Data and Filesystem Encryption ...
For a long time now, computer-related theft has been a real problem. The most likely victims of these thefts are laptops and USB sticks, which are obviously very easy to lift (and leave with). Desktop computers, Servers, and backup media are stolen less frequently. In all of these cases, much of the time, the data stored in the media is more valuable than both the computer and the media. In fact even most of the companies who provide security services are concerned mainly with securing access to data, and not the actual data itself!!!
At a basic level, file permissions and ACLs enforced by the Linux kernel can protect your files from the prying eyes of other nonroot users on your system. But what if someone compromises your login password or gains root access through one of the security exploits, or simply steals a backup tape or a hard drive or even the whole server?
Here comes the important question is how to protect valuable data, wheather it is on a Laptop, USB Stick, Desktop Computer, Server, or on a Backup Media?
The answer is there are two ways in which Arabnix can protect your data:
» Selectively encrypt files that need securing (this is given for free by reading our Linux File Encryption HOWTO).
» Encrypt the whole filesystem on which the data resides.
Arabnix highly recommends Encrypted filesystems specially when we are talking about network-accessible servers that hold sensitive business documents, databases that contain credit-card information, offline backups, and laptops. Encrypted filesystems keeps your data safe even if someone steals your media. Encrypted filesystem will encrypt all of the data written into the filesystem and decrypt it on the fly when you need to access it.
For more background information about Arabnix’s Data and Filesystem Encryption Solutions Contact Us.
