As cyber security becomes a bigger and bigger issue across all industries, the debate around how best to protect both privacy and information rages in all corners of the globe.
In the center of the debate is end-to-end encryption, which is designed to prevent anyone but the message recipient from reading the contents of a message or transmitted data. It may show that a transmission took place, but it is impossible to access the contents of that message or data transfer along the way to its destination.
In theory, end-to-end encryption is a great idea. It protects users from losing information to hackers and still allows them to send valuable information to where it needs to go. For enterprise organizations, this translates to being able to send and receive payment information from clients, or collect client data securely and store it in secure data locations. It means private client messages will stay private, and internal communications will stay within the company. It also prevents anyone from changing the message after it’s been sent and before it arrives at its destination.
Despite all the advantages of end-to-end encryption, not everyone is on board. In a recent statement, United Kingdom Home Secretary Priti Patel stated that end-to-end security encryption puts children at risk. His argument—not a new one among law enforcement and many governments—is that end-to-end encryption prevents law enforcement from accessing important data that can be used to prove a crime. This can include anything from apprehending messages between a pedophile and their young victim to communications that would prove blackmail, money laundering, embezzlement or other crimes. If your organization invests in end-to-end encryption, it could theoretically make it harder to catch someone within the organization should they choose to steal from you. Nevertheless, it is currently the most secure way to protect data.
Regardless of where your organization falls on the debate of end-to-end encryption, it’s important to also understand its limitations. Once the message or information reaches its destination, it can still be read by whomever has access to that computer or smartphone, which is why it’s important to protect devices with PIN codes and passwords. The same is true for the original sending device. For enterprise organizations, the advantages of end-to-end encryption are moot if you’re not requiring employees to secure their devices with passwords or—even better—biometric protections, such as fingerprint or facial recognition software.
Ready to learn more about how best to streamline your business systems best protect your organization’s data? Contact Mobile Goods today for more information.