Cryptshare Blog

Court ruling on email: What enterprises in Germany must know now

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Communication affects all departments in everyday business: product development, human resources, sales etc. But how much should be sent by regular email or as an email attachment? Depending on their content, various regulations apply to data transfers and those must be observed. In addition, there are requirements for signing documents which determine their legal validity. In Germany, there is a lot that needs to be considered in this regard. We asked the CFO of Cryptshare, Oliver Kenk, to shed more light on this.

Into the digital age with fax?

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Digital driving licences, digital authorizations, e-prescriptions... the list of demands for Germany's digital transformation is long. Unfortunately, however, all too often aspiration collides with reality because Germany is lagging far behind in terms of digitalisation. The best example is fax as a means of communication. Fax has been out of date for a long time and does not meet today's requirements, not even those for data protection (cue GDPR). However, it is still in use so widely that in the 2021 federal election campaign a political party rubbed salt into the wound by advertising the phasing out of faxes by 2038.

GAIA-X, data protection & data control: What is viable for enterprises?

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 07:00:00 GMT

For European enterprises that had high hopes GAIA-X would bring real added value in terms of data protection and digital sovereignty, the project’s current course would likely appear to be disappointing. The last few months have shown that when it comes to ensuring GAIA-X will deliver on its claims in these key areas, there is unfortunately little reason to put much faith in the main drivers of the project. It is uncertain if decision-makers in politics and business will change their minds. In any case, there is plenty of reason for companies not to rely exclusively on GAIA-X as their digital saviour, but to become active themselves. There is plenty they can and should do within their own circles of influence.

Serious setbacks after an ambitious start – which goals remain for GAIA-X?

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 07:00:00 GMT

First the German federal government signalled support for the participation of US hyperscalers in GAIA-X. Subsequently, the companies on its Board of Directors welcomed Palantir, arguably the most controversial player in big data, as a member. All this despite major concerns from data protectionists. GAIA-X’s more recent course raises the fundamental question of whether digital sovereignty and data protection in accordance with European standards can still be achieved for companies. What remains of GAIA-X’s original objectives and what of its inherent potential can the project still turn into reality?

GAIA-X Board of Directors gives green light to Palantir

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 07:00:00 GMT

An unpleasant surprise for data protectionists and supporters of GAIA-X: The all-European Board of Directors of GAIA-X cleared the way for Palantir to become a member. The reaction to this decision ranged from surprise to horror, as the company does not seem to fit in at all with what GAIA-X is supposed to stand for. After a statement by the German federal government, a key political player, had already caused some concern, this decision of the economic stakeholders now raises some serious questions: What criteria are used in the GAIA-X selection process? Do they match up to the proclaimed objectives of the project? And what might this say about GAIA-X itself?

360° protection for data at rest and in transit

Hanna Rietz — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 08:55:00 GMT

As communication is now almost exclusively digital and confidential information is routinely sent from A to B, comprehensive protection of this data needs to be a top priority. Of course, this must be fast and business operations should not suffer as a result. But at the same time malign third parties must be prevented from intercepting or accessing sensitive data during storage or during transmission.

German Federal Government disappoints in their statement on GAIA-X

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Data traffic from the EU to the US is substantial and ever-growing. This is mainly due to the general trend of shifting data into the cloud, with its major service providers based in the US. The legal basis for these data transfers has needed to be re-established repeatedly, as so far respective agreements have neither been able to constitute a lasting solution nor bring the legal certainty so urgently needed by EU companies. A European approach like the GAIA-X project could provide the sought-after remedy, presenting a valuable alternative to the US hyperscalers. It was launched with great and ambitious goals, with the German government as one of its main drivers. So, what role do they see for GAIA-X?

Legal rift between the EU and USA: Data handling & data transfer and the implications for enterprises

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 07:00:00 GMT

In 2021, enterprises will continue to encounter many challenges that they need to address: Strengthening data security, ensuring verifiable compliance with applicable data protection laws, and maintaining effective protection of intellectual property will continue to be persistent issues. For enterprises, all three of these aspects apply to their data exchanges with third parties and are particularly relevant for data flow to the USA – which creates a need for action. Data transfers from the EU to the United States urgently require a robust and long-term legal basis, especially since the trend to shift data to the cloud is ongoing and has been creating fresh precedents on a daily basis, amplifying the need for action. In the search for real data protection and digital sovereignty, the European GAIA-X project is therefore coming into focus as a potential remedy.

Email encryption and archiving – it's that simple!

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:25:46 GMT

A partnership between two great companies makes customers the beneficiaries: By connecting Cryptshare to stanoc's archiving solution, we have created significant added value. We combined the protective encryption for sensitive messages and data in transit with auditable and legally compliant archiving for emails and attachments. Proof of how combining two innovative solutions can benefit users and protect their business communication effectively.

Beyond the EU-US Privacy Shield: What’s next for European enterprises?

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 06:00:00 GMT

On 16 July 2020, the ECJ (European Court of Justice) ruled the EU-US Privacy Shield invalid. It was not the first time this court made a splash on both sides of the Atlantic: The ruling clearly illuminated the fundamentally different perspectives – and priorities – of the European Union and the United States regarding data protection and data privacy. It has caused great uncertainty for many enterprises and presented them with challenges regarding how to handle data going forward. In the long-term, however, this ruling offers European enterprises valuable chances for reassessing data-driven business models and re-imagining them in a way that is compliant with the required protections of personal data. Things may not be so simple for US enterprises seeking trade in Europe.

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Digital working in local government: The good, the bad, and the ugly

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 06:00:00 GMT

The past few months have made it abundantly clear that local government has been facing unprecedented challenges. With the ongoing pandemic, atop of all existing responsibilities, new challenges have risen to the forefront that need to be addressed swiftly and effectively. And if that weren’t enough, bad actors have reared their ugly heads: They took advantage of this situation and put local government in their crosshairs. Hard pressed CISOs may well ask: ‘Is there any good in this for public authorities?’

Security with validated procedures: Cryptshare now ISO 27001 certified

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 07:00:00 GMT

A great start to the new year: After successfully completing and passing all necessary audit tests, Cryptshare's software development process received ISO 27001 certification. This is an important achievement that presents yet another milestone in our company’s journey. However, perhaps even more impressive and remarkable is the manner in which this certification was accomplished in record time. Earning ISO 27001 certification is another powerful confirmation to customers and partners worldwide that all underlying procedures for the quality of Cryptshare and its performance meet the highest standards in information security.

What will be important for your data security in 2020

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 07:56:32 GMT

2019 is coming to an end. Time, to take a look forwards at what will affect the IT industry most in the coming year. Cryptshare's Matthias Kess (CTO), Markus Wolfer (Head of Sales DACH), and Oliver Gäng (CMO) recently attended the German conference for IT managers (DILK) as well as the member conference for the IT Security Association Germany (TeleTrusT) and they had a lively and fruitful exchange with a great group of experts. Our takeaway? The IT industry will keep its dynamic nature due to digitisation and digitalisation processes, the 5G network expansion, the increasingly recognised value of data, and the great challenges that will be posed to information security in the future. This will demand continued scrutiny by all to defend against the new threats which will emerge during the year. So it looks like 2020 will be yet another exciting year in IT.

5 tips to improve data security in the insurance industry

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Cyberattacks pose a serious threat to the insurance industry. Time and again, cybercriminals prey on insurance companies and their customers, increasingly in the form of sophisticated and targeted attacks. So how can the insurance industry protect itself against such threats? We compiled 5 top tips for insurance companies to effectively improve their data security.

Cryptshare for CCPA

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:51:56 GMT

Starting 01 January 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will take effect. Intending to provide more transparency on the collection, use, and sale of data, it provides consumers with more power to determine what happens to their information and who gets to use it. California is breaking new ground with this legislation in the USA. The CCPA is not only emblematic of the surging awareness about the value of personal data, it also sets the bar for future laws to come.

Secure email needs to be far more than S/MIME and PGP

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 08:00:00 GMT

Despite the eroding myth of regular email as a secure communication tool for messages and files, most emails are sent unencrypted, and business emails with valuable content are certainly no exception to that. So why has email encryption still not gone mainstream? A closer look reveals that for most users the majority of encryption solutions are simply not an option because there is too much (technical) effort involved. The prime example: S/MIME and PGP.

Enterprises in the digital world

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 06:55:55 GMT

Today, most enterprises have successfully arrived in the digital world. They have realised digitisation’s great potential, understanding that they can only benefit from it if they embrace the coming changes. Naturally, digitisation’s transformative powers also confronted enterprises with challenges that needed to be mastered. And mastered they were – now, enterprises produce digital data of all kinds and formats in vast volume, routinely transferring it across their own firewalls.

Can today’s encryption withstand quantum computers?

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 14:06:38 GMT

The technology of quantum computing offers many new and unprecedented possibilities for what technology is capable of doing. While ‘regular’ digital computers eventually run into problems posed by the laws of physics, quantum computers work differently and possess far superior computing powers. As a result, there are considerable implications for security regarding encryption and decryption of data.

befine Solutions AG became Cryptshare AG

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 09:37:25 GMT

On the 7th of May 2019, befine Solutions AG changed its company name to Cryptshare AG. In these times of so many new product developments and with a growing product family, it was time to reflect their significance to the company in the name as well as making the main tagline reflect Cryptshare’s full scope of applications.

Collections #1-5: An Assessment

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:44:58 GMT

The year 2019 has just started but already there has been major news of IT security breaches that have made headlines: Collection #1 and Collections #2-5 that followed shortly thereafter. They showed once again how much e-mail is targeted by hackers and cybercriminals and how important it is to take e-mail security seriously to protect yourself and especially your data from attacks.

Cryptshare AG launches QUICK Technology

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:41:11 GMT

Cryptshare AG is proud to announce the release of patent-pending innovation eliminating the need for users to manage passwords for regular exchanges between communication partners, Cryptshare QUICK Technology. Included in the latest Cryptshare release on 25 June, QUICK ends all password troubles for users, establishing permanent secure connections, and at long last combines security for all data in transit with simplified usability.

Security issues leave cloud infrastructure vulnerable

Matthias Kess — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:05:12 GMT

A newly discovered weak spot in the technology used to deliver cloud services enables criminals and governments to access information stored and processed in the cloud.

What happened to the German project DE-Mail?

Niklas Boukal — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:06:34 GMT

A group of delegates was wondering the same and asked the German federal government about the state of it. The answers they got support the impression that the officials could be equally unsure of the future success.

Map of Press Freedom 2018: Too few white spots

Anja Gruner — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:03:32 GMT

3rd May 2018 is World Press Freedom Day. A glance at the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Index makes it clear that more ‘white spots’ on the map are desirable!

Data protection violations in German doctor’s offices on the rise

alexander.matthaeus@cryptshare.com (Alexander Matthäus) — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 09:30:08 GMT

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information for the state of Baden-Württemberg, Stefan Brink, PhD., warned in a press release about the increasing number of data breaches in doctor’s offices. Particularly in the medical field, where sensitive and personal data was dealt with, technical and organisational measures were “an absolute must”, he said.
So it is high time for service providers in the medical field to look for solutions and secure their communication.