Endpoint Encryption

Improve Security and Compliance

With an increase in cyber-crime, government regulators have been forced to increase security regulations in order to protect sensitive data. Regulations surrounding privacy—such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), rules surrounding protected health information (PHI), and the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard, along with many others are in place to create strong rules around the securing of people’s personal and private information. With each session of government, an increasing number of data privacy laws are passed to support this effort.

In addition, companies stake their brand reputation on being able to protect corporate, customer, and partner data. Initial data encryption is one of the most resource-light, and also one of the most effective, ways to protect sensitive information without requiring a lot of corporate resources.

Although new security laws may sometimes seem to be against companies and individuals, that is not the case. In fact, if a company can prove that they took adequate protective measures, they themselves are protected under the government’s Safe Harbor Laws. With the ability to manage encryption and protection, information technology (IT) professionals are able to protect their company in the case of regulatory disputes and any liability cases. Endpoint Encryption’s out-of-the-box reporting tools are compliance-based, allowing administrators to easily offer proof for auditors, regulators, and key stakeholders.

Disk Security and File Security

Once installed, disk encryption provides data protection to devices such as desktops, laptops, or removable media by encrypting each drive, sector by sector. This ensures that all files within a device are encrypted. Even though the data is encrypted, removable media users can access their data on any Windows or Mac system, even when encryption is not installed on that machine.

Endpoint Encryption provides disk encryption by using one key to encrypt a hard disk. It protects the entire disk, including swap files, system files, and hibernation files, in case of loss or theft. By being encrypted, it ensures that only an authorized user can access the disk’s contents.

In addition, Endpoint Encryption provides file-by-file encryption abilities. File encryption takes specific files and makes them safe. Even if a user is able to get into an operating system, the contents of the individual file remain encrypted. By requiring a user passphrase, files are kept safe until the proper protocols are met. This allows files to be stored and moved safely from one device to another, including in portable media devices.

Flexible Data Recovery Methods

With any encryption comes the requirement of being able to recover data. Whether protecting from loss, theft, or the rare data corruption (hardware failure, data virus, master boot record corruption, etc.,), it must be a requirement that the information and data are able to be recovered.

Endpoint Encryption has multiple data recovery methods including local self-recovery, recovery tokens, and administrator keys. Self-recovery allows users to avoid calling the help desk or IT staff. By answering pre-defined and customizable prompts, users can gain access to their encrypted system with self-recovery tools.

When Help Desk Recovery is enabled on a computer, users can access the computer or disk on two conditions: 1) The user forgot their password or 2) The computer is locked out at pre-boot. Help Desk Recovery makes use of a one-time password (a Response Key or Token) to enable the user to regain access to the system.

Recovering individual files is also available. Files on removable data may be encrypted with a workgroup key (so they can share files). The file may be recovered by inserting the USB or removable media containing the file into another computer using the same workgroup key. In addition, an administrator may recover encrypted files with a recovery certificate coupled with a private key. As users enter, leave, or change departments, their keys and policies adjust automatically.

Our solution?

Mojit keeps implementing and recomending Symantec Endpoint Encryption as it uses one of the most sophisticated encryption methods today and it’s called PGP. For more information on Symantec Endpoint Encryption product, please visit Symantec’s website.