Data security and key management

Data security issue involves enterprise vital interests; developing data security technology is an urgent demand currently. Data security is not just an issue of data encryption, it refers to many aspects of contents, such as: hacking technology, firewall technology, intrusion detection technology, virus defense technology, information hiding technology. A comprehensive data protection system should integrate security technologies mentioned above in accordance with detailed requirements. Meanwhile, it’s necessary to enhance the whole company’s awareness of network security, improve the capability of overall defense against network intrusion and attacks, and form a high-quality network security management team on these bases.

Information security includes two aspects: information confidentiality and information authentication. Information confidentiality aims at preventing competitors deciphering confidential information in system; authentication is for verifying whether information sender is genuine but not fake, and confirming the integrity of information, namely, whether the information has been tampered, reproduced or delayed during transmission. Information confidentiality and information authentication are two different aspects; authentication can’t automatically provides confidentiality, while confidentiality doesn’t offer authentication feature. In modern information system with password technology, the security is subject to key protection, rather than relying on algorithm or protection on hardware itself. Therefore, password protection and management is very important in data security.

Key is the changeable part of encryption algorithm. In information adopting encryption technology, the data security is mainly up to key protection but not the protection on algorithm and hardware. Once the key is missing or wrong, the authorized users can’t extract information, and even it will make illegal users steal information. Therefore, key management is essential.

The Internet allows data and information to be transmitted among users, while it puts them in dangers and threats. How to protect confidential files has been a heat topic for all computer users. To prevent data and information from being tampered, stolen or illegally accessed, it’s necessary to encrypt them in the process of transmission.