How the Encryption works under the hood ?
Encryption in applications and servers is a critical aspect of securing data both while sending the data or receiving the data. Here’s an overview of how encryption works on both sides:
Application Side Encryption
- Data Encryption:
Symmetric Encryption: The application uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. Common algorithms include AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Symmetric encryption is efficient for encrypting large amounts of data.
Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a pair of keys (public and private). The public key encrypts the data, and the private key decrypts it. RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is a well-known asymmetric algorithm. It is often used for securely exchanging symmetric keys.
2. Secure Communication:
TLS/SSL: Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), ensures secure communication between the application and the server. It encrypts data in transit using a combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption. This is crucial for protecting data from interception and tampering.
3. End-to-End Encryption:
This ensures that data is encrypted on the sender’s side and only decrypted by the intended recipient. Applications like messaging services often use end-to-end encryption to ensure privacy.
4. Encryption Libraries:
Applications typically use established encryption libraries like OpenSSL, Bouncy Castle, or platform-specific libraries to handle encryption tasks. These libraries provide reliable and tested implementations of encryption algorithms.
Server Side Encryption
- Data at Rest:
Database Encryption: Data stored in databases can be encrypted using Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) or column-level encryption. This protects data if the storage media is compromised.
File System Encryption: Servers can encrypt files stored on disk using tools like BitLocker (Windows) or dm-crypt (Linux).
2. Secure Key Management:
Key Management Services (KMS): Services like AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, or Google Cloud KMS provide secure storage and management of encryption keys. They often integrate with other cloud services to simplify encryption management.
Hardware Security Modules (HSM): Physical devices that manage and protect digital keys. They offer a higher level of security for key management operations.
3. TLS/SSL Termination:
The server often handles the decryption of incoming data over HTTPS connections. Once data is received, it may be re-encrypted before storage or further processing to maintain security.
4. Encrypted Backups:
Backups of server data are encrypted to protect against unauthorized access. This ensures that even if backup media is lost or stolen, the data remains secure.
Common Considerations
Performance: Encryption can impact the performance of both applications and servers, so choosing the right encryption scheme and optimizing implementation is essential.
Compliance: Many industries have regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA) that mandate specific encryption practices to ensure data protection.
Updating and Patching: Regular updates to encryption libraries and protocols are crucial to protect against vulnerabilities and emerging threats.
By employing these encryption techniques, applications and servers can ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data, protecting it from unauthorized access and tampering.