You’ve probably heard of bring your own device (BYOD), but have you heard of bring your own encryption (BYOE)? As cloud computing services have become more popular, so has BYOE. More and more businesses are leveraging BYOE to safeguard their sensitive data. To learn more about BYOE and how it works, keep reading.
What Is BYOE?
Also known as bring your own key (BYOK), BOYE is a cloud computing service option in which the provider allows its customers to bring and use their own encryption keys. Customers don’t have to use the provider’s encryption keys. Rather, they can use their own encryption keys. Cloud computing providers offer BYOE as an alternative option — and many businesses prefer this option over using the provider’s encryption keys.
How BYOE Works
With BYOE, cloud computing providers give customers the option of bringing and using their own encryption keys. Cloud computing, of course, is commonly used for data storage purposes. You can store data on the provider’s server rather than an on-premise server operated by your business. Cloud computing offers remote data storage such as this. If you’re going to store sensitive data on a remote server, though, you’ll want to make sure it’s encrypted
Encryption will protect stored data from unauthorized access. The encrypted data will be scrambled. To unscramble it, you’ll need a key. Cloud service providers can typically encrypt and decrypt their customers’ data using their own encryption keys. In recent years, however, many cloud computing providers have begun to offer BYOE.
Choosing a cloud service with BYOE means that you can bring and use your own encryption keys. You won’t have to use the provider’s encryption keys. When accessing your cloud computing account, you can specify your own encryption keys. The end result is a higher level of security for your stored data.
Benefits of Using BYOE
The main benefit of using BYOE is greater data security. Some people assume that encrypted data is completely immune to cyber threats, but this isn’t true. Encrypted data is only as secure as the corresponding keys. If the keys are compromised, the data will become compromised as well.
Rather than crossing your fingers and hoping the provider’s encryption keys aren’t compromised, you can take matters into your own hands by using BYOE. BYOE means you can use your own encryption keys. Even if the provider’s encryption keys are compromised, it won’t affect the security of your stored data