How to Ensure Your Information is Safe with End-to-End Encryption

Every day, we hear news about new security breaches of personal information, credit card information, and sensitive data that was stolen or disclosed because it wasn’t encrypted in transit or at rest. In today’s multi-device working environment it is imperative to transfer and share sensitive assets from sender to receiver with end-to-end encryption. 

You need a way to keep this data protected, but still usable. End-to-end encryption is the way to accomplish this. But how can you ensure your data remains safe? How do you keep your information assets usable without being stolen? Here’s how end-to-end encryption works and how you can keep your information assets protected. 

End-to-end encryption ensures data remains safe.  

How does End-to-End Encryption work?  

With end-to-end encryption, sensitive information assets are converted into a cipher or code until they’ve reached the authorized user. This is made possible by complex mathematical algorithms like DES, AES, RSA, El Gamal, and hashing used in modern encryption systems, and data encryption renders. End-to-end encryption renders stealing the message useless since the copied message will be indecipherable by cyber criminals. 

An encryption algorithm by itself cannot make encryption work. But it can be used to develop secure applications that embody this algorithm and deploy encryption protection automatically. 

The two most common ways of building end-to-end encryption are by either using a single secret key encryption process (symmetric encryption) or using a key pair encryption (public key encryption) process. 

Keys in the Information Kingdom

Public key encryption operates through an encryption/decryption key system, which works using key pairs: a public and a private key. When information needs to be sent, it’s encrypted on the sender’s end with a public key. The public key is mathematically paired to the private key and can be given out to anyone who wants to encrypt a message. 

When the public key is used for encryption, only the associated private key can be used for decryption. The private key needs to be protected and kept confidential. 

When the information encrypted with the public key is sent to where it needs to go, the private key gets to work. It decrypts the information at the destination that was originally encrypted by using its public key. 

Think of it as a locked dropbox. Only you have the key to open the box—ensuring anything left inside is safe until you choose to open the box with your private key. But anyone can leave a package in the box by dropping it through the open slot, provided you’ve told them where the box is (the “where” is the public key you use to drop it through the open slot). 

Some examples of end-to-end encryption applications are message and code signing, an SSL/TLS web server, and an SSH remote login service. 

Encryption Key management 

Without private key applications, we would not be able to decrypt data, use certificates for code signing, or securely communicate with an SSL/TLS web server. Hence, protecting private keys is vital for end-to-end encryption. 

Some companies take this to heart and ensure the private key is only accessible through a secure service and device that remains isolated from the common network. There are several best practices used to securely store and manage private keys. 

Encryption Key Best Practices 

One of the best ways is the use of hardware storage devices such as USB tokens, smart cards and Hardware Security Modules (HSM). Having private keys securely stored in a hardware storage device with restricted access means that attackers must first gain physical access to the storage device itself, which is relatively difficult. 

Sometimes, it is too expensive or impractical to use a hardware storage device for some applications. In this case, another more common method is to generate and store the private key on the local filesystem. However, generating and storing the key in this manner adds additional points of vulnerability that may lead to a higher risk of system compromise. 

Whether it is stored in a hardware storage device or locally on the filesystem only authorized and trusted staff should have access to the private key. 

The right tools, professional support, and robust processes can help you manage your end-to-end encryption systems. If your technical specialists do not have the necessary training and experience, consider hiring an encryption expert to assist with implementing cryptographic services in a trustworthy manner; the added peace of mind is worth it. 

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Ken Perkins

Biography coming soon.

Megan Miller

Megan Miller’s energy and passion for learning flow into all aspects of her work. As the Growth Manager, North America, she brings a background in sciences which she has transitioned to the tech sector in her role at Difenda.

With a Bachelors of Science in Geology, Megan is a lifelong learner who is voracious about learning anything she can get her hands on about cybersecurity. Her positive energy has built a sales strategy with a focus on expanding in the United States while nurturing the Canadian presence. She is responsible for recruiting and training the sales team. Together with the company’s leadership, she creates the sales process and the company’s product strategy in order to better serve the customer base. This ensures that our customers have a highly trained and highly motivated team to help them every step of the way, Megan has completed Microsoft SC-900 training and working towards mastering Microsoft.

Whether at work or play, Megan is fully committed. She took her love of hockey all the way to the semi-professional level as a competitive hockey player. Megan loves all things sports including water skiing, scuba diving, cycling, and snowboarding. She also enjoys time with family and reading about alternative energy, innovation, and cybersecurity.

Natasha Phanor

As the Microsoft Partner Manager at Difenda, Natasha Phanor is responsible for driving growth within our Microsoft Partnership. With six years in the industry, she offers a fresh, energetic approach, and the ability to focus on our customer’s needs throughout the entire process. Natasha has the innate ability to foresee customer needs and solve problems before they arise, which creates a smooth road for each customer she encounters.

As the recipient of the Outstanding Services Partner of the Year Award in 2018, it is clear that Natasha responds quickly to customer needs, creates a platform for understanding a customer’s business requirements, and walks them through the process to ensure their complete satisfaction.

In her spare time, Natasha is as energetic and passionate as she is on the job. A self-proclaimed foodie-extraordinaire, she enjoys dinner parties, traveling, downhill skiing, hiking, biking, and reading. Natasha has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in Dance, from Ryerson University.

Lisa Templeton

Lisa Templeton is the perfect combination of human empathy and technological prowess. In her role as People Services Manager, she takes care of our team members to support them in their daily work, as well as on their personal life paths. Happy employees make for happy customers, and Lisa excels in giving our employees the tools they need for success in order to become the best possible versions of themselves. Along with employee formation, she shines in the service delivery support domain to continuously improve the process. Her 24 years of experience in IT Operations and Service Management help her create quality and efficiency at Difenda.

Having attended the Information Systems Management certificate program at Ryerson University, and with various other certifications to her credit, Lisa is perceptive and innovative when it comes to information technology, but also sensitive to the needs of her human constituents. Responsible for achieving the first privately owned company HDI Support Center certification in Canada, she has also designed and implemented Service Management excellence programs and 24×7 IT Operations departments for multiple IT organizations, and has created corporate rewards and recognition programs to keep her employees engaged and motivated.

On the personal side, Lisa passionately supports the cause of breast cancer research, having lost her mother to the disease. She reads voraciously in her spare time, and enjoys the art of home renovation. The summer months also bring time on her boat and exploring new hiking trails.

Miranda McCurdy

Miranda McCurdy uses her myriad super powers in all aspects of her job and personal life. As the Marketing Director at Difenda, Miranda McCurdy brings over a decade of experience to the table, which includes expertise in all facets of operations, brand management, and content marketing, as well as a multitude of successful strategies for the ever-expanding digital world. She is an expert at simplifying the message the company is trying to send, filling in gaps in the information, and strengthening the content in order to create compelling narratives that strengthen the brand and developing programs that bring teams together.

With several Addy Awards issued by the American Advertising Federation Cleveland to her credit, and her never say die attitude, Miranda understands both the broader picture and the minute details that are needed to successfully market a product. With her abilities to harness both the talent needed to spread the message, as well as to create the message itself, she is an integral cog in the company’s ability to communicate with customers and other stakeholders.

When she is not building a brand, she shares her ability to fill the gaps in her community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, and the Charleston Food Bank. In her spare time, Miranda spends time with her family, enjoys fitness and health, paddle boarding, reading, and arts and crafts.

Juliana Zaremba

Connections are the name of the game for Juliana Zaremba. As Strategic Partnerships Director, she is responsible for Difenda’s channel partnerships and the development and ownership of the channel partner program. She is also responsible for the global Microsoft Partnership, including the creation of strategic plans with MSFT contacts that will facilitate the continued growth of the business and establish certification and training protocols in all security technologies. Her role is multifaceted, as she acquires partners, manages relationships with them, and develops strategies that will provide cutting edge security solutions to our customer base. Another integral aspect of her job is to facilitate growth.

With a Bachelor’s in Math from the University of Waterloo and 14 years of experience from her previous roles at Herjavec Group and CDW, her cutting edge focus and ability to develop long-lasting relationships and strategies provides world class security solutions to our customer base.

Juliana thrives on connections outside of work as well. She is a philanthropist and contributor with Women4Change based in Hamilton. This group of local women is passionate about supporting local causes, and she focuses her efforts around Women in STEM. She is also a member of Club Italia in Niagara Falls and supports their youth events throughout the year.

When not managing the Microsoft Global partnership, Juliana enjoys reading, often reading several books at once. Juliana enjoys exploring the Niagara Escarpment with her family, as well as sharing meals and experiences with her extended family. Juliana’s competitive nature has her always trying new things, like Whoop band challenges and Peloton.

Jeffry Jacob

Biography Coming Soon