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Encryption

Encryption technologies can be used to protect confidential data from unauthorized access and during transmission. Mathematical processes are used to convert the data in such a way that it can only be restored to its original form with the corresponding digital key.

Unencrypted data can be viewed by anyone who can either see the transmission path or access the storage medium. This means that sensitive information can be lost, stolen, or manipulated without anyone noticing.

When does encryption make sense?

Not all data contains sensitive information. The need to protect information or data depends on its type and content. The need for protection can vary from low to very high. The following overview lists examples of data with different protection requirements:

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen No protection required

  Non-personal data from publicly accessible sources

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen Normal protection required

  Regulations of faculties and institutions

  Contracts with university partners for which no confidentiality has been agreed

  Personal data such as work telephone numbers and email addresses of employees or students, but no special categories of personal data pursuant to Art. 9 GDPR

  Work-related (non-scientific) data (e.g., from administration and teaching) 

  Unpublished scientific data (e.g., measurement series, research results, etc.) 

  Budget data

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen High protection requirements

  Scientific and contractual data for which confidentiality has been agreed upon

  Student files

  Personnel files 

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen Very high protection requirements

  Special categories of personal data pursuant to Art. 9 GDPR (e.g., biometric data, health data, ethnic origin) 

Data requiring a high or very high level of protection should be encrypted for permanent storage or transport.

To ensure that the data to be protected remains accessible and usable for all intended persons, you should discuss the use of encryption in a work context with your supervisor and all other users.

How can I encrypt my data?

You can use applications such as Cryptomator, VeraCrypt, and 7-Zip for encryption. Cryptomator is particularly suitable for encryption in cloud storage, such as next.hessenbox, and is also available in the opsi Kiosk (DE). On devices that are not managed by opsi, the software can be downloaded directly from the official website.

As a university cloud storage solution, next.hessenbox offers a good basis for collaborative work by allowing folders to be shared with other users. However, it may be necessary to share data that requires a higher level of protection and should therefore be encrypted. We provide instructions for this purpose:

• Instructions: Encrypt data in the next.hessenbox with Cryptomator

What do I need to bear in mind when encrypting data?

Encryption protects your data with a password. If you forget the password, you may lose access to your data permanently. Your password is like a key to a safe, and there is only one of them. As a backup, the Cryptomator and VeraCrypt software offers the option of changing the password for accessing the encrypted data using a recovery key. However, if you lose both the password and the recovery key, your data will be lost forever.

There are two proven measures you can take to prevent this risk:

1. Backup: Make regular backup copies of your data and store them in a secure location. Remember that backups are subject to the same security requirements as the original data.
2. Password manager: Use a password manager such as KeePassXC to store your passwords securely. Please note: If you lose or forget your master password, all stored access data will be irretrievably lost.

Even though the risk of data loss can be daunting, it is still very important to handle sensitive data securely. By using encryption technologies correctly, you can greatly reduce the risk of data falling into unauthorized hands or being altered without your knowledge. Always be aware of the protection requirements for your data.

Even when using encryption technologies, critical situations can arise, for example, if a password falls into the wrong hands, an unencrypted file is sent, or an unsecured device is lost. In such a situation, it is important to take immediate action to minimize the damage: 

This text was translated with the help of machine translation software.