate used to encrypt website traffic.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) data transfers
For smaller teams, there’s nothing more secure than P2P file transfers. In P2P communication, devices don’t go through a central server to connect. Instead, they connect to a shared network and carry out the transaction through their private network.
Since there’s no need to involve a third party in a transaction, P2P is a very safe method and is widely used for making payments. Over the last decade, P2P evolved from a transactions protocol to being used for project management and communication.
Near-field communication (NFC)
NFC is the safest method if you’re looking to exchange smaller files like images between two devices. NFC may not be as popular as Bluetooth, but it’s still found in all modern smartphones.
NFC transfers are slow, so it’s not ideal for large files. It’s also why it has lost its popularity over the years. However, it’s far more secure than using a USB, and even Bluetooth, which is more powerful but also more dangerous.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a business or an individual, you want the data you send and receive to remain private. There are several methods of securing your data in transit. The security method you choose will depend on your way of communication.