{"id":472907,"date":"2022-07-11T20:00:49","date_gmt":"2022-07-11T17:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/"},"modified":"2022-07-11T20:00:49","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T17:00:49","slug":"what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption, and Why Should I Choose It?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27802797701\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27802797701\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption_and_Why_Should_I_Choose_It%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption, and Why Should I Choose It?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#The_Basics_of_Encryption\" >The Basics of Encryption<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#What_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\" >What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#What_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Proof\" >What Is Zero-Knowledge Proof?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Where_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption_Is_Used\" >Where Zero-Knowledge Encryption Is Used<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Problems_With_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\" >Problems With Zero-Knowledge Encryption<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Getting_Locked_Out\" >Getting Locked Out<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Loss_of_Speed\" >Loss of Speed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Fewer_Features\" >Fewer Features<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-zero-knowledge-encryption-and-why-should-i-choose-it\/#Should_I_Choose_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\" >Should I Choose Zero-Knowledge Encryption?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption_and_Why_Should_I_Choose_It%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption, and Why Should I Choose It?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-811715\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/cybersecurity-privacy-concept.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/cybersecurity-privacy-concepts-protect-data-lock-2139978403\">Thapana_Studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Keeping your important data safe is an essential part of modern life, and encryption plays a big part in that. Zero-knowledge encryption, if done properly, is just about the best security method you can choose.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Basics_of_Encryption\"><\/span>The Basics of Encryption<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Encryption is a security process that alters readable data to make it unreadable. It takes plaintext, data readable by humans, and transforms it into ciphertext, which is unreadable by humans or machines. Only someone with the correct decryption key can convert the data back into plaintext and view it in its unscrambled form. Anyone else, who perhaps managed to intercept the data, would see only gibberish.<\/p>\n<p>There are several different types of encryption methods available, each used for keeping data safe in different situations. The most common encryption type or protocol is Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). AES comes in three increasing security strengths, AES-128, AES-192, and AES-265. All of these are very secure, but AES-265 is considered military-grade encryption.<\/p>\n<p>You likely use encrypted services several times a day, even if you don\u2019t realize it. But encryption is only as strong as the password or key used to secure it. So, just\u00a0because something is encrypted, that doesn\u2019t mean it is completely safe. This is where zero-knowledge encryption comes into play. But what is zero-knowledge encryption, how does it work, and why should you choose it?<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\"><\/span>What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Zero-knowledge encryption is a method of encryption, rather than an encryption protocol such as AES-256. The term most often describes an encryption process where your data is secured at all times, with only you having the key or password needed to access and decrypt it.<\/p>\n<p>For a service to be truly zero-knowledge, your data should be encrypted before it leaves your device, during transfer, and when it is stored on a server. These three stages are known as client-side encryption, encryption in transit, and encryption at rest, respectively. This will normally mean different encryption methods, including TLS and AES or an alternative, are used in combination to provide overall encryption.<\/p>\n<p>Zero-knowledge encryption also requires that your password, which is the key to being able to decrypt the data, is never stored anywhere it could be accessed by a third party.\u00a0Because only you have the password needed to decrypt the data, neither the service provider nor anyone who infiltrates the service can read it at any stage. Hence, zero-knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>But how can your password be verified as being correct by a service provider if only you know it? That is where zero-knowledge proof comes in.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Zero-Knowledge_Proof\"><\/span>What Is Zero-Knowledge Proof?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Zero-knowledge encryption and zero-knowledge proof are different concepts. Although zero-knowledge proof is often part of a service that promises zero-knowledge encryption, that isn\u2019t always the case.<\/p>\n<p>Zero-knowledge proof is a cryptographic authentication method between two or more parties. During a standard authentication process, a password might be given as proof of the holder\u2019s right to access data. The trouble is that the password needs to be known by both parties for it to be verified. This obviously makes it less secure.<\/p>\n<p>In zero-knowledge proof authentication, only proof of knowledge of the password is needed, so the actual password is never revealed. Proving knowledge is achieved by the prover (you) answering a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> of interactive or non-interactive challenges from the verifier (the service provider).<\/p>\n<p>A real-world comparison is when you are asked to supply the 3rd, 5th, and 9th letters of your password to verify login to a banking <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>. Only someone who knows the full password would know which letters to provide, yet the actual password is not revealed.<\/p>\n<p>In most situations, such as logging in to a password manager app, you won\u2019t actually need to answer questions or challenges to verify yourself. You will just need to enter your password. The zero-knowledge proof part of the process will be handled in the background by complex mathematical algorithms.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption_Is_Used\"><\/span>Where Zero-Knowledge Encryption Is Used<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Zero-knowledge encryption has been around for a while, but its use has increased in the last few years. This is particularly true for consumer data storage services.<\/p>\n<p>Any digital service that locks data behind a password login could use zero-knowledge encryption. The two most common services that offer zero-knowledge encryption are cloud storage services and password manager apps.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, zero-knowledge encryption is increasingly being used to secure cloud storage. As mentioned earlier, this encryption method only works properly if the data is encrypted before leaving your computer, during transit, and when in the storage vault. That means true zero-knowledge cloud storage will be accessed through an app or desktop client, rather than through a browser interface.<\/p>\n<p>Password manager apps are another place where zero-knowledge encryption makes perfect sense. When trusting all of your passwords to a single app or service, knowing that not even the service provider can access them unencrypted goes a long way. The best password managers will encrypt your passwords before they are even stored in the app or client, not just when they are stored in the cloud.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Problems_With_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\"><\/span>Problems With Zero-Knowledge Encryption<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Although it is one of the most secure ways to protect your data, zero-knowledge encryption isn\u2019t without its downsides.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_Locked_Out\"><\/span>Getting Locked Out<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The most obvious potential problem is that there is often no way for you to retrieve your password if you lose or forget it. Your data will be lost, stuck behind an impenetrable barrier. Some services that use zero-knowledge encryption let you create a recovery key, which will allow you to reset your password once. However, this just moves the problem back one step, and if you lose the recovery key you will be in the same situation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Loss_of_Speed\"><\/span>Loss of Speed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Zero-knowledge encryption can result in a service being slower than it might be with other security measures in place. The extra security and encryption steps needed can mean that something like cloud storage isn\u2019t as fast as it would be without zero knowledge being used. The loss of speed will probably be, for most people, outweighed by the extra security, but it is still worth considering.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fewer_Features\"><\/span>Fewer Features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Services that use zero-knowledge encryption might also lack some of the features offered by similar services that don\u2019t use it. For example, you might be unable to preview images or videos stored in a backup vault because that would require the data to be decrypted. In this case, you have to decide if convenience is more important to you than security.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_Choose_Zero-Knowledge_Encryption\"><\/span>Should I Choose Zero-Knowledge Encryption?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Many big names in cloud storage offer zero-knowledge services. These include <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=691670&amp;u=1331794&amp;m=57377&amp;urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sync.com%2F&amp;afftrack=htg\/811527\">Sync.com<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mega.io\/\">MEGA<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/3607085\/type\/am\/sid\/811527\/https:\/\/www.pcloud.com\/\">pCloud<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/3607085\/type\/am\/sid\/811527\/https:\/\/www.idrive.com\/\">IDrive<\/a>, and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/icedrive.net\/\">icedrive<\/a>. Likewise, some of the best password manager services protect your data with this type of encryption, from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fnordpass.com%2F\">NordPass<\/a> to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lastpass.wo8g.net\/c\/156932\/565400\/8692?subId1=htg&amp;subId2=811527&amp;sharedid=&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lastpass.com%2F\">LastPass<\/a>. As we spend more and more time in the cloud, entrusting our data security to others, we can only hope that more services get on board with zero-knowledge encryption.<\/p>\n<p>Because, despite the few potential downsides, zero-knowledge encryption is the best choice if you care about the security of your data. By taking complete control of who can access and view your data, be it in a password manager, cloud storage, or another service, you remove the only realistic way it can be compromised.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Zero-knowledge encryption, if done properly, is just about the best security method you can choose. The Basics of Encryption Encryption is a security process&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":472908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/cybersecurity-privacy-concept.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-472907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}