Encryption and the protection of sensitive information

At the heart of protecting sensitive information lies encryption: the mathematics that renders data unreadable to anyone without the right key. For organisations handling sensitive or classified information, it is the essential safeguard that keeps communications and data confidential even if they are intercepted or stolen.

What encryption protects

• Communications in transit, so interception yields nothing usable
• Stored data, so a stolen device or drive is not a breach
• The integrity of information, so tampering can be detected
• Identity, so parties can trust who they are dealing with

Strength is in the whole system

Encryption is only as strong as how it is implemented and how keys are managed. The algorithm is rarely the weak point; poor key handling, weak implementation or process failures are. Protecting information therefore means getting the whole system right, not just choosing a cipher.

Governed and compliant

For sensitive and government use, encryption is deployed within the applicable standards, approvals and governance. It is a safeguard applied correctly and lawfully, as part of a wider information-security discipline.