Data stored on business systems can be a liability. Customer credit card information, personal identification numbers, email lists, internal policies, product roadmaps, and intellectual property is stored on nearly every computer, which means that these systems are vulnerable to accidental loss, hackers, and data thieves. The good news: it doesn’t have to be this way.
Software encryption vs. hardware encryption
There are a variety of software programs that can encrypt the data on your computer's storage drive. These programs use the CPU to encrypt and decrypt data as it's being written to or read from your storage drive.
Software encryption has some drawbacks. Because the processor is working to encrypt and decrypt the data, it can slow down system performance. There are also ways to recover data that has been encrypted. This is good if you lose the encryption key, but bad if someone else is able to decrypt the data. With some methods of software encryption, it is possible to see the data, even though it's encrypted.
A better way to protect the data is to encrypt it at the hardware level. If your storage drive has a built-in controller that supports hardware encryption, such as a 256-bit AES encryption controller, you can use full disk encryption, which is sometimes called a self-encrypting drive.
Hardware encryption is better for security because it's almost impossible for someone to get the data off a drive that is encrypted. The person who has the encryption key, however, can encrypt or decrypt the drive in just a few clicks. Because the encryption method uses the drive, rather than the CPU, there is no slow down in performance.
The Crucial® MX-series SSDs have a 256-bit AES encryption controller. It's simple to swap out a hard drive or existing solid state drive for an SSD with better data security. For more information on installing an SSD, look here.
How does Solid State Drive encryption work?
Due to the nature of Flash, Solid State Drives are harder to encrypt. SSD encryption uses two symmetric encryption keys with a 128- or 256-bit AES algorithm. The first key is the Encryption Key and the second is the Authorisation Key.
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FAQs
Unlike software encryption, all bits are encrypted automatically without any user management. This provides an additional layer of security as the encryption key never leaves the drive and is never exposed to intrusion. Furthermore, encryption key management is not required.
What are the benefits of drive encryption? ›
Hardware encryption is better for security because it's almost impossible for someone to get the data off a drive that is encrypted. The person who has the encryption key, however, can encrypt or decrypt the drive in just a few clicks.
What are the benefits of encryption? ›
The Benefits of Encryption
Encryption ensures no one can read communications or data except the intended recipient or data owner. This prevents attackers from intercepting and accessing sensitive data.
What is a Seagate self-encrypting drive? ›
Seagate SEDs leverage hardware-based encryption to safeguard data stored on the drive. By integrating encryption directly into the disk controller or the drive itself, these solutions provide strong protection against unauthorized access and data breaches.
Which of the following is an advantage of encryption? ›
One of the primary advantages of data encryption is its ability to maintain data privacy. By encrypting data, you protect it from unauthorized access, ensuring that only authorized individuals can view or manipulate sensitive information.
Are self-encrypting drives slower? ›
Encryption typically does not require that the system transfer more data to and from the drive, so the drive's native performance remains the same.
What is encryption and its advantages and disadvantages? ›
Encryption is a method of changing data so only approved visitors can access information. Encryption changes readable text to unreadable text, such as ciphertext or code. Businesses may encrypt data in storage or during transfer to protect their privacy.
What are the advantages of always encrypted? ›
Always Encrypted ensures that encryption is seamless for applications. On the client-side, Always Encrypted-enabled driver encrypts sensitive data before sending it to the Database Engine and automatically rewrites queries to maintain application semantics.
What is benefit of encrypting a folder? ›
File encryption helps protect your data by encrypting it. Only someone with the right encryption key (such as a password) can decrypt it. File encryption is not available in Windows 10 Home. Right-click (or press and hold) a file or folder and select Properties.
What is the main purpose of encryption? ›
Encryption is used to protect data from being stolen, changed, or compromised and works by scrambling data into a secret code that can only be unlocked with a unique digital key.
The term “CIA triad” refers to the three main goals of cryptography and secure systems. The three elements of the CIA triad are confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
What are the advantages of data encryption standard? ›
The advantages of the DES algorithm: It is set as a standard by the US government. When compared to the software, it works faster on hardware. Triple DES, used a 168-bit key which is very hard to crack.
What is the purpose of a self-encrypting drive? ›
Self-Encrypting Drive Use Cases: Lost, Stolen, Re-purposed, End-of-Life, Warranty Repair: Whenever the Stored Data Leaves the Owners Control. Self-encryption is superior to Software-based Solutions.
What are the benefits of encrypting a hard drive? ›
Full disk encryption protects the data on your device in the event it is lost or stolen. Without full disk encryption, if the data drive in the computer is removed, the data can be easily read and accessed.
How to tell if a drive is self-encrypting? ›
In the Data Protection window, click on the icon of the hard drive (aka System Storage). Under System Storage, if you see the following text: OSDisk (C) and In compliance underneath, then your hard drive is encrypted.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of encrypted data? ›
The layers of encryption are beneficial to prevent breaches, however, this can prove tiresome for accessing your own data. Depending on the strength of your encryption and the number of encryption keys, simply accessing your own data could take much longer and require multiple levels of security to get through.
What is a disadvantage of encrypting a drive? ›
Drawbacks of full-disk encryption
If users forget their password and lose their recovery key, the device will be inaccessible to them, and they will be locked out just like an intruder. Data in transit isn't protected, so data shared between devices and through email is still vulnerable to hacking.
What are the benefits of encrypted USB drives? ›
Using an encrypted USB stick is an important practice for the following reasons:
- To keep sensitive company data secure.
- To protect customer information- in line with new data protection measures (GDPR)
- To ensure companies do not suffer loss of earnings, time or customer loyalty.
