PERSONAL ENCRYPTION
“Today, it is imperative users understand the significance of privacy and personal encryption throughout cyberspace.”
It is a misconception that personal data and encryption programs are only necessary in order to prevent spyware and adware from gaining access to one’s systems.
The truth is that privacy and protection tools should be used to secure all manner of personally identifiable information as well as, more generally, to protect the authenticity of all online activity including even those transactions and exchanges increasingly being completed in blockchain networks. This requirement for personally encrypted data security is one of the most important issues facing individuals and broader, digital as well as real-world operations of all kinds.
There are many reasons why securing private data is important.
Most obviously personal data, especially financial records, offer a goldmine of opportunities for fraud to multiple ‘bad actors’. Secondly, this need for data security is becoming increasingly pressing as most every ‘connected’ individual now has to ensure that the information they are recalling and implementing is not only accurate yet further remains, throughout the data lifecycle, within their control. Ideally, all personally identifiable information (PII), should only be disclosed following the owning and controlling users’ independent, ad-hoc selection. In other words, shared only following their choice to do so. Meaning, personal encryption repositions the user as also the holder of the data’s encryption key. Then only the holder or owner of such, he or she at the appropriate time, could decrypt and share such sensitive materials. This leads to the second consideration around practical implementation of PII. Once establishing a trusted user-control for data security, the focal point becomes control towards securing a digitally enacted, freedom of choice. Fundamentally, when correctly implemented an individual encryption of PII permits the user the freedom to confidentially choose what kinds or types of activities and transactions that they wish to participate in, without a requirement for adhering to external limitations nor gaining external authorization.
Typically, centralized operations and business store a great deal of user information around their customers or clients. This information is required by regulators for processes such as Anti-Money-Laundering (AML), and Know-Your-Client (KYC), protocols.
This centrally stored information often includes customers’ digital plus physical or home-address mailing lists, their personal credit card information, the operations’ associated employee data, various consumer engagement or browsing data and so on. Companies, for example, may not and often do not ensure that their customers’ or client data is encrypted before transferring it, as say between their relevant departments via internal webservers or even through email. Personal encryption ensures that the data in question, even if it does fall into the wrong hands via unsecured placement or transmission(s), could not be decrypted or otherwise become useful for anyone other than its intended recipients. This is the true power and use of encryption protocols such as PGP. This foundational personal encryption methodology becomes doubly important when the data transmitted is over the publicly accessible web, or entered into immutable ledgers (as data is capable of doing through its inclusion in varied blockchain services).
When it comes to data security, both users and operations have a lot at stake.
The Internet has made possible a vast wealth of opportunities but this does not mean that participants may not both now and in future be held accountable for information, data and details that they publish or transmit. Personal data security is the most pressing yet often unaddressed issue for people and companies alike. Engaging in critical digital activities means that both the users and associated operations have practically put their reputations, or indeed their very capacity to claim and control their own identities or profits, on the line. And most insecurity primarily comes from poorly secured or unencrypted data.
Without correct data encryption protocols in-place, it would be impractical to ever assume that information as may be exchanged is somehow or inherently ‘by default’ safe and secure, no matter what device was used. With the instant and device-side encryption protocols easily and readily available, there is no reason for any user nor organization to compromise on its security, particularly when it comes to personally identifiable and/or highly sensitive information. Personally encrypted data and transactional security must be a priority for all. This is especially true in light of new identity theft laws currently in place. Personal data encryption, the foundational function and feature of NEST®, ensures that data is safe even when placed on open or publicly accessible networks. This capacity alone helps permit the user-controlled and verifiably accurate provenance for all types of registrations, activities, and transactions. In the normal course of day to day operations, users as well as businesses typically engage with a wide array of devices and computers, all of which may be connected to each other.
Personal data encryption works to ensure that all such data is MADE safe BY DEFAULT, no matter the location of such or WHATSOEVER device(s) MAY BE used to access it.
Therefore, users should be seen as the true data owners and it is imperative that each implements a secure individual encryption protocol throughout all activities, registrations, exchanges and transactions. This capacity for individual data encryption is no longer a choice, but a necessity. By making use of personal data encryption anyone can keep their information secure and be free to select activities from a veritable world of digital choices available.” from the desk of AL
