Disk Encryption is not just for Laptops
Recently we explored ways to secure your data on your laptop computer using TrueCrypt.
However, data encryption is not just for your portable devices. In fact, as data theft and loss increases both by public and government organizations as well as at home, so too should the ways that you protect your data assets no matter where it is stored.
One of the first storage devices that I recommend that clients asses for potential threat are removable media such as flash drives and external hard drives. While these devices make storage and portable access to your data easier for you, it also increases the potential for a data breach for you and your business.
While nothing is absolute, using these steps, you can rest assured that your data that lives on a portable storage medium will be more secure:
- Download and install a disc encryption tool such as TrueCrypt (there are others)
- Remove any important files from the disc to be encrypted by deleting them or copying those files to another disc
- Select the encryption method that best meets your needs
- Using your encryption solution, format and encrypt the entire disc (depending the size and encryption method, this can a very long time)
- Mount and move your sensitive data to the newly encrypted disc
It really is as simple as that. Now your data is still easily accessible, portable and safe.
Open Source Applcations on your Keychain | Wright Consulting said,
December 1, 2007 @ 4:11:06 pm
[...] want to install, why not be sure that your information stays private and safe by reading through my encryption post? With the information and tools that I explore there, you can balance personal data security and [...]
Data Security in a Digital World | Wright Consulting said,
March 2, 2008 @ 1:42:07 am
[...] the opensource encryption solution TrueCrypt. I then took our security journey a step further in this post where I explored similar options to secure your data on external drives. Finally, I even touched [...]