Both the U.S. government and businesses regularly share sensitive documents via password-protected zip files. According to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, this is not a secure method.
The senator even calls it a potential national security problem. He calls for an advisory from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on how to share sensitive data securely.
"Many people mistakenly believe that password-protected zip files can protect sensitive data," states Senator Wyden. He adds that many password-protected zip files are easy to crack via hacking tools. "This is because many programs that create zip files use weak encryption algorithms by default. Although secure methods are freely available to protect and share data, many people do not know which software to use."
Given the threat of cyberattacks by foreign powers and large-scale data breaches, this is a "potentially catastrophic national security problem" that must be solved, Wyden said. The senator makes the case for easy-to-understand advice for exchanging sensitive information online. For this, he cites the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Also, he believes federal government personnel should have the proper tools for this and receive training.
This news item can also be found in the Information Security file
