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Protect sensitive data in both places it can be exposed: while it is stored and while it travels across a network. Storage encryption and TLS address different states of data; neither is a complete plan without controls for who can use the keys and how the data can be recovered if a key is lost.
What does encryption protect?
Encryption transforms information so it cannot be read without the appropriate cryptographic key. The design depends on where the information is and how it is being used. NIST treats storage encryption and network transmission as separate implementation concerns: Special Publication (SP) 800-111 covers storage encryption on end-user devices, while SP 800-52 Rev. 2 covers selecting and configuring Transport Layer Security (TLS).
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- At rest: information stored on a computer, removable media, or storage infrastructure.
- In transit: information being sent over a network, such as between a client and a server.
These protections are complementary, not interchangeable. Encrypting a laptop’s storage does not by itself protect information sent to a website, and using TLS does not by itself encrypt files saved on a device.
How do you protect data at rest?
End-user devices and removable media
For storage on end-user devices, NIST SP 800-111 discusses storage-encryption approaches and the operational issues around deploying them. Apply a policy that covers which devices and information need protection, how encryption is administered, and how authorized users regain access when necessary. For removable media, the same questions apply: portability does not remove the need to protect the data or manage the key.
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A hardware-encrypted USB flash drive is one category to consider when portable storage encryption is needed. The category alone does not establish that a particular drive has suitable security properties; verify a specific model’s claims and recovery process before relying on it.
Storage infrastructure
Storage environments introduce their own operational and architectural requirements. NIST SP 800-209 recommends end-to-end encryption for sensitive information, including data at rest, in storage infrastructure. The appropriate design depends on the infrastructure and how it is operated; that guidance does not endorse a particular vendor or product.
How do you protect data in transit?
TLS is the protocol to consider when protecting information sent over a network. NIST describes TLS as providing authentication, confidentiality, and data-integrity protection between a client and a server. In practical terms, TLS can help a client verify the server it is communicating with, protect the contents of the exchange from being read in transit, and help detect unauthorized changes to that exchange.
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TLS protects a connection, not every copy of the information. It does not automatically encrypt a file at rest on either endpoint, determine who is authorized to view that file, or make encrypted data recoverable if its key is lost. A complete design therefore considers both network transmission and the places where data is stored.
NIST SP 800-52 Rev. 2 provides TLS selection and configuration guidance. NIST’s publication page said this revision was under review as of May 7, 2026. Check the publication page for a successor before applying version-specific configuration advice; the cited material does not establish that a final replacement has been issued.
How should you manage encryption keys and recovery?
Encryption depends on keys. Someone or something must be authorized to use them, and losing access to a relevant key can make the protected data inaccessible. NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 5 gives general guidance on managing cryptographic keying material; SP 800-111 addresses related concerns for storage encryption.
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Plan the key lifecycle alongside the encryption deployment. Decide how keys will be generated, used, stored, recovered, and destroyed, and define who may access them and how that access is controlled. Recovery should be deliberate and tested as part of operations, not improvised after a device fails or an authorized user loses access.
“If a key is lost or damaged, it may not be possible to recover the encrypted data from the computer.”
NIST states this warning in SP 800-111. It is a practical reason to define recovery responsibilities and protect recovery material before encrypting data.
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NIST’s key-management page listed an initial public draft of SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 6 from December 2025. The reviewed publication information does not establish a final successor to Rev. 5, so check current NIST guidance before relying on revision-specific implementation details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes when encryption is deployed across an organization?
Scale affects administration. NIST SP 800-111 recommends centralized management for most storage-encryption deployments, with exceptions for standalone and very small-scale environments. Central management can support consistent policy and administration, but the design still needs clear operational ownership.
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Before rollout, assign responsibility for the decisions and work that keep encryption usable and effective:
- Set and communicate policy about which devices and data must be encrypted.
- Administer deployment and updates, and decide how compliance or operational events will be logged.
- Manage authenticators and key access, including who can grant or revoke access.
- Define and test the recovery process, including who is authorized to recover data.
The right balance depends on whether the environment is a single device, a small setup, an organizational fleet, or storage infrastructure. Centralized management is not a universal requirement for every reader or deployment.
Quick Recap
How do the main approaches fit together?
| Data location | Relevant protection | Key and recovery consideration | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| End-user device storage | Storage encryption for data at rest | Plan key storage and recovery; loss or damage to a key can prevent recovery of encrypted data. | NIST SP 800-111, a legacy guide to conceptual and deployment considerations |
| Removable media | Storage encryption for portable data at rest | Confirm how authorized users access the data and how recovery is handled; a product category alone does not establish its suitability. | NIST SP 800-111 |
| Storage infrastructure | Encryption for sensitive data, including at rest | Design key custody and recovery around the infrastructure and its operations. | NIST SP 800-209 recommends end-to-end encryption of sensitive information |
| Network transmission | TLS for protection between client and server | Manage the keys and configuration involved in the deployment; TLS does not cover stored copies. | NIST SP 800-52 Rev. 2; publication page reported it under review as of May 7, 2026 |
A practical design checklist
- Identify where the sensitive data exists. Include endpoints, removable media, storage infrastructure, and network transfers rather than treating “encryption” as one setting.
- Choose protection for each state. Plan storage encryption for data at rest and TLS for network transmission where applicable.
- Assign key responsibilities. Specify who can administer, access, and recover keys, and how those actions are controlled.
- Prepare for recovery before deployment. Define what happens if a key, device, or authenticator becomes unavailable, and verify that authorized recovery works.
- Match administration to scale. For organizational deployments, determine how policy, updates, logs, authenticators, and recovery will be managed; consider centralized management for most deployments, with the small-scale exceptions noted by NIST SP 800-111.
- Check current guidance. NIST’s pages report SP 800-52 Rev. 2 under review as of May 7, 2026, and an initial public draft of SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 6 from December 2025. Confirm publication status before basing a deployment on revision-specific instructions.
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