Data Collector security and data encryption
Data collectors offer asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key cryptography. With this form of encryption, keys come in pairs - what a single key encrypts, only the other key can decrypt. This method of encryption provides additional security when data is collected.
In an upgrade scenario, you must enable asymmetric encryption for better security by generating a key file. You can also choose to continue with the symmetric encryption method but it will be less secure than the asymmetric encryption. Key file generation can occur at any time after an upgrade or if there is an issue such as data corruption or a key is lost.
To use this feature in either a new installation or an upgrade scenario, a key file must be manually generated in the Portal. When you add a data collector in the Portal, you download the key and then point to that location when you install the data collector software on the collector server. For existing data collectors, key generation for asymmetric encryption can occur at any time. You can opt-in to encrypt/decrypt credentials.