Encryption Isn’t Optional: Why Every Business Needs to Prioritize Data Protection
In a digital world where data breaches make headlines and cybercrime costs businesses billions annually, encryption isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a must-have. Whether you’re a small business handling client data or a large enterprise managing sensitive financial information, protecting that data through encryption is one of the most critical cybersecurity practices you can implement.
Let’s break down why encryption matters, what kinds are available, and how it protects your business both inside and outside your walls.
Why Encryption Matters to Your Business
Encryption is the process of converting data into a coded format that can only be read with the right key. If your data is stolen or intercepted and it’s not encrypted, it’s essentially out in the open. If it is encrypted? It’s just meaningless noise without the key to unlock it.
There are two key areas businesses need to focus on:
1. Encryption of Data at Rest (In-House Data)
This includes files stored on servers, employee devices, internal databases, or cloud platforms. Encrypting this data ensures that even if someone gains unauthorized access—whether through hacking, a stolen device, or insider threat—they can’t make sense of the information without the proper credentials. It is important to note that at rest encryption can apply to both devices and files.
Device Encryption: Protects an entire drive, denying access to anyone who does not have the proper credentials to unlock it.
File Encryption: Protects individual sensitive documents/data both at rest and in transit.
Why it’s important:
- Protects customer and employee data in case of device theft or server compromise
- Helps meet compliance requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, etc.)
- Prevents reputational and financial damage from internal breaches
2. Encryption of Data in Transit (Sent or Shared Data)
Anytime data is being sent—via email, file transfer, online forms, or APIs—it’s vulnerable to interception. Encrypting data in transit ensures that even if cybercriminals intercept it midstream, they can’t use it.
Why it’s important:
- Makes “man-in-the-middle” attacks much more difficult
- Protects sensitive transactions (e.g., banking info, customer records)
- Secures communication with vendors, clients, and remote teams
Not all encryption is created equal. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types businesses use, and how secure they are:
1. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) – Very Secure
- Used for: Securing files, databases, cloud storage, and encrypting drives
- Strengths: Comes in 128, 192, and 256-bit keys (AES-256 is extremely secure)
- Adoption: Used by the U.S. government, banks, and major corporations
🔒 AES-256 is considered military-grade and is virtually unbreakable with current computing power. Note: the longer the key, the more secure the encryption
2. RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) – Very Secure for Small Data
- Used for: Encrypting small pieces of data like keys, digital signatures
- Strengths: Asymmetric encryption (public/private key pairs)
- Adoption: Common in secure web browsing (HTTPS), email, and VPNs
🔐 RSA with 2048-bit or higher key length is considered secure for modern business use.
3. TLS/SSL (Transport Layer Security / Secure Sockets Layer) – Secure
- Used for: Encrypting data in transit, like when accessing websites over HTTPS
- Strengths: Protects browser-server communication
- Adoption: Standard for web security
🌐 Any site or service handling sensitive data should use TLS 1.2 or higher.
4. BitLocker / FileVault – Device-Level Encryption
- Used for: Encrypting data stored on hard drives
- Strengths: Protects data on lost/stolen computers
- Adoption: Built into Windows (BitLocker) and macOS (FileVault)
💻 Ideal for securing laptops and mobile employee devices.
Encryption Is More Than Compliance—It’s Competitive Advantage
Yes, many industries require encryption for compliance, but going beyond the minimum can actually become a selling point. Customers, partners, and vendors are all looking to work with businesses that take data protection seriously.
Strong encryption:
- Builds trust
- Protects intellectual property
- Reduces liability
- Helps your team sleep at night
Final Thought: Encrypt Everything, Everywhere
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue—it’s a business issue. And encryption should be at the core of your strategy.
Whether your data is sitting in a file server or flying through the internet, encrypt it. Make it unreadable to anyone who shouldn’t have access. In the event of a breach, encryption can mean the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic data loss.
Need Help Getting Started?
If your business hasn’t done a recent review of your encryption policies and tools, now’s the time. Reach out to your IT team, or consult with a cybersecurity expert to ensure your systems, storage, and communication channels are protected with modern encryption standards.