Hard drive encryption matters. Companies are subject to more threats to their data today than they were 20 years ago. Cyber threats increased during the height of the pandemic as workforce mobility and remote working also increased. This means the main computer for many workers is a laptop.  While convenient, this mobility also adds a significant risk of a device being lost or stolen. Something that businesses have to consider when purchasing and setting up new computers is data protection. Today, there are many regulations requiring that personal data collected for customers, employees, and vendors be properly secured. Depending upon your industry and where you sell products or services, you could be subject to various data privacy rules, such as PCI, HIPAA, or GDPR. All these factors add up to the need to take strong measures to protect information contained on your business devices.

Why Hard Drive Encryption Makes Sense

One of the strongest methods you can use to protect data on a computer from being compromised is to encrypt the hard drive. Encryption involves the use of mathematical algorithms that can scramble data. The data can only be unscrambled by the right cipher key, that decodes the algorithm and returns the data to the pre-encrypted state. Encryption can work in two ways:

• Symmetric Encryption: Uses a single private key to encrypt and decrypt the data
• Asymmetric Encryption: Uses more than one key that are both public and private

When encrypting data on a computer hard drive you typically have three options:

• Individual file or folder encryption
• Volume encryption (encrypts a certain area of a hard drive and everything in it)
• Full-disk encryption (encrypts your entire hard drive)

Full-disk encryption is the most secure because it makes the computer and everything on it unreadable unless you have the key to decrypt it. Methods for encryption include:

• Built-in encryption programs, like Microsoft BitLocker
• Third-party encryption programs, like AxCrypt

Why should you encrypt your computer hard drive?

Improve Data Security

When a laptop is lost or stolen, it’s not just the files on your drive that hackers gain access to. Most people will have saved passwords on their device that help them quickly log into sites like Amazon or online banking. There are also email messages and the ability to send and receive email using the account. Social media accounts like LinkedIn or Twitter are easily accessed without needing a password because they often keep users logged in. With hard drive encryption, you keep unauthorized users from accessing all the data on your drive if your device is stolen.

Helps With Data Privacy Compliance

It’s not unusual for companies to have to pay a HIPAA penalty when personal health information (PHI) is left accessible on an unsecured computer. The operator walks away for a moment, and a laptop can easily be stolen or accessed by unauthorized parties. HIPAA penalties for compromised PHI are anywhere between $100 to $50,000 per violation. Using drive encryption can help you avoid data privacy compliance penalties by keeping drives encrypted when not in use.

It’s Minimally Disruptive

Drive encryption is designed to be quick and user-friendly. Once encryption is set up, users simply input a special key to decrypt their drive when they’re ready to use it. Users have the ability to print out their key or save it to a protected account for access later. It only takes a few seconds for the drive encryption and decryption to work.

Protects You If Your Computer is Stolen

Because of the mobile nature of laptops, they can often end up in situations often occur where they can be easily lost or stolen. A laptop that is left on an airplane, or a table at a coffee shop is very vulnerable if not protected. While you may not get your computer back, when your drive is encrypted, you have peace of mind knowing that at least all of your data will be unreadable by the thief and any emails or saved logins you have will be secure.

 It’s Inexpensive

If you have Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, Windows BitLocker is included. But even if you have to purchase an encryption application, they are relatively inexpensive, usually around $100.  The security you get from having your drive encrypted and your data safe makes it a sound investment.

Get Device Security Help to Improve Your Compliance

Click-Pro can help your business put drive encryption and other measures in place to improve compliance and your overall IT security.   Schedule a free consultation today! Call (888) 880-2536 or reach us here.