Organizations around the world are turning to end-to-end encryption to protect the files and communications shared by their employees. With so many tools and services available to protect data both at rest and in transit, why is end-to-end encryption the chosen technology by so many IT professionals? It’s because of the unique advantages presented – those things that end-to-end encryption does especially well.
What is End-to-End Encryption?
End-to-end encryption works like normal encryption, by effectively scrambling data so that it can’t be read until it’s descrambled, via the use of an exclusive decryption key. Traditional client-to-server encryption is typically used to secure data at rest in a single location, and it’s good for that.
What makes end-to-end encryption different is that it’s designed to secure not just data at rest, but data in transit. As data or communications move from one location or user to another, that data is vulnerable to hijack or interception. End-to-end encryption encrypts the data or communication as it travels, so that it is never unencrypted – it stays scrambled from the point it is sent to the point it is received. Any unauthorized party trying to intercept the data will be unable to read it unless they have the designated decryption key, which only the authorized recipient possesses.
End-to-end encryption is used to encrypt files being shared between users or from a central source. It is also used to encrypt communications between employees, including text, voice, and video chats. Files and communications stay encrypted throughout the entire process, enabling not just secure communications but also secure collaboration.
6 Key Benefits of End-to-End Encryption
End-to-end encryption offers many advantages to organizations of all types and sizes. Here are some of the most significant ones.
1. Ensures Data Privacy
According to McKinsey, 71% of consumers say they’d stop doing business with companies that abuse their personal data. Consumers are uneasy about how their private data is used by the many companies, technology and otherwise, to which they provide it. Data privacy concerns have led to the passing of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other regulations designed to protect consumer data.
While normal encryption can protect the privacy of stored consumer data, end-to-end encryption is necessary to protect consumer data as it’s transferred from one location to another, as well as private information shared in company communications.
2. Improves Data Integrity
Without end-to-end encryption, the possibility exists of unauthorized users tampering with data while it’s in transit. End-to-end encryption protects against such data tampering, ensuring the integrity of an organization’s data wherever it’s stored and whoever accesses it.
3. Guards Against Unauthorized Access Anywhere in the Workflow
End-to-end encryption is the only technology that protects data from unauthorized access anywhere in the workflow. However malicious entities might try to access an organization’s data – by breaching an on-premises server, intercepting data transferred to or from the cloud, or hijacking communications and file sharing between users – end-to-end encryption ensures that the data remains unusable. Even if third parties succeed in breaking into an organization’s system, they won’t be able to use any encrypted data stored there.
4. Strengthens Cloud Security
Most cloud storage providers encrypt the data they store, but not all protect data on its way to or from the cloud. Even worse, many cloud providers store valuable decryption keys in the cloud itself, making them targets for savvy cyberthieves. End-to-end encryption presents a better approach, not just because it encrypts data both at rest and in transit but also because it stores decryption keys not in the cloud but on individual user devices. If you want the safest way to store data in the cloud, turn to end-to-end encryption.
5. Enables Secure Remote Work
The remote workforce has more than tripled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since remote workers need the same access to files, communication, and collaboration as traditional office workers, it’s essential to secure all those chats and files against opportunistic actors. The only sure way to secure remote work is via the use of end-to-end encryption. The most secure organizations today employ end-to-end encryption as part of their secure communications strategy, as well as for secure cloud storage and file sharing for their remote workforce.
6. Protects Your Organization’s Reputation
If your organization were to fall victim to a data breach or ransomware attack, it not only damages your bottom line but also affects your reputation. The better you can protect your valuable data and communications, the better you can maintain your organization’s reputation. You don’t want to develop a reputation for being lax with customer data. When you protect all your data and communications with end-to-end encryption, you gain a reputation as a responsible organization that takes security seriously.
Let AWS Wickrtect Your Communications with End-to-End Encryption
To protect your organization’s data and communications from unwanted threats, turn to the security experts at Wickr. Our secure collaboration platform offers robust, military-grade end-to-end encryption to protect your text, voice, and video communications. Wickr also protects the files your employees share and enables a truly secure remote workforce. It’s the most robust security solution available today.
Contact us today to learn more about the advantages of end-to-end encryption for your organization.