The Encryption Mandate: A Deep Dive into Data Protection in 2025
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2025 5:28 am
In our digital-first world, where mobile apps dominate customer interactions and sensitive data flows across decentralized networks, cybersecurity is no longer a back-office concern — it’s a boardroom priority. That was the central theme of Digital austria mobile database recent webinar , “The Encryption Mandate: Secure Data or Risk of Noncompliance” with Lou Crocker, Principal Consultant .
Crocker’s session was a call to action for companies to rethink how they protect their most valuable asset: data. Let’s revisit the key takeaways from the webinar and connect them to the broader cybersecurity conversations shaping 2025.
The Perfect Storm of Cybersecurity Challenges
Crocker opened the discussion with an unflinching look at the current threat landscape, saying, “Every application and device in the world today is running on the same network. Therefore, perimeter security is no longer sufficient or, in many cases, not even effective. We have become an API-centric world.”
Enterprises are inadvertently expanding their attack surfaces by adopting mobile-first strategies and cloud-native architectures. Mobile apps alone are expected to generate nearly $1 trillion in revenue this year, but each app also poses a potential threat risk.
The rise of generative AI (GenAI) has further complicated matters. While AI accelerates innovation, it also empowers cybercriminals to automate attacks, bypass traditional defenses, and exploit applications at scale. Ransomware, social engineering, and data exfiltration remain the top threats, but what’s really alarming is the shift in hackers’ priorities: they’re no longer satisfied with stealing individual credentials—they want entire datasets.
This aligns with broader industry observations. According to the World Economic Forum, ransomware remains the most significant cyber risk globally, while AI-powered malware is becoming increasingly sophisticated. For businesses, this means that protecting endpoints — whether mobile apps or IoT devices — is now mission-critical.
Compliance: The Business Case for Encryption
In 2025, compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines; it’s about protecting your brand and earning customer trust. Crocker highlighted three key regulatory frameworks that require robust encryption measures:
GDPR: Enforces strict rules on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and requires encryption as a best practice to ensure data confidentiality.
HIPAA: Requires encryption for all protected health information (PHI) at rest and in transit to securely protect patient data.
PCI DSS: Sets rigorous standards for protecting financial transactions, emphasizing encryption as an essential requirement.
But compliance is only half the battle. Crocker emphasized that traditional encryption methods often fall short in today’s threat landscape. Hackers can exploit how cryptographic keys are stored or transmitted, making even compliant systems susceptible to breaches.
This echoes a growing sentiment among cybersecurity leaders: compliance frameworks provide a foundation, but true security requires going beyond regulatory requirements.
Crocker’s session was a call to action for companies to rethink how they protect their most valuable asset: data. Let’s revisit the key takeaways from the webinar and connect them to the broader cybersecurity conversations shaping 2025.
The Perfect Storm of Cybersecurity Challenges
Crocker opened the discussion with an unflinching look at the current threat landscape, saying, “Every application and device in the world today is running on the same network. Therefore, perimeter security is no longer sufficient or, in many cases, not even effective. We have become an API-centric world.”
Enterprises are inadvertently expanding their attack surfaces by adopting mobile-first strategies and cloud-native architectures. Mobile apps alone are expected to generate nearly $1 trillion in revenue this year, but each app also poses a potential threat risk.
The rise of generative AI (GenAI) has further complicated matters. While AI accelerates innovation, it also empowers cybercriminals to automate attacks, bypass traditional defenses, and exploit applications at scale. Ransomware, social engineering, and data exfiltration remain the top threats, but what’s really alarming is the shift in hackers’ priorities: they’re no longer satisfied with stealing individual credentials—they want entire datasets.
This aligns with broader industry observations. According to the World Economic Forum, ransomware remains the most significant cyber risk globally, while AI-powered malware is becoming increasingly sophisticated. For businesses, this means that protecting endpoints — whether mobile apps or IoT devices — is now mission-critical.
Compliance: The Business Case for Encryption
In 2025, compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines; it’s about protecting your brand and earning customer trust. Crocker highlighted three key regulatory frameworks that require robust encryption measures:
GDPR: Enforces strict rules on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and requires encryption as a best practice to ensure data confidentiality.
HIPAA: Requires encryption for all protected health information (PHI) at rest and in transit to securely protect patient data.
PCI DSS: Sets rigorous standards for protecting financial transactions, emphasizing encryption as an essential requirement.
But compliance is only half the battle. Crocker emphasized that traditional encryption methods often fall short in today’s threat landscape. Hackers can exploit how cryptographic keys are stored or transmitted, making even compliant systems susceptible to breaches.
This echoes a growing sentiment among cybersecurity leaders: compliance frameworks provide a foundation, but true security requires going beyond regulatory requirements.