Data Encryption and Secure Data Transfer

In today’s business landscape, safeguarding sensitive data is crucial due to the increasing threat of cyber attacks. As data moves across networks and resides in diverse locations, it faces security risks. Data encryption and secure transfer are vital for protecting information from unauthorized access. Here we delve into Azure Data Factory (ADF), highlighting the significance of data encryption and secure transfer. We’ll explore available methods and best practices for data security in ADF.

Secure data transfer

Secure data transfer in ADF and across Azure services protects sensitive information from unauthorized access and cyber threats. Encryption methods like HTTPS, FTPS, and SFTP, along with authentication mechanisms such as usernames/passwords and SSH keys, are employed by ADF. Integration runtimes, private endpoints, virtual network service endpoints, and network security groups ensure secure and controlled data transfer within Azure, supporting various protocols and authentication options. Below are some of the key features:

• ADF integration runtime: This ensures secure, scalable data integration on an Azure virtual network.

• Private endpoints: Users can access services securely via a private endpoint in the virtual network, eliminating the need for public IP addresses.

• Virtual network service endpoints: This securely connects Azure service resources to a virtual network.

• Network security groups: This provides basic network security for resources, controlling traffic based on rules for source/destination IP addresses and port numbers.

Data encryption

ADF provides several options for data encryption, including Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE), Azure Disk Encryption, and Azure Key Vault. SSE encrypts data at rest, while Azure Disk Encryption provides full disk encryption for virtual machines. Azure Key Vault is used to store and manage encryption keys securely. ADF also supports client-side encryption for sensitive data using Azure Blob Storage Client-Side Encryption.

Encryption for data at rest

Data at rest refers to data stored in databases, data lakes, or other storage systems. Azure Data Factory supports the encryption of data at rest through the use of Azure Storage Service Encryption (SSE). SSE encrypts data using Microsoft-managed keys or customer-managed keys. It encrypts data at the storage account level, which means that all data stored in that storage account is encrypted.

Azure Key Vault is another service that ADF supports for managing encryption keys. Key Vault allows us to securely store and manage cryptographic keys, certificates, and secrets. By using Key Vault, we can separate the management of keys from the management of encrypted data. This separation enhances security and enables us to control who has access to encryption keys.

Encryption for data at rest using Azure CLI

Encryption for data at rest is a security feature in Microsoft Azure that encrypts data stored on a disk. This helps to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. There are several ways to enable data at rest encryption in Azure, including using Azure CLI.

To enable data at rest encryption in Azure using Azure CLI, follow these steps:

1. We first create a new resource group.