By Rob Stevenson, Founder of BackupVault
June 8, 2018

Cloud Backup Expert Tips: Is your Business Backup Encrypted?

GDPR brings serious implications for data storage

With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) now in effect and enforceable, it’s time to take a close look at not just how you backup data, but also the data itself. By encrypting any data you backup, you’re adding another important level of protection.

BackupVault is a longstanding expert in all things relating to business backup security and has been helping businesses from across the sectors prepare effectively for GDPR backup requirements. Encryption can play a key role in ensuring GDPR compliance and giving you greater peace of mind about your own data security – particularly when it comes to using cloud backup services.

What is encryption?
In simple terms, encryption ‘scrambles’ data so it’s useless to anyone who doesn’t know exactly how to descramble it. The code that encrypts data is extremely complex, so it’s not as if anyone without that code can figure it out – therefore it’s a really useful tool for protecting private or business-critical data.

How does GDPR affect data storage?
A central feature of GDPR is that anyone whose data you hold can now request immediate and full access to that data, and even ask you to delete it. Many businesses and organisations have traditionally used ‘tape’ backup systems that can’t easily be encrypted, and also make swift access to specific customer data difficult – in some cases almost impossible. GDPR stipulates not only that customers and consumers’ data be better protected against loss or theft, but also be more readily accessible to them. Encryption techniques are highly effective in addressing both these requirements.

How does encryption protect my business reputation?
Using encryption leaves you far less prone to data theft. It shows you’re adopting the latest technology and techniques and also taking responsibility for protecting your customers’ data as well as your own. It gives people who entrust their data to you much greater peace of mind that their data is safe in your hands.

Encrypted cloud backup vs cloud storage
Both provide backup in the sense that they store files in the cloud and let you access them from different connected devices, but only the encrypted cloud backup offers security against illegal access, and the facility to fully restore systems and databases if they’re compromised. This is due to the fact that business grade cloud backup providers do not know the encryption key – only the customer does. In fact, cloud storage can often exacerbate security issues, as multiple users and devices all suffer the same data and file issues as they update across platforms.

Accessing encrypted data
Encrypted data simply isn’t readable, so even if it is intercepted online, it’s useless to anyone without the decryption key – the only way to access protected data in any meaningful way. Hence encryption is increasingly seen as crucial for backups to the cloud.

About BackupVault
BackupVault provides fully automated, hassle-free, UK-based backup services to organisations all over the world – from small business to global brands, to public-sector clients and large corporate enterprises.

About the Author: Rob Stevenson is the founder of BackupVault, a leading UK based company providing industry leading cloud online backup to thousands of world-wide customers every day.

 

 

 

Tags: