Subscribe to our blog to stay up-to-date.
A Brief Look at BYOK
Wed May 24, 2023 | Base Technologies
The cloud. Just a few short years ago we were all saying, "The what?" Now many businesses can't imagine day-to-day operations without it, especially when it comes to document solutions.
Even so, many companies cite security as their top reason for holding back. For this reason, some organizations are hoping to add another layer of security by encrypting their own data. They're also implementing something called BYOK, or Bring Your Own Key, which entails local ownership and control of the data encryption key. Here we'll take a brief look at the BYOK idea.
Encryption Keys Explained
Very simply put, a key is required to gain access to encrypted data. This key, or password, is the only way to decrypt or translate, encrypted data. Encrypted data, or cipher text is different from plain text, in that data cannot be translated without the encryption key.
Needless to say, when a hacker comes into possession of encryption keys, the game is up. Hackers can gain hold of encryption keys by hacking into a cloud database. Some companies have decided to try BYOE, or Bring Your Own Encryption, in an effort to protect data they've stored in the cloud. The next logical step is BYOK.
The Pros
When customers hold and manage encryption keys, the service provider has no knowledge of the passwords required in order to gain access to data stored on the cloud. If the provider's off-site location were to be breached, the hacker would not have access to the encryption keys, rendering the data useless.
The Cons
With local control comes more responsibility. If an organization were to lose encryption keys, the service provider would be completely unable to provide access, resulting in a catastrophic data loss.
For secure document solutions you can trust, contact us at BASE Technologies today! We have the answers you need.