File Encryption - Online Data Safety

Need for File Encryption Online

This section talks about the need for file encryption online. Cloud storage is the most cost effective alternative to save on storage expenses. While bigger business houses employ their own servers for data backup and storage of data, many of the small business owners and even individuals are looking to cloud storage for saving on backup. There are plenty of cloud storage/backup service providers who offer file encryption online so that their users feel secure about their data - up on the off-premise, shared servers.

One of the most disturbing factors why people do not go for cloud storage is the feeling of insecurity. They feel that their data may be compromised if it is not encrypted. Others feel that the service providers may also sell off the data to their competitors. However, this is another aspect that we won't cover in this article.

The primary concern is hackers on the prowl. If you are utilizing the services of a cloud storage service provider who doesn’t care about file encryption, you are at a greater risk of being hacked. This is why most users look for service providers who offer the best at low costs. The best not only includes more space at lower rates, it also includes the safety factor – the techniques of file encryption for online storage.

Another angle is email service providers. Your emails can easily be read by hackers who are keeping watch on your computer ports. Though the use of a good firewall can reduce the chances of intrusion attempts, the limitations of the firewall can't stop any unauthorized person from sniffing at the email packets leaving the computer. In other words, the email data is safe only as long as it is within the computer. To secure your emails, you need file encryption. Online service providers allow email encryption so that your email is encrypted before it leaves the computer. This way, even if anyone is successful in accessing the data, s/he cannot comprehend it.

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File Encryption Online Methods

Plenty of file encryption techniques exist to protect your data. Mostly, the remote/cloud storage employs SSL or TLS (the latter being discontinued by many). For email protection, the most common method used is hashing or cryptography. Hashing involves multiplying data bits with a random number (often called a key) to create something that does not make sense until decrypted using the same key.

SSL or Secure Socket Layer is the successor to TLS (Transport Layer Security). Most of the online file encryption is done using the SSL technique. Comparing TLS and SSL, the SSL is more cost effective as it employs only 128 bits for encryption against the 1KB-2KB used by TLS. As encryption using 1KB would increase the size of files, the transfer speed gets slow. TLS also eats up a good amount of bandwidth for the same reason. Hence, service providers use SSL for file encryption online. SSL 128 bit encryption means 2 squared 128, meaning almost impossible to crack. Other service providers may use custom encryption methods.

The next page looks at some popular remote storage services and the kind of encryption they offer. It also looks at some Software as a Service (SAAS) that offers good file encryption online.