What is Storage Encryption?
Storage encryption is the use of encryption for data both in transit and on storage media. Data is encrypted while it passes to storage devices, such as individual hard disks, tape drives, or the libraries and arrays that contain them. Using storage level encryption along with database and file encryption goes a long way toward offsetting the risk of losing your data. Like network encryption, storage encryption is a relatively blunt instrument, typically protecting all the data on each tape or disk regardless of the type or sensitivity of the data.
Storage encryption is a good way to ensure your data is safe, if it is lost. However, it is considered to be more secure to encrypt data in databases at the level of individual files, volumes, or columns. This may even be required for compliance, if data is shared with other users or is subject to specific audit requirements.
Related Articles
Secure your data at rest, comply with regulatory and industry standards and protect your organization’s reputation. Learn how Thales can help:
- Data at Rest Encryption
- CipherTrust Data Security Platform
- CipherTrust Transparent Encryption -- White Paper
- CipherTrust Transparent Encryption -- Product Brief
- Selecting the Right Encryption Approach
- The Key Pillars for Protecting Sensitive Data -- White Paper
- The Enterprise Encryption Blueprint -- White Paper
- Encrypt Everything -- eBook