Is your device encryption switched on?

Posted 16th May 2023

The move to home and remote working has raised several cyber security issues for businesses, but one that is often overlooked is file encryption. Traditionally, company work would be done on PCs and workstations within an office environment, but remote working has encouraged workers to switch over to laptops. It makes sense; they’re portable and easy to use. However, what happens if a laptop is lost or stolen?

For some businesses, the cost of replacing a laptop could be a minor irritation; for others, it could be a major expense. Then there is the disruption of getting the device configured and set up. But, in the background is a larger danger. What happens when someone gains unfettered access to company files and documents.

“Ah, but all our laptops have passwords”, you reply. Well, yes, there is that, and that is a good first step at keeping documents secure. However, a thief doesn’t need to actually log on to a device to be able to gain access to the files it contains. It doesn’t take much IT knowledge to remove a storage disk from a laptop and browse its contents.

There is, however, a solution to all of these scenarios, which can keep all your files and documents safe and protected should a laptop be lost or stolen, and that is to encrypt the whole device. Encryption works in the same way as secret codes. When something is encrypted, it is scrambled, so the only person who can access it is the one with the encryption key.

One way to protect this data from loss/theft is to encrypt the data; you can encrypt entire devices or individual USB devices. Centrally deploying and managing the process we can ensure devices have this feature enabled. Basically, once it’s set up, it’s there and only the person with the recovery key can make any unauthorised changes to your system or access files. This allows you to carry on working with the secure knowledge that cybercriminals will find it even harder to access your system.

LP Networks always recommend that any devices that are used for business purposes be encrypted. If you would like to check that your device or additional storage devices have encryption running, please get in touch, and our team will advise you.

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Business Cyber Risk Scorecard

Long gone are the days of having an Anti-virus software on your device and thinking thats you covered, its now a fast moving and evolving landscape that needs constant awareness on whats happening, a multi-layered approach to protecting the business networks and data, and expert advice.