Create an Article›User Guide›

What is The Future of Encryption?

May 28, 2021

iCrowdMarketing powered by iCrowdNewswire



Concerning the most fundamental building blocks of being cyber-secure, the shortlist is simple; hygienic browsing habits, safe password practices, and awareness surrounding digital security basics like encryption. The employment and deployment of encryption is a cybersecurity fundamental, regardless of whether that is for personal or business use. We now find ourselves in a completely different world (particularly after the pandemic) where remote work, e-commerce, and the world economy’s total symbiosis with the internet are now regular facets of life. The internet is no longer a place to be taken lightly, it is the only remaining truly democratic, free, and open space that our society has and we need to protect it with our lives. As wonderful as this revolutionary tool that has progressed society so much is, it is important to bear in mind that in the current transitional era where global cybersecurity is the number one concern, protecting the internet and everything connected to it is vital.

Being ‘cyber-secure is no longer something to be scoffed at or dismissed, but something fundamental for the basic reason that without it every individual’s personal data is at risk, and every business can potentially doom itself to failure if it is not cyber-secure. Cyber-attacks conducted by cyber-criminals are at an all-time high now in 2021, while unfortunately, cybersecurity awareness has not yet reached a level strong enough to respond adequately to the mounting threats. This lack of readiness has led to record data breaches, internet fraud, and cyber-incidents of national security concern just within the span of the last few years. With any great power comes great responsibility -that power being the internet. Every great power in history has at some point fallen into the wrong hands and has been misused by malicious ‘actors’. This is precisely why cybercrime is worrying even the most powerful nations today, let alone regular netizens, and this is why being proactive and strict when it comes to cyber-readiness should be the default approach by everyone.

What does being cyber-secure mean exactly?


Being cyber-secure can be defined as two-fold. It refers to the practice, awareness, education, and knowledge of cybersecurity. It also defines the software and hardware tools as well as research and development tailored for the defense of networks, operating systems, storage systems, and devices that are connected to the internet. An individual or business that is truly cyber-secure will have the knowledge and the systems in place to be ready and protected from cyber-attacks, privacy-related issues and will have top-notch internet hygiene practices instated as standard.

What is encryption?


Encryption is an integral part of cybersecurity without which no data or data transmission is safe. This process refers to the protection of data that is sent, received, or stored via a device or system, which is protected with a digital algorithm or encryption. Encryption methods have changed a lot over several decades, and are now much more sophisticated to allow for better protection against cybercrime (hacking). Encryption algorithms also differ vastly in strength and come in either symmetric or asymmetric form. Symmetric encryption utilizes a single password to encrypt (lock) and decrypt (access) the required data. On the other hand, an asymmetric process uses a public key plus a private key, for a stricter two-stage process. Encryption levels also differ in types, such as; triple DES, RSA, AES, TwoFish, and SSL. These encryption types also have varying ‘bits’ of security such as 128, 192, or 256-bit protection, the latter being vastly superior due to the complexity of the randomization (scrambling) process. Encryption is used most commonly on websites (SSL or the lock button in the address bar), for passwords, in data transmission and to secure external hardware.

What Does The Future Hold For Encryption?


Encryption is critical for several reasons in today’s connected society, again whether that be for the average Jane or Joe’s smartphone, or to protect the files of a large company, for example. For both the purposes of keeping data away from cybercriminals and maintaining privacy, encryption is and always has been the answer. Today, privacy is of great concern in general, and more and more people are opting to encrypt everything they possibly can to avoid their data being in someone else’s hands (not only cyber criminals but in the hands of data collection agencies). Netizens can opt for encrypted email services, messaging services, and cybersecurity applications. A further step is the use of Virtual Private Networks that additionally encrypt a user’s entire internet connection -a popular choice today. Regulations today also outline that encryption is obligatory e.g. in the health sector there is the HIPAA or The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Educational institutions have also made encryption obligatory criteria with regulations like FERPA or the Family Educations Rights and Privacy Act. Financial institutions and the e-commerce industry likewise have made this obligatory as well. Unfortunately, anyone on the internet can choose to encrypt whatever data they choose so naturally cybercriminals also encrypt their harmful malware and can launch or inject ransomware payloads that are difficult to intercept and bring down due to encryption technology. Such attacks by cybercriminals can bring down the largest businesses/organizations and topple government security when launched in a targeted manner.

As reliance on cloud storage increases which means endless amounts of off-site personal data, it is important to look at new ways of protecting it. To counter the increase of sophistication in cyber-attacks, it is important to develop new levels and methods of encryption that are built with strict, no-mercy security in mind from the ground up. Here are some of the industry trends as well as visions for the future of encryption technology that is being researched and developed by institutions like the US National Science Foundation (NSF);

Industry forecasts show that the public demand for encryption is only just beginning. Mass adoption of encryption for data-in-motion (Telegram or ProtonMail for example) will give users some relief over the privacy of their data, and the industry will see users moving away from public data clouds and Saas suites that we all use and trust today. Future developments in encryption will help facilitate a safer, more private connected experience in what is expected to be a more fragmented internet.