The importance of encryption

With the exponential increase in computer technology and information available online over the past twenty years, data encryption now plays a vital part in protecting what you transmit online from hackers, cyber-thieves and even rouge employees!

What is encryption?

Encryption is the term given to the process used to protect data by transforming what is known as 'plain-text' information such as your password in clear letters, into 'cipher-text', which cannot easily be transformed - or 'decrypted' - back into the 'plain-text' information without the use of the encryption 'key' that was used to encrypt the data.

Wireless Encryption

Security
There are a number of very well known uses for encryption, but one of the most prevalent uses in the modern world is wireless WPA/WEP security - which is used to encrypt the data transmitted across your wireless network with a WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) pass-phrase, depending on which encryption protocol is in use. This ensures that it is impossible for a potential intruder to 'sniff' or monitor your network usage without also knowing the WPA/WEP pass-phrase. Wireless encryption is, by default, built into all modern routers and should be enabled as it greatly increases the security of your data both being transmitted from your computer and also the data stored on your computer itself - by increasing the difficulty to gain access into your wireless network.

'One-Way Encryption'

Unlike WEP encryption, one-way encryption (or 'hashing') is the term given to describe several encryption methods which render direct 'decryption' of the data impossible, as it is only possible to convert data from plain-text to cipher-text, and not the other way around. These encryption formats (such as MD5, SHA, etc) are often used in order to enhance database encryption, as they mean that even if the database is compromised by a hacker or rogue employee, they cannot directly see the plain-text version of your password/data even if they possess knowledge of the encryption routine. However, if you provide a password, this can still be checked against your stored 'hash' password value, by passing the plain-text password your provide through the one-way hash process, and checking if the two hash values match.

Disk Encryption

As well as encrypting streaming data or single pieces of information - various encryption programs also exist which have the capability to utilise a variety of encryption techniques in order to encrypt or decrypt larger quantities of data reliably. USB encryption software for instance, can prevent your data being compromised even if you lose your USB stick or if it is stolen. The data is required to be decrypted using your encryption 'key' in order to convert it back into plain-text format.