Google Cloud Storage Will Automatically Encrypt Data

With all the fuss and anxiety going around regarding the NSA’s PRISM project, we’re sure there are many companies and individuals out there who might be a little concerned about their data and whether it truly is safe and secure from prying eyes. Of course one could argue that if you don’t have anything to hide, it shouldn’t matter, right? Then again we suppose it is the principle of the matter, and it looks like Google will be one of the companies taking steps to assuage our fears.

The company has announced that for their Google Cloud Storage service, which is a service used by companies such as Ubisoft, Rovio, and Best Buy, data uploaded will be automatically encrypted before it is written to disk.

Google will be utilizing the 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard, and according to Google, the keys required to decrypt the data are managed using the same data Google uses for its data. This move is in response to companies and organizations who might have gotten worried about their privacy with the government reportedly snooping around our data.

When asked how Google will respond to government requests, the company stated that they will not be providing any encryption keys to any government, but only if it is in accordance to the law, as opposed to governments who might be going about on a “fishing expedition”.

Good on Google for doing so, although their recent statement regarding privacy on Gmail seems to be in contrast to this recent move, but they could have had a change of heart, right?

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: cloud storage, Google