Encryption - At rest/In transit

How does Encryption keep application software safe?

It acts as a digital disguise. It turns sensitive information into a scrambled code that only someone with the "secret key" can unlock.

What is At Rest data?

Data that is sitting still, stored on a hard drive, a database, or a cloud storage bucket.

How does Encryption protect Data at Rest?

It scrambles the files saved on the physical hardware.

Give an example of a scenario of how Data at Rest is protected through encryption?

If a thief breaks into a data centre and steals a physical hard drive, or if a hacker gains unauthorised access to a server's file system, they will only see "Ciphertext" (random gibberish).

What is the benefit of Encryption for Data at Rest?

Without the digital encryption key, the stolen data is completely useless to the attacker. It protects the application from physical theft and "offline" attacks.

What is Data in Transit?

Data that is moving—travelling across the internet from your phone to the app's server, or between two different servers.

How is Data in Transit protected by Encryption?

It uses a protocol called TLS (Transport Layer Security) to create an encrypted "tunnel" around the data as it travels.

This is the "HTTPS" and the padlock icon you see in your browser.

Give a scenario of how Encryption protects Data in Transit.

If you are using an app on public Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, a hacker might try a "Man-in-the-Middle" attack to "sniff" the airwaves and see your password or credit card number.

What is the benefit of Encryption for Data in Transit?

Because the data is encrypted before it leaves your device, the hacker only sees the scrambled tunnel, not the private information inside it.