For any backup environment, data encryption is a big deal because it enables users to restrict access to information to which they do not want anyone else to have access. Across different types of organizations, such as private businesses or government institutions, encryption of data is pursued for different reasons, from securing classified information and safeguarding corporate secrets to guarding customers’ personal data, such as credit card numbers, tax history and contact details. Following the best practices to effectively secure data can protect you against any efforts to compromise your information.
Common Backup Encryption Practices
Client-Side Encryption
Client-side encryption includes the encryption of the data on the machine or source-side encryption and filename encryption.
The way source-side encryption works is using customer controlled keys to encrypt the information before it leaves the network or server. The encryption key, in this case, is the password defined by the user. Backup application encrypts the data first and then uploads it to storage. It is strongly recommended to keep your password safely with you since it won’t be stored anywhere in the cloud or encryption software.
The encryption algorithms vary across different backup solutions and have diverse key lengths, such as 128/192/256-bit AES, 64-bit DES, RC2. Cloudberry Backup software is featured with 256-bit AES encryption which is a standard that is used worldwide and is certified by the U.S Government as being effective enough to safeguard classified data.
File-Name Encryption
In most scenarios, file-name encryption is almost as important as file encryption. This encryption type doesn’t only guard valuable information, but it also enables organizations to comply with regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR. As a powerful cross-platform solution, Cloudberry Backup supports this feature to ensure better safety outcomes.
Data Encryption in Transit
Protection of data is important when moving from client-side to cloud storage. The data is additionally encrypted during this process as the transit moves through HTTPS. The support for this key feature is one of the highlights of Cloudberry Backup.
Server-Side Encryption
The practice of server-side encryption (SSE) is all about securing your data at the storage level at rest. Server-Side Encryption automatically encrypts data when it arrives, stores the data on disk, and automatically decrypts the data when it leaves – using encryption keys managed by your cloud service account.
There is a more secure option for the server-side encryption when user can specify a password to encrypt the data. However, not all cloud storage services permit users to enter their own encryption keys. For example, Amazon Web Services provides this feature to its clients.
Cloud Storage Account Safety
As a general rule, you can encrypt anything you want, but if your cloud storage account is not secure in the first place, then data encryption cannot serve its purpose at all. This is precisely why it is important to keep in mind a few simple principles of effective password management when choosing a key to lock your account. Strong passwords are ones that are lengthy, unique, and complex.
Another way of maximizing account safety is through multifactor authentication in which the cloud storage solution prompts the user to provide at least two or more pieces of proof to grant access, such as asking for an authentication code in addition to the username and password. Another tip is to utilize a password manager.
Password managers not only help to keep your information safe, they also make management of multiple passwords much easier by storing them on one account. Moreover, they also create random combinations for passwords which makes it much more difficult for attackers to crack the key to your account. These combinations tend to be much stronger than passwords that users create on their own.
Data Security is Essential
It is more important than ever to protect your personal information in today’s digital age. While it is true that data storage solutions have become more advanced in terms of offering additional security features to safeguard critical user information, the threat of malicious attacks and security breaches are also higher than ever. By adhering to best practices of backup data encryption private users and institutions can protect their information while safeguarding the integrity of their IT systems.
CloudBerry Lab offers a Cross Platform Managed Cloud Backup for MSPs
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