Platform 3 SolutionsEncryption is essential for protecting sensitive data in archival systems. There are two primary applications of encryption: hardware and software encryption.
Hardware encryption uses dedicated physical devices, like encrypted USB drives or SSDs, to handle encryption tasks. It offers superior security by isolating keys within the hardware, making them inaccessible to malware.
Software encryption, on the other hand, uses programs installed on devices to encrypt files, folders, or entire drives. While it is cost-effective and flexible, it relies on the device’s operating system and can be vulnerable to malware attacks. Choosing the right method depends on specific security needs, performance considerations, and budget constraints.
Why encrypt data, and when is it important?
Data in archival systems, even if not actively used, can be highly valuable and require protection. Encryption is crucial for securing this data for several reasons:
- Protection from Breaches: Archival systems can hold sensitive data like financial records, intellectual property, or personal information. Encryption scrambles this data, making it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key. Even if a hacker gains access to the archive, the encrypted data remains useless without the key.
- Compliance with Regulations: Many industries have regulations mandating data security for specific information types. Encrypting data helps organizations comply with these regulations by ensuring data privacy and preventing unauthorized access.
- Long-term Security: Archived data is often stored for extended periods. Encryption safeguards it against potential future security threats that might not exist today. By encrypting the data from the outset, you ensure its continued protection throughout its lifecycle.
- Defense Against Insider Threats: Encryption isn’t just about external threats. It also protects against unauthorized access from within an organization. Even authorized personnel with access to the archive might not have a need to see the unencrypted data. Encrypting data restricts access only to those with the decryption key.
- Mitigating Risk of Accidental Exposure: Human error can lead to data leaks. Encrypting the data minimizes the damage from accidental exposure. Even if an archive is mistakenly accessed by unauthorized individuals, the encrypted data remains unreadable.
- Improving Disaster Recovery: In case of a disaster like a fire or flood, encrypted backups stored offsite can ensure data recovery. Even if the physical storage media is damaged, the encrypted data itself remains secure.
The following table highlights the main differences between software and hardware encryption, helping you choose the right method based on your specific needs and circumstances.
| Feature | Software Encryption | Hardware Encryption |
|---|---|---|
| Functionality | Encrypts files, folders, or entire hard drives on your device. | Utilizes a dedicated chip or device to handle encryption and decryption. |
| Implementation | Managed through software programs installed on your computer or mobile device (e.g., BitLocker for Windows, FileVault for macOS). | Integrated into hardware components like SSDs or encrypted USB drives. |
| Security | Relies on the strength of your password and the integrity of your operating system. Vulnerable to malware and password attacks. | Encryption keys are stored within the hardware, making them inaccessible to malware or unauthorized access. |
| Performance | Can slow down your system as the CPU handles encryption tasks alongside other programs. | Offloads the encryption burden from the CPU, minimizing performance impact. |
| Always-on Protection | Dependent on the operating system’s state and can be compromised if the OS is infected. | Encryption remains active regardless of the software state, ensuring continuous protection. |
| Cost | Generally, more cost-effective as it doesn’t require additional hardware. | Often requires specialized and more expensive hardware. |
| Flexibility | Can be applied to various devices and systems without additional hardware. | Limited to devices with built-in hardware encrypting capabilities. |
| Key Management | Keys are managed through software, which can be less secure if the system is compromised. | Keys are stored within the hardware, providing better isolation from potential software vulnerabilities. |
Securing Data in Transit
When transferring data from its source to an archival system, the data is particularly vulnerable. It’s no longer protected by the source system’s security measures and hasn’t yet reached the potentially more robust security of the archive. Here’s what you need to consider:
- Data exposure: During transit, the data might travel across networks, potentially passing through unsecured connections. Encrypting data is crucial to safeguard it from unauthorized access or interception.
- Data integrity: Transmission errors or malicious tampering can corrupt data in transit. Encrypting data helps ensure the data remains unaltered during transfer.
Choosing the Right Encryption Method
The following table helps in understanding the differences, advantages, and best-use scenarios for hardware and software encryption during data transit to archival systems.
| Consideration | Hardware Encryption | Software Encryption | Combined Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros | Strong security with keys stored within hardware | Cost-effective | Maximizes security by leveraging both methods |
| Minimal performance impact on the source system | This can be applied to any data transfer method | Pre-encryption ensures data remains unreadable if intercepted | |
| Encryption keys are inaccessible to malware | Built-in tools in many operating systems | Secure transfer protocols add an additional layer of protection | |
| Cons | Requires specialized and often expensive hardware | Relies on the security of the source system’s software | More complex to implement, requiring both software and hardware solutions |
| Limited to hardware availability and compatibility | Potential vulnerability to malware | This may involve additional costs and resources for hardware encryption devices | |
| Hardware failures can complicate key recovery | Possible performance slowdown on the source system | Ensuring compatibility between hardware and software solutions can be challenging. | |
| Use Case | Ideal for highly sensitive data requiring strong security | Suitable for general data transfers where cost is a factor | Best for scenarios demanding the highest level of security during data transit |
| Example Methods | Encrypted USB drives | BitLocker for Windows, FileVault for macOS | Software encryption pre-transfer, secure transfer protocols (SSL/TLS), hardware-encrypted storage |
| Recommendation | Use for transfers involving highly sensitive data. | Use for general data transfer tasks. | Pre-encrypt data with software, use secure protocols during transfer and consider hardware-encrypted devices for extra sensitive data. |
| Security Level | High (keys isolated from software vulnerabilities) | Moderate (dependent on system security and software integrity) | Very high (combines advantages of both methods) |
| Performance Impact | Minimal impact on CPU performance | Can slow down the system as it uses CPU resources | Optimizes performance by offloading tasks to dedicated hardware and software working in tandem |
| Ease of Use | Requires understanding of hardware setup | Generally easy to set up with built-in OS tools | Requires coordination between software and hardware solutions |
| Cost | Higher due to specialized hardware | Lower as it uses existing system resources | Moderate to high depending on the hardware and software combination used |
Archiving and migrating data from legacy systems can be overwhelming without the perfect tools. Archon ETL helps businesses archive and migrate to modern databases using powerful workload management and archive-optimized functions. Archon ETL uses software encryption for data during transit and employs SSL/TLS methods to transfer data securely from source to target systems. Simplify migration and data archive without sacrificing performance or security with Archon ETL.
Securing Data at Rest
In an archival system, data at rest refers to the information that resides in its permanent storage location after being transferred. Here’s why securing data-at-rest is critical for archival systems:
- Long-term Protection: Archival data is often stored for extended periods, ranging from years to decades. Encrypting data safeguards it against potential future security threats that may not exist today. By encrypting data at rest from the outset, you ensure its continued protection throughout its lifecycle.
- Mitigating Risk of Breaches: Even well-protected archives can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. Data encrypt scrambles the data at rest, making it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key. Even if hackers gain access to the archive’s storage media, the encrypted data remains useless.
- Compliance with Regulations: Many industries have regulations mandating data security for specific information types. Encrypting data helps organizations comply by ensuring data privacy and preventing unauthorized access, even at rest within the archive.
- Defense against Insider Threats: Encrypting data isn’t just about external threats. It also protects against unauthorized access from within an organization. Even authorized personnel with access to the archive might not have a need to see the unencrypted data. Encrypting restricts access only to those with the decryption key.
- Improves Disaster Recovery: In the unfortunate event of a disaster like a fire or flood, encrypted backups stored offsite can ensure data recovery. Even if the physical storage media is damaged, the encrypted data itself remains secure.
Hardware Encryption
You can add hardware encryption for highly sensitive information stored within the archive; this enhances security for data at rest. Here’s why:
- Key Isolation: Encryption keys are stored within the hardware itself, separate from the operating system. This makes them inaccessible to malware or unauthorized access attempts on the device where the data resides.
- Always-On Protection: Encrypted data remains active regardless of the software state on the device. This is crucial because software vulnerabilities could potentially compromise keys in software-based solutions.
Encryption Methods
There are a few common encryption methods used to secure data at rest in archives:
- Full Disk Encryption: This encrypts the entire storage device where the archive resides, ensuring all data at rest is protected.
- File-Level Encryption: This allows encryption of individual files or folders within the archive, offering granular control over data security.
- Database Encryption: For archives stored in databases, encryption can be applied at the database level or at the column/cell level for specific data fields.
Choosing the Right Encryption Method
The choice of encryption method depends on your specific needs such as:
- Security Requirements: The level of sensitivity of the data will determine the required strength for encrypting.
- Performance Considerations: Some encryption methods might have a slight performance impact on access times.
- Management Needs: Consider the ease of managing keys and access controls.
Securing data at rest is paramount for archival systems. Encrypting data ensures the Long-term confidentiality, integrity, and availability of valuable information. By implementing robust strategies, organizations can protect their archived data from a wide range of security threats.
Protect your data with expert support
At Platform 3 Solutions, our team created Archon Data Store™ (ADS): a powerful, compliant, and modern data management platform that offers data archival and analytics in a web-native platform. ADS is an “end-to-end” data archive designed to store and manage data at scale, with compliance at its core. It uses hardware encryption for data at rest as well as data in transit with server-side encryption using SSE-S3 managed encryption keys, ensuring that your data is always protected.
Don’t compromise on the security of your sensitive information. Embrace innovative products such as Archon Data Store or Archon ETL to safeguard your data today and for years to come. Contact us anytime for a free consultation to learn more about how our solutions can protect and optimize your data archival processes.
