What is Cloud Data Encryption?
The amount of data stored and transmitted on the cloud, on a daily basis, is staggering and constantly growing. When the data is encoded such that only specific authorized personnel can access it, that's what is called cloud data encryption. The data is scrambled into an unreadable format with the help of algorithms, and only authorized personnel with the correct encryption key can decode it.
In cloud environments, there are mainly two types of encryptions used:
- Data at Rest Encryption: Data stored on cloud servers (databases, backups, files) are protected. The point here is that the data is NOT moving. For example, think of typical critical business files - these will be protected from unauthorized access.
- Data in Transit Encryption: Data that's moving between systems (be it between cloud services or from your device to the cloud) is protected here. This scenario requires secure communication channels, so protocols (HTTPS, SSL/TLS, or IPSec VPNs) are typically put in place to ensure the same.
Speaking of encryption, the popular trio of cloud providers- Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure offer their own set of robust, built-in solutions. For example, AWS has the Key Management Service (AWS KMS) using which users can create, control, and manage encryption keys to secure data. Similarly, Google Cloud offers Customer Managed Encryption Keys (CMEK) and Azure, Disk Encryption. The motive with all of these solutions is the same - enhancing data security.
However, the buck doesn't stop at just enhancing data security. Encryption is also crucial when it comes to ensuring compliance. There are several data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS that enterprises need to adhere to, and encryption helps with that.