Securing Communication

These days, messaging apps like WhatsApp are widely in use. But how do you know whether the information you send is safe? One type of protection is end-to-end encryption. So, how does it work?

End-to-end encryption is like sending a secret message that only you and the person you're chatting with can read. When you send a message, it gets scrambled into a code on your device. Then, it travels in this unreadable form until it reaches the person you're communicating with. Their device is the only one that has the key to unlock the code and turn it back into a readable message. So, even if someone accesses the information you send, they can't read it because they don't have the key. It’s a secure way of ensuring that only you and the person you're talking to can read your conversation.

What does that mean for you? You can choose apps and platforms that offer end-to-end encryption. And when you’ve chosen them, check the settings to make sure that the encryption is enabled.

Do you use Google Drive or Dropbox for storing your files? Do you know who can access your files? Are you going to check right now :) Good!

These cloud services have become popular, and for good reason. Everything is backed up – no more worrying about losing your files when your computer crashes. And sharing with friends and family has never been easier.

But these cloud services bring their own cybersecurity risks. You can use them, but there are a few steps you can take to keep your data as secure as possible:

• Use strong passwords (discussed in more detail in the next section).
• Don’t share things with ‘public’ visibility.
• Use well-known, reputable services.
• Review and manage who has access to your files.
• Think carefully before you share anything that you don’t want others to see.

You have heard the phrase, ‘If it’s free, you are the product.’ To use free public cloud services, you must often agree to the providers analyzing your data and using it to create a profile about you. Google evaluates every search query and every translation in Google Translate. Apple and Amazon analyze all Siri and Alexa voice commands. Facebook analyzes your posts and photos. They all try to create a profile of you that is as accurate as possible, because this data is worth a lot to advertisers.

So, what can you do? Well, you can use these cloud services when you need to and it’s no harm to check the terms and conditions from time to time.

Now that your mobile devices are secure and your cloud data protected, let’s talk about passwords.