What are the best ways to secure sensitive data during transmission?

1 Encrypt your data

Encryption is the process of transforming data into a code that only authorized parties can decipher. Encryption can protect your data from being intercepted, modified, or stolen by hackers, cybercriminals, or malicious insiders. You can encrypt your data in different ways, such as using a password, a digital certificate, a key, or a software tool. For example, you can use encryption software like BitLocker or VeraCrypt to encrypt your hard drive, USB drive, or cloud storage. You can also use encryption tools like GPG or ProtonMail to encrypt your emails and attachments.

2 Use secure channels

Another way to secure your data during transmission is to use secure channels that provide encryption, authentication, and integrity. Secure channels are methods of communication that ensure that only the intended recipients can access and verify the data. For example, you can use secure channels like HTTPS, SSL, TLS, VPN, or SFTP to send or receive data over the internet. These protocols encrypt the data in transit and prevent hackers from eavesdropping, spoofing, or hijacking the connection.

3 Compress and delete your data

Compressing and deleting your data can also help you reduce the risk of data leakage, loss, or exposure. Compressing your data means reducing its size and making it easier to transmit and store. You can compress your data using tools like WinZip, 7-Zip, or PeaZip. Compressing your data can also make it harder for hackers to access or analyze it. Deleting your data means removing it from your device or storage after you have transmitted or used it. You can delete your data using tools like Eraser, CCleaner, or BleachBit. Deleting your data can prevent it from being recovered or stolen by unauthorized parties.

4 Follow policies and guidelines

Finally, you should follow the policies and guidelines that apply to your organization and industry when handling and transmitting sensitive data. Policies and guidelines are rules and standards that define how to protect and manage data. For example, you should follow the policies and guidelines related to data classification, retention, disposal, access, sharing, and reporting. You should also comply with the laws and regulations that govern data protection, such as the GDPR, the HIPAA, or the PCI DSS. Following policies and guidelines can help you avoid legal, ethical, or reputational consequences.