The Greenview Data Source An open discussion of email, encryption, security, & the web.

The Future of Encryption

The hot topic nowadays is privacy, specifically in reference to personal information and disclosure. It's become relevant for both businesses and individuals, but the situation is increasingly hairy as we push social networks and cloud services to be more and more prevalent. Can the need for secure information and the desire for publicly shared information peacefully coexist?

Currently, state governments such as those of Massachusetts and Nevada have pushed through strong regulations on email encryption and data breach notifications, and in all likelihood similar legislation will soon be passed at the federal level. At Greenview Data, we offer a hosted email encryption solution that meets these new HIPAA/HITECH & state regulations, but this is only one data security endpoint that businesses need to address. The recent case of some hospital employees losing their jobs for sharing patient information on facebook is just one example.

Which brings us to the personal side of the issue. There has been no shortage of discussion on problems with individual privacy in the midst of the explosive growth of social networks the past few years. It seems that facebook can't go a month without being in the news over privacy issues, and plenty of other sites have had their share of information leaks. Yet these social networks only continue to grow in popularity.

Yes, despite data privacy and security issues being thrust into the limelight, it's hard to see progress, especially when the government itself can't keep data properly secured but wants to increase their monitoring and control of the internet. But the seeds are there. I think the move to cloud computing will actually be a boon to increased security (I'll write a followup article on that soon). Even if there isn't yet widespread public understanding of the problems underlying information security, there is awareness now. We've reached a point where people recognize the need and benefits of data security, but there's an educational gap that must be bridged. At the same time, a balance needs to be found with respect to the openness and sharing fostered on sites like facebook and twitter.

I think data encryption will be a big part of the equation. It needs to become the default mode of operation, not the exception. We'll need cooperation from the big players on the web offering hosted services (Google took a step in the right direction recently with their encrypted search). And we'll need a better informed and educated public. But it isn't hard to imagine a near-future where all of our online interactions are through encrypted channels; where every email sent is encrypted as well as every file containing sensitive data; where the data posted on social networks that should only be seen by friends can only be seen by friends. Then all we'll have to do to enjoy a secure and social web is stop writing down our passwords on sticky notes.

About Dylan

Dylan is the long-tenured GVDS Curator of Historical Records & Manuscripts