Data Encryption: Protecting Information With Unbreakable Codes

By Brian Grainger,
Vice President,
Spectra Logic Federal

Protecting data is fast becoming a high-profile issue for all U.S. organizations, agencies, and corporations. Well-publicized data breaches at federal agencies and organizations have drained agency credibility — and raised concerns in Congress and beyond. Data breaches at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Los Alamos National Labs, Department of Education, and many more organizations have been making headlines.

Breaches at governmental institutions are just part of the larger picture. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, one in three Americans is at risk of identity theft and financial loss because of data breaches. That's why Forbes magazine dubbed 2006 "The Year of the Data Breach."

The government isn't adequately stepping up to the challenge of securing electronic data. A report last year gave the United States government an average grade of D for computer security.

Because the state of data security isn't good, it's even more important to carefully examine all aspects of data protection. In addition to unauthorized access to information on networks, computers, and backup tapes, which are getting publicity, another issue has equally damaging implications: data and media destruction. While data destruction standards are few, the list of laws that govern data retention and accessibility continues to grow.

Recycled computer disks and reused backup tapes contain data that needs to be permanently erased — otherwise it can be accessed by unauthorized users. Such data breaches are nearly impossible to track. While it is clear that data on recycled disks and tapes must be permanently deleted, it is harder to erase data than one might think. The good news is that both of these problems — data protection and data destruction — have a simple solution that is both available and affordable: encryption.

SOURCE: Spectra Logic Corporation