Encryption: The Unseen Shield Protecting Our Digital Lives
At Unplugged, we are big proponents of encryption. One of the most important lessons is that encryption is your friend. When it comes to digital communications, it is the only way to provide both security and privacy.
Encryption is the process of converting readable data, known as plaintext, into an unreadable format or ciphertext. The process uses a mathematical algorithm and a secret key to unlock the encoded information. When used properly, only the intended recipient or owner of the information with the correct decryption key can access the original information.
Most people don’t realize how prevalent the use of encryption is in modern life. Some common use cases include:
Secure Online Browsing: Encryption is used in protocols like HTTPS to secure data transmitted between web browsers and servers. This protects passwords, credit card details and other personal data submitted to web services.
At Unplugged, we partner with Brave Browser, and it is the default on the UP Phone. Unlike Google Chrome, Microsoft’s Edge Browser, or even Apple’s Safari which is partnered with Google for ads and data collection, Unplugged and Brave do not track you around the web or monitor your online behaviors to build a profile of you. Brave built a direct revenue model around subscriptions and privacy-respecting advertising. It works without tracking users by using on-device targeting based solely on the current search query and optional, user-approved interests. The system is fully opt-in, and ads are not personalized using browsing history, location, or personal data. Ad requests are routed anonymously through Brave’s servers with no persistent identifiers.
Browse with confidence. Browse with Brave.
Email Security: Services like Gmail and Yahoo Mail do not offer end-to-end encryption to regular users. They use TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption by default which provides encryption while the message is in transit, but not while they are on servers. Their incentive and business model is to keep their own access to your email wide open, so that they can watch you, deliver ads and build systems to program your thinking.
Encryption can be applied to emails to ensure that only the intended recipient can read the content, protecting against eavesdropping and unauthorized access. There is a whole host of privacy-respecting email services that offer more comprehensive encryption and security than the big surveillance capitalism products. Privacy Radar put together an extensive list of secure email providers to help you research and choose. These alternatives include features like: zero-access encryption, open-source code, full mailbox encryption, encrypted metadata and disposable email addresses. The truth of the matter is you can choose an email product that is secure and private.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): VPNs use encryption to create secure tunnels over the internet. This allows users to securely access corporate networks, and to use publi WiFi at places like airports and coffee shops and protect their online activities from prying eyes. UP Phone has a built-in VPN with dozens of available server locations which you can configure to be “on” by default and they run in the background at the operating system level.
Messaging Applications: Many messaging apps, such as Signal, Threema, UP Messenger and even WhatsApp, use end-to-end encryption to ensure that only the sender and recipient can read the messages, protecting against interception by third parties. UP Phone will run most third-party messaging apps and offers a large selection of options in the App Center, where they will be automatically updated by the various app developers.
Financial Transactions: Banks and financial institutions use encryption to secure online banking, mobile banking, and payment systems, protecting customers' financial information. Most consumer banking apps are available for the UP Phone, and our Firewall blocks the third-party data harvesting for which many of these apps are known.
Cryptocurrencies: It’s in the name. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, or even privacy-focused versions like Zcash, rely fundamentally on encryption to operate securely and outside of financial institutions. The term "crypto" in cryptocurrency refers directly to the cryptographic techniques that secure transactions. Cryptography ensures that: only the rightful owner can spend their funds; transactions cannot be altered once confirmed; new digital tokens ("coins") are issued in a predictable and secure manner. Unlike traditional financial systems that depend on centralized authorities such as banks, cryptocurrencies use cryptography to enable trustless, peer-to-peer transactions—meaning users can transact directly without intermediaries.
Healthcare Data: Encryption is used to protect electronic health records (EHRs) and ensure that patient information remains confidential and secure. Still, there is room for huge improvement and decentralization in this sector. Despite the intended robust nature of encryption, there have been significant data breaches in the healthcare sector. These leaks stem from vulnerabilities in the systems implementing encryption, such as weak key management, outdated encryption protocols, or human error. For instance, the 2015 Anthem data breach exposed nearly 80 million health records due to a cyberattack that exploited a vulnerability in their network. There have been dozens of significant data breaches. Consumers/patients will need to become more familiar with managing and protecting their most important data.
Government and Military Communications: Encryption is crucial for securing classified information and communications within government and military organizations, and protecting national security. Our team has significant background in military service and private military contracting. We use the product ourselves to protect our own privacy. We have customers who rely on UP Phone in mission critical situations and scenarios where personal safety is paramount. These customers need a device that can go dark, provide lock-tight data security, and keep a very small digital footprint while in operation. Our customers need a smartphone that can even be wiped if it is at risk of confiscation or falling into adversarial hands. UP Phone checks all of these boxes.
UP Photos for fully private photo storage
There is a wide and growing range of applications where encryption is critical. Developing a deeper understanding of these systems is valuable to protect your information, your money and the security of your personal and professional data.