A prevalent fear amongst computer users these days is the breach of their personal information, particularly the danger of it falling into the hands of the wrong people. With the potential risk of identity fraud and other security issues, it is crucial for all businesses and individuals alike to ensure their digital information, particularly that which is stored on centralized systems, is protected in a safe and secure manner.

The most effective way to provide piece of mind is through digital encryption – a process that scrambles data and ensures access only to those with specific authority. It employs such measures as security optimised passwords, preventing data thieves from acquiring potentially valuable data.

Software encryption has taken time to enter the market as one of the more viable and secure IT solutions to breaches in data. In the past, it has suffered from complex management systems, a reduced level of interoperability, general lack of performance and, maybe most significantly, a much higher cost.

More recently, however, technological advancements have allowed encryption developers to set about fixing these issues and resolving the problems that were once associated with software encryption. The technology is now more affordable for smaller businesses, user friendly and far more efficient and reliable than past instances – and it couldn’t come at a better time. Security failures and high profile hacking cases are often taking place within the public sector, meaning the demand for data protection and encryption is higher than ever.

One major change to data encryption is the development of ‘evolving’ technology that operates underneath a computer’s operating system.  This approach uses hardware encryption drives, fitted as a component in a new system or installed to act retroactively within an older system. This results in a minimum reduction of system performance as the hardware encryption runs under the application level, far superior when compared to encryption software. Once the hardware is fitted, all data is automatically encrypted without the need for license agreements or maintenance and programme updates.

Additionally, hardware encryption methods do not rely on the operating system for the creation and storage of security passwords, as they are stored within the hard drive itself. This consequently reduces the complexities associated with password management and creates a more advanced and safe security option.

In terms of cost, hardware encryption solutions are a less expensive investment in the long run than its software counterpart. After the initial installation, there are no hidden costs that you would expect from some brands of management software, such as annual license fees, tech support, updates, staff training and even server infrastructure changes that may need implementing to accommodate the software. This makes it a far more viable option for smaller businesses.

With this is mind, encryption hardware is certainly one of the more secure investments into data encryption.