Protecting Data with Encryption

How to Protect Data With Encrytption 

Brute Force Break: Performs a trial decryption on the encryption for every possible key. This technique is slow and takes extreme amounts of time. In addition, the bit of the key directly effects the time required to crack.
Cryptographic Break: Is anything faster than brute force, and usually works from understanding how the encryption is encoded, then working backwards from the key but requires advanced math and software coding skills.

• Encryptions Algorithms

How the encryptions works changes dramatically depending on the algorithms of the encryption. It is important to note the variety of encryption algorithms. They have been developed individually for a reason and each algorithm of encryptions has its own time and place.  It is also important to understand that by encryption algorithm, I am not referring to the bit of key.
AES (128,192,256 bit), Advanced Encryption Standard: An encryption algorithm developed to be fast and secure. There are no publicly known high potency cryptographic cracks so any attack would take an inconceivable amount of time, even an encryption at the lowest bit on today’s average pc.
RSA’s Algorithm (Infinitely large bit): The Algorithm used to encrypt data on websites using SSL. RSA algorithm requires high CPU usage to generate keys because generating random number is hard for a computer. The higher the encryption the more powerful machine is required and therefore more money is required. Modern SSL uses low bit encryption keys (128) and changes them often to save on CPU usage. Many cryptographic theories that threaten the security of the RSA’s Algorithm are too hard to perform on higher bit encryption larger than 32 bit on modern computers.
Extensions (e.g. Serpent and Twofish): Are simple algorithms that encrypt the key once more for an extra layer of security most commonly on AES. Whether or not this indeed increases the security is really a matter of opinion because, there are still the same amount of possible keys and the extensions algorithms are easily cryptographically broke.

• How Do You Protect Your Data with Encryption?

The easiest way to encrypt your files is to use free open source software called True Crypt. After Installing, true crypt a creation wizard will start up. True Crypt creates a virtual drive on your machine that is encrypted and any file you place/store therefore becomes encrypted. I would also like to note the True Crypt uses AES and extensions which for is purpose is the right choice for obvious reasons.

• Why Does This Not protect you From Hackers?

If a hacker had control of your computer, he/she would have control over true crypt and even if you kept your descriptor off machine as soon as you decrypt any file the key would be known by the hacker. The main use for creating an encrypt drive is to store information and keep it safe if you device was stolen.