BitLocker- Best encryption method for securing spreadsheet
Bitlocker has been designed by Microsoft and as a security specialist, it has been understood that data protection can be ensured using this efficient method. It is comparatively easier to implement and manageable by any user. It can be easily managed by any system admin. The full-disk encryption method of Microsoft is one of its useful features (Lewis & Palumbo, 2018). Since, the human resource manager stores sensitive information on a spreadsheet, it is vital to ensure the usage of a system that can effectively prevent unauthorized access. Without the decryption key, it is not possible to get access to the spreadsheet. Moreover, the account credentials of the user are impossible to know.
Today, incidents related to data breaches are common and it creates the need for an effective type of encryption like Bitlocker. Moreover, Bitlocker is easily available in Windows Vista and other similar platforms (Ray & Schultz, 2007). This data encryption technique protects data after scrambling the information using an encryption key. It can be implemented by system administrators in an enterprise. It will also ensure protection from data breaches, exfiltration and theft. It would be possible to encrypt backups using BitLocker. It is one of the rising digital trends and protecting Excel documents is no longer an issue. However, BitLocker can be used only after password-protecting the majority of important files. It is an extra layer and therefore ensures security of the file. This built-in utility is also available in a free version. Moreover, it is available with a range of customization options so that needs of multiple data types can be met. For instance, the VeraCrypt and the Crypto Expert 8 are common types of Bitlocker. Hence, people will not be able to make changes in a workbook without having the password.
References
Lewis, S. G., & Palumbo, T. (2018, September). BitLocker Full-Disk Encryption: Four Years Later. In Proceedings of the 2018 ACM SIGUCCS Annual Conference (pp. 147-150).
Ray, E., & Schultz, E. E. (2007). An early look at Windows Vista security. Computer Fraud & Security, 2007(1), 4-7.