Encryption at Rest is the practice of encrypting stored data so it remains unreadable without the decryption key, even if the storage medium is compromised.
Encryption at Rest
Encryption at Rest is the practice of encrypting stored data so it remains unreadable without the decryption key, even if the storage medium is compromised.
Why It Matters
Data at rest is vulnerable to physical theft, insider threats, and backup exposure. SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR all require or strongly recommend encryption at rest. The IBM 2024 report found that encryption reduces the average cost of a breach by $232,000.
How It Works
Data is encrypted before being written to storage (database, file system, backup) using a symmetric encryption algorithm. The encryption key is stored separately from the data, often in a hardware security module (HSM) or key management service.
Best Practices
- Encrypt at the application layer, not just the disk layer
- Store encryption keys separately from encrypted data
- Use AES-256-GCM or equivalent AEAD cipher
- Rotate encryption keys periodically
Common Mistakes
- Relying solely on disk-level encryption (doesn't protect against application-level access)
- Storing encryption keys in the same database as the encrypted data
- Encrypting data but logging it in plaintext
How ShieldKey Helps
ShieldKey encrypts all API keys at rest using AES-256-GCM with application-layer encryption. Keys are only decrypted in-memory during the brief moment of request proxying.
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What is encryption at rest?
Encryption at rest means stored data is encrypted on disk. Even if someone gains access to the storage, they can't read the data without the decryption key.