In the wake of the leaks that disclosed to the world that the NSA had been operating a clandestine surveillance program known as PRISM, consumers and business alike have grown more concerned about government agencies accessing their sensitive information and communications. In an era when agents are collecting massive volumes of online data from some of the world's largest digital service providers, the potential for personal or corporate information to be accessed without the owner's consent is at an all-time high. This has led many businesses and individuals to reconsider their data security solutions.

The Associated Press recently suggested several measures that could be undertaken to improve data security. Data encryption software, in particular, was given a great deal of focus because of its ability to secure information both at rest and in transit. The latter condition is very important, as many encryption efforts only cover files that are stored on a disk, failing to provide adequate protection for information sent over a network such as emails or credit card payment information. Considering that the PRISM program specialized in grabbing communications while they were traveling across the U.S.'s network infrastructure, it is imperative that both consumers and businesses have a solution in place to prevent anyone from accessing sensitive data while it is being sent.

PRISM whistleblower Edward Snowden confirmed that data encryption software presented one of the most powerful cybersecurity defenses available. Responding to questions from readers of the Guardian, the NSA contractor touched upon the performance and level of security provided by encryption protocols.

"Encryption works," Snowden wrote. "Properly implemented strong crypto systems are one of the few things that you can rely on."

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File Compression + Security

To establish a robust defense against data theft - either at the hands of cybercriminals or overreaching government agents - system administrators should deploy a comprehensive data encryption software suite. For the widest coverage available, these tools should provide continuous protection for data regardless of what state it is in.