Is bitlocker a reasonable way to secure data on my laptop (windows 10) [closed]
I would like to use my company laptop at home. Due to stronger dataprotection rules in the EU my boss is a bit more security minded than a few years ago. He worries about client-data leaving the building (though other colleagues - with more client data on their laptops do so regularly).
Should I use bitlocker, or something else or is it enough to encrypt individual directories (also a windows 10 option).
How secure is it? Does it affect performance?
(my backend dev colleague are also not sure)
windows-10 security encryption
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
closed as primarily opinion-based by Run5k, PeterH, Pimp Juice IT, Twisty Impersonator, DrMoishe Pippik Dec 9 at 3:32
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
I would like to use my company laptop at home. Due to stronger dataprotection rules in the EU my boss is a bit more security minded than a few years ago. He worries about client-data leaving the building (though other colleagues - with more client data on their laptops do so regularly).
Should I use bitlocker, or something else or is it enough to encrypt individual directories (also a windows 10 option).
How secure is it? Does it affect performance?
(my backend dev colleague are also not sure)
windows-10 security encryption
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
closed as primarily opinion-based by Run5k, PeterH, Pimp Juice IT, Twisty Impersonator, DrMoishe Pippik Dec 9 at 3:32
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10
add a comment |
I would like to use my company laptop at home. Due to stronger dataprotection rules in the EU my boss is a bit more security minded than a few years ago. He worries about client-data leaving the building (though other colleagues - with more client data on their laptops do so regularly).
Should I use bitlocker, or something else or is it enough to encrypt individual directories (also a windows 10 option).
How secure is it? Does it affect performance?
(my backend dev colleague are also not sure)
windows-10 security encryption
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
I would like to use my company laptop at home. Due to stronger dataprotection rules in the EU my boss is a bit more security minded than a few years ago. He worries about client-data leaving the building (though other colleagues - with more client data on their laptops do so regularly).
Should I use bitlocker, or something else or is it enough to encrypt individual directories (also a windows 10 option).
How secure is it? Does it affect performance?
(my backend dev colleague are also not sure)
windows-10 security encryption
windows-10 security encryption
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
asked Dec 4 at 13:09
Katinka Hesselink
1012
1012
closed as primarily opinion-based by Run5k, PeterH, Pimp Juice IT, Twisty Impersonator, DrMoishe Pippik Dec 9 at 3:32
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as primarily opinion-based by Run5k, PeterH, Pimp Juice IT, Twisty Impersonator, DrMoishe Pippik Dec 9 at 3:32
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10
add a comment |
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
What Bitlocker does is ensure that the data on the harddisk is only accessible if the user who encrypted the drive is logged in in windows. It is a good secure method, but if the laptop itself does not have a login (preferably through the BIOS), the encryption is pointless.
Also, this encryption is mostly against theft of the laptop, and not a worker leaking information.
If someone copies the data off the drive to a USB stick, then that data is not protected. If the laptop is hacked, depending on the hack, the same is likely true.
Performance wise, Bitlocker is fast enough. You will not notice a difference, and it is definitely recommended to encrypt, but you do need to understand what BitLocker can and cannot do. You protect against theft of the laptop, nothing more.
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
What Bitlocker does is ensure that the data on the harddisk is only accessible if the user who encrypted the drive is logged in in windows. It is a good secure method, but if the laptop itself does not have a login (preferably through the BIOS), the encryption is pointless.
Also, this encryption is mostly against theft of the laptop, and not a worker leaking information.
If someone copies the data off the drive to a USB stick, then that data is not protected. If the laptop is hacked, depending on the hack, the same is likely true.
Performance wise, Bitlocker is fast enough. You will not notice a difference, and it is definitely recommended to encrypt, but you do need to understand what BitLocker can and cannot do. You protect against theft of the laptop, nothing more.
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
add a comment |
What Bitlocker does is ensure that the data on the harddisk is only accessible if the user who encrypted the drive is logged in in windows. It is a good secure method, but if the laptop itself does not have a login (preferably through the BIOS), the encryption is pointless.
Also, this encryption is mostly against theft of the laptop, and not a worker leaking information.
If someone copies the data off the drive to a USB stick, then that data is not protected. If the laptop is hacked, depending on the hack, the same is likely true.
Performance wise, Bitlocker is fast enough. You will not notice a difference, and it is definitely recommended to encrypt, but you do need to understand what BitLocker can and cannot do. You protect against theft of the laptop, nothing more.
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
add a comment |
What Bitlocker does is ensure that the data on the harddisk is only accessible if the user who encrypted the drive is logged in in windows. It is a good secure method, but if the laptop itself does not have a login (preferably through the BIOS), the encryption is pointless.
Also, this encryption is mostly against theft of the laptop, and not a worker leaking information.
If someone copies the data off the drive to a USB stick, then that data is not protected. If the laptop is hacked, depending on the hack, the same is likely true.
Performance wise, Bitlocker is fast enough. You will not notice a difference, and it is definitely recommended to encrypt, but you do need to understand what BitLocker can and cannot do. You protect against theft of the laptop, nothing more.
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
What Bitlocker does is ensure that the data on the harddisk is only accessible if the user who encrypted the drive is logged in in windows. It is a good secure method, but if the laptop itself does not have a login (preferably through the BIOS), the encryption is pointless.
Also, this encryption is mostly against theft of the laptop, and not a worker leaking information.
If someone copies the data off the drive to a USB stick, then that data is not protected. If the laptop is hacked, depending on the hack, the same is likely true.
Performance wise, Bitlocker is fast enough. You will not notice a difference, and it is definitely recommended to encrypt, but you do need to understand what BitLocker can and cannot do. You protect against theft of the laptop, nothing more.
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
answered Dec 4 at 13:21
LPChip
35.2k54984
35.2k54984
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
add a comment |
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
+1. In addition, it is not a good idea to bitlock the system drive, in case of Windows corruption, and the bitlocker recovery key must be backed up.
– harrymc
Dec 4 at 14:03
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
@harrymc actually, I prefer to have the system drive encrypted as well, and place the recovery key on a pendrive that I carry with me. Otherwise, I can just hack into windows and unlock bitlocker that way. Unless the bios is password protected, or the bitlocker password must be entered at boot, then its okay. In case of windows corruption, the recovery tools provide enough tools to unlock the drive, so that really is not a problem. Only backuping data is harder from outside of windows.
– LPChip
Dec 4 at 14:09
1
1
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
This answer is misleading in a couple of ways. It confuses boot disk encryption vs. encryption of other disks vs. encryption of removable device ("Bitlocker-to-go"). For example, Bitlocker on your boot disk has nothing to do with any individual user nor with "logging in". The keys are unlocked at boot time (or else how would the system ever boot?). Remove the drive while the system is booted and it's still unreadable on any other machine.
– Jamie Hanrahan
Dec 4 at 14:23
add a comment |
trying to move from: stackoverflow.com/questions/53609172/…
– Katinka Hesselink
Dec 4 at 13:10