Smartwatch Data Encryption How it Works and Why it s Important
What is Data Encryption and Why Is It Important?
There is no better security protocol than data encryption in todays day and age.
Used in a plethora of security solutions, data encryption prevents unauthorized users from accessing your precious data. Whether you send data over network wiring or look at it on your disk at home, data encryption ensures that your files stay safe and locked.
Over the last few years, Facebook was caught red-handed with passwords from its users that were compromised. It was not just a few passwords either; there were millions upon millions stored that many people had access to. Facebook employees had uncontrolled access to user data, and some took advantage. You certainly can see why data encryption standards should be set in order to prevent data from being accessed by those who shouldnt have access.
What Is Data Encryption?
People around the globe have varying perspectives when it comes to the word encryption. Some are turned off by the word because it has long been used to describe hijackers who extort money from innocent bystanders. But, in the 21st Century, there are certainly advantages to data encryption.
When data encryption works for the good of a business, data can be protected and secured. Encryption is a technology that conceals data using complex algorithms. Users who are protecting their data through encryption will receive a cipher key. This is a specialized key to unlock the data, so the material is readable again. Of course, only you and authorized parties should have access to this key, otherwise, it will defeat the purpose of encryption.
If you encrypt your data, youll be less concerned about privacy. Encryption will keep unwanted users from accessing your sensitive information.
Now that you see the need for data encryption, lets go into more detail about why data encryption is important.
The Importance of Data Encryption
The importance of encryption cannot be understated in the slightest because even the biggest corporations with the largest cybersecurity budgets fall victim to data breaches. That being said, even if your data is in a secure infrastructure, there is still a chance that your data could be compromised. With data encryption, however, your files can be that much more impenetrable even if they were stolen.
So, how would this play out in the real world? Lets say that there is a user of a companys data who sent some confidential files via email, which is generally not encrypted in any way. This information is put at risk because hackers can potentially intercept these emails and gain access to confidential data.
On the other hand, if the user uses an encrypted file sharing solution like TitanFile instead, even if the information was intercepted and stolen, the cyber attacker wouldnt be able to access the information because it would be in an unreadable format. Only those with the encryption key would be able to successfully decrypt the information and access it.
Types of Data Encryption
When it comes to the types of data encryption, you can find encryption that is in-transit based, as well as data encryption at rest.
Encryption at rest
Encryption at rest refers to a type of encryption for data when it is being stored or at rest in a device or system, such as a hard disk, database, or cloud storage. This encryption technique guarantees that the data is secure from theft and unauthorized access, even if the system or device is physically compromised or lost.
Encryption in transit
Data encryption in transit is the process of encrypting data while it is being transported over a network between two devices or systems. The data is safeguarded against theft and unauthorized access using this encryption technique while it is being transported.
For the best results, you want to make sure you have both at-rest and in-transit data encryption. If you only have encryption on your disk, but not the network, things can start to go awry. A hacker would be able to hang out in the network traffic to help them gain access to your disk. In turn, your data would certainly be in hot water. This is why having the whole range covered will give you peace of mind, as it pertains to data encryption.
What Data Should be Encrypted?
There are several categories of data that should be encrypted. These categories include but are not limited to:
- credit card numbers
- passwords
- social security numbers
- phone numbers
- addresses
- bank accounts
- patient health information
- and other information thats deemed confidential
Ultimately, if you and the business you are a part of do not have the correct data encryption protecting information, this will lead to some very problematic instances. Whether you have a data leak or sensitive material gets out, you and the business may be damaged in more ways than one. Think of economic disasters, brand disasters, and lack of customer faith.
Another place that should be encrypted is anything that you back up. If you own an external hard drive that you plug into your computer, it is crucial that data encryption for both at-rest and in-transit cover your bases as well.
This is often overlooked because people do not use their backup files all that much. But, remember that it only takes one time for a hacker to get their hands in the cookie jar. Then, all your prized information will be out there for the taking. There will probably be nothing you can do about it either.
How to Secure Data in Transit and Data at Rest
Having data encryption is essential for any business, whether they are large or small. But how do you secure your data transit and at rest? You can use a data encryption tool such as TitanFile.
TitanFile is rated the #1 most secure file-sharing platform. When you share files using this solution, files will be automatically encrypted in transit and at rest, giving you and your recipients peace of mind.
In addition, TitanFile is as easy to use as email and wont require you to be very tech-savvy at all.
Get a free trial today.
21 Reasons Why You Need (& Why You Should Use) a Smartwatch
We always discuss different smartwatches, their advantages, and new technologies in the smartwatch industry. Many people are adapting this gadget and using it daily for different purposes. But, there is still a side of people who think differently about smartwatches and dont think of getting one for themselves. Therefore, in this article, we will share the top reasons why you need and should use a smartwatch.
Also, Read | 20 Sensors Present In Smartwatch: How They Work, Pros and Cons?
Benefits Of a Smartwatch and Reasons You Need One!
There are many different uses of a smartwatch that can make your day more productive. It can also improve your health by providing alerts and data on activities like running, walking, etc. Follow up on the article to know more.
1. Notifications On the Go
A smartwatchs most useful and important feature is notifications on your wrist. You can receive all your phones notifications on the watch whenever it arrives in real-time.
You can check all the important app notifications, call notifications, and SMS alerts directly on the watch. When any notification hits your phone, it also arrives on the watch, showing the message on the screen.
2. Calling on the Wrist
You can make and receive calls directly on the watch. Most smartwatches feature Bluetooth calling, which allows you to make and receive calls through the watch over a Bluetooth connection. It is possible with the built-in speaker and microphone on the smartwatch.
There are some cellular smartwatches on which you can use a dedicated eSIM for calling and data. It is available on popular watches such as Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch. The calling feature on smartwatches ends the need for a smartphone to make and receive calls.
3. Recording Daily Steps Count
You can record your daily steps count with the help of a smartwatch. When you wear a smartwatch, it automatically starts counting the steps you walk and run throughout the day.
After recording, it shows you the steps counted on the watch and the calories burnt. This smartwatch feature uses a pedometer to count your steps and complete daily goals.
4. Activity/Workout Data Recording
A smartwatch has multiple activity/workout modes to record your specific workout data. If you are a workout enthusiast or an athlete, you should register your activity data and check how well you have done.
You can check the time of your workout, calories burnt, heart rate data, and activity score based on all these things. This feature is great for checking and improving your workout data.
5. Health tracking on the Wrist
The most useful feature of a smartwatch is health tracking. You can track your health stats, including heart rate, blood oxygen, and stress level, directly on your wrist.
The smartwatches have built-in sensors to track all the health data, which detects and shows the data to you. You can also compare your health stats daily to maintain good health. And, if you have a high or low heart rate, you can do a breathing exercise with your smartwatch.
6. Use Torch on the go
You can use a smartwatch as a torch or flashlight as well. There is an option to enable the torch that brightens the screen to the maximum level with white light. It can be helpful in emergencies. AMOLED display watches usually have a more robust and bright torch.
So, the torch feature on smartwatches helps light up the dark areas if you dont have a handheld torch or your phone with you.
7. Calculator on Your Wrist
If you need a calculator urgently, its available right on your smartwatch. Many smartwatches also have a built-in calculator for quick calculations on the go. You can use it to do complex calculations if you dont have your smartphone.
So, you dont have to carry a dedicated calculator or bring out your phone from your pocket for calculations, as it is made easy with the smartwatch.
8. Play Games On Your Watch
People generally play games on their smartphones or PCs, but now you can also play games on your smartwatch. Nowadays, smartwatches come with mini-games that you can play directly on the watch without connecting it to your phone.
You can play the games offline anytime on your wrist. If your phone does not have enough battery for gaming, you can play the mini-games available on the smartwatch. With built-in games, smartwatches have got more value.
9. Control Music and Camera
When you listen to songs on your phone, it is annoying to unlock the phone repeatedly to change songs. A smartwatch makes changing songs and adjusting your phones volume easier. You can control your phones music, including play/pause, playing the next/previous song, and adjusting the volume level from the smartwatch only.
Similarly, you can click images on your phone by tapping the smartwatch, thanks to the camera control feature on smartwatches that you can use if you are at a distance from the phone or if it is attached to a tripod to take photos.
10. Use GPS Map Navigation
You can use GPS navigation on a smartwatch directly without taking your phone. Smartwatches with Googles Wear OS or Apples WatchOS support the official maps app. You can use Google Maps or Apple Maps to use GPS navigation on the watch.
You can use GPS navigation on the smartwatch and get direction alerts on your wrist. So, this feature ends the need to take up your smartphone to check directions for your destination.
11. Use Voice Assistant on the go
Voice assistants are generally found on smartphones. There are different assistants available on smartphones, like Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri, Bixby, etc. But you can use your phones voice assistant on the smartwatch directly.
Many smartwatches have a voice assistant feature that uses your phones assistant, and you can ask any question and get a response directly on the watch instead of your phone. Apart from it, many smartwatches also have a built-in Alexa voice assistant that does not need your smartphone to answer your questions. It is directly usable, and you can also control smart devices using Alexa on your watch.
12. Get Reminders on Your Wrist
If you dont want any sound reminders on your phone or have a busy schedule for the day, then you can set up reminders on your smartwatch directly, which will vibrate when the reminder goes off.
This feature can be really helpful if you have a strict schedule for daily tasks. You can set reminders on the watch directly and do not need your phone.
13. Find Your Phone Through Watch
This is a helpful feature to find your phone if you have forgotten it somewhere around you. If your smartwatch is connected to your phone, you can easily use the find my phone feature, which will ring your smartphone if it is in the Bluetooth range.
14. Take an ECG Test
Talking about a next-level health feature that is found on smartwatches is ECG tracking. Some expensive smartwatches feature a dedicated electrical heart sensor for ECG tracking, allowing you to take an ECG test home.
This feature works well on smartwatches like Apple Watch, and you can better understand your hearts health at home. Furthermore, you can also share the ECG report with your doctor. You can check out the best smartwatches with ECG here.
15. Send Quick Replies Without a Smartphone
If you receive a call on your phone, you can send quick replies when you cannot take the call. This feature is available on smartwatches as well. You can send quick replies to incoming calls directly from the watch.
You can also set up custom replies on some smartwatches, which you can directly send without taking up your phone. Quick replies can be sent to SMS and incoming calls through a smartwatch.
16. Emergency SOS Calling
Emergency SOS calling is a very useful feature that is available on smartwatches as well. If you are in an emergency and dont have your phone or your phone has no power, then a smartwatch can help dial emergency services.
The expensive smartwatches have emergency SOS that directly connects you to emergency services when you use the feature and shares your location with them so that you can get immediate help.
17. Fall Detection and Crash Detection
Fall detection and Crash detection are lifesaving features that are now available on some expensive smartwatches. Fall detection can detect when you have had a hard fall and automatically connects you with emergency services and contacts to get immediate help.
The Crash Detection feature on the Apple Watch can detect when you have had a car crash/accident. If it detects a crash, it immediately connects to the emergency services and shares your location with them and your emergency contacts.
18. Make Payments Without Your Phone
Smartwatches have become much smarter, and you can now make payments using the watch itself. It is possible through an NFC chip which uses the tap-to-pay technology and makes payments using your saved cards.
You can use NFC-enabled smartwatches to make payments offline. You have to touch the smartwatch to the NFC machine at the store and enter your PIN, and it will make the payment instantly without using your smartphone.
19. Play Songs Without a Speaker
Smartwatches can now be used to play songs or any media without a speaker. You can connect the smartwatch to your phone and enable the media sound which transfers your smartphones audio to the watchs speaker. This feature makes your watch a mini loudspeaker that you can wear on your wrist.
Expensive smartwatches like Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch, which have Wear OS and WatchOS, support online music streaming apps that you use directly on the watch to play music. Meanwhile, some budget smartwatches connect as an audio device for calling, allowing them to route and play the phones audio.
20. Download Third-party Apps
Talking about smartwatches running on Wear OS, WatchOS, or any other special OS, these watches allow you to download third-party apps from the app store. You can download apps from Google Play Store on Wear OS and App Store on WatchOS.
Many third-party apps are available on both app stores that you can install directly from the watch and use them.
21. Smartwatch for Kids Safety
A special reason to buy a smartwatch for your kids is that you can have a real-time update on your kid. The kids smartwatches have a built-in camera for video calls and a built-in GPS for live location tracking.
You can interact with your kid anytime using the video call feature and check the live location of your kid anytime on your phone with the live GPS on the smartwatch. These features are really useful for keeping an eye on your childs safety. You can check out the best GPS-tracking smartwatches for kids here.
Wrapping Up
These were the top twenty reasons why you need a smartwatch right away. A smartwatch can do more than show notifications and time, making your lifestyle much better and more productive. Let us know your thoughts about smartwatches in the comments below, and stay tuned with WearablesToUse for more informative articles!
Related:
