Is your laptop still unencrypted? Perhaps 7 seconds of CCTV might change your mind...

Is your laptop still unencrypted? Perhaps 7 seconds of CCTV might change your mind...

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/05/13/gone-in-under-a-second/

 

I was thinking of downloading and using truecrypt.
But then i thought to myself well why on earth would i actually need this..?

I never take my laptop anywhere and it is always housebound,so is there really much use in me using this software.

 

Well if your laptop or portable storage media is stolen, then it helps..., if the encryption uses AES-256 with complex uppercase-lowercase, numbers, and punctuations in a completely random order passwords. Think of it as another layer to your security.

 

Thank you ferdinand.

Yes i may do some research on truecrypt as it seems the flavour of the day.
From what i understand it creates a virtual container file to encrypt on the fly.
Very nice.
I may give it a whirl.

Enjoy your honeymoon lol.

 

Who?

I'm not sure if TrueCrypt has any difference with BitLocker. Kinda scared to use it lol.

It won't last long. After the trial ends I'll be back to my beloved Avira.

 

I've been tempted to encrypt the entire drive with TrueCrypt but that complicates my backup plan since I would have to go from incremental/differential type backups to full backups that were the entire size of my hard drive. It would take more time and space than I have to give it.

 

I would never use my laptop in that setting. Especially outside, it was just begging to be swiped. Encryption does not prevent stupidity.

That said I have considered using encryption on my laptops.

 

YOU may not take your laptop anywhere ..
THIEVES will !!
Then they will extract all your passwords AND USE THEM -
They will also upload the 'erotic' pictures of your girlfriend to wherever !!

 

I've heard too many nightmares about not being able to decrypt files , partitions or an OS. By the rightful owners that until it becomes virtually foolproof I can't justify that chance.

 

Thats the nightmare vision i was having.

 

I'd say there are more than a few with nightmares like that. One reason I have hesitated to move forward and encrypt my laptops.

 

Problem with decrypting volumes may be not only related with user behaviours or drive failure but also with 3rd party software installed on computer in combination with encrypting software.
Here is a good example and explaination:
http://www.smokey-services.eu/forums/index.php/topic,23798.msg46980.html#msg46980

 

My laptop is housebound and not used as a portable device.
I considered Truecrypt (only briefly) but decided on a less onerous strategy – I use Safehouse Explorer and store my sensitive stuff in encrypted vaults on external USB sticks.
Now I know Safehouse Explorer is only rinky dink encryption (256 bit Twofish) but it serves as nuisance value in the event of thieves nicking my laptop from my home. By the time the would be thieves unencrypted the vaults (if at all) – it would be too late for them to use the information contained.
(Well, they could come back and have another go at ransacking my home, I suppose!)

Anyway, damage\loss would be mitigated due to the following:
1. Loss of laptop would be most inconvenient – but covered by my insurance (although I would probably have withdrawal symptoms until I got a newbie!)
2. I would have my online banking account immediately frozen until further notice. (no joy there for the thieves)
3. Nothing sensitive stored in my Email accounts (of course I would have to trash them and create new ones)
4. I have 3 external HDDs with system images – only one located in the obvious postion next to the laptop (the other 2 stored elsewhere) – so I could restore my current system to a new computer no problems.

Not perfect – but what is?

 

Encrypting everything is an overkill, what is the point of encrypting Windows files (excluding a pagefile)? It only slows down a computer and can cripple the system.

 

And sell they shall, even for a measly $0. I'm currently using Truecrypt System Encryption and Favourite Volume (on larger internal HDD), because it's better being safe than sorry (although it only served as outer volume so far ). If you think Windows only leaks private info in a pagefile, then sadly you're naive.

What about my backup plan? AX64 Time Machine (which can restore with Windows running) to Favourite Volume and Wondershare LiveBoot (entire encrypted SSD) to external HDD. Nightmare solved.

The only noteworthy issue for me is that the thief will be harder to track with Prey.

 

Well that depends, what you consider to be private, like photos of your cat. Encrypted files are opening in an container, so they are secured, like Axcrypt.

 

Maybe personal would've been more accurate, but I consider things that CCleaner cleans to be private, and probably more considering the close-sourced nature of Windows.

 

I think privacy is not only about to protect content of important for you files but also to protect information about what you did - in meaning what files/folders you opened/ran and from what location, when you logged, what websites you visited, what you downloaded, etc.
Note that file names can also reveal information.
Run popular on Wilders, LastActivityView:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/computer_activity_view.html
To see all Shellbags reg. keys and what haven't been removed by your fav cleaner.
But LAV is not the only tool available, there are few more powerful like COFEE.
As J_L mentioned Windows doesn't only leaks private info via pagefile.

 

Or any operating system. I tend to agree with this. It's yet another factor on why I have not gone full encryption. I do use container files for selected data.

 

This is why I NEVER leave my laptop unattended while using it from outdoor. I wouldn't even trust anyone to attend it for me because they could swipe it away from me. And cops ain't doing **** to catch the theft. You gotta protect yourself; cops are much more likely to beat you up than protect you.

 

Indeed it does.

 

I am amazed at the responses here On Wilder's Privacy Section? Blasphemy!

TC on an SSD (and even a 7500rpm drive) is pretty darn fast these days. I hardly notice it on a Core i3 with a spinning disk.

Theft isn't the only reason to do it. There is more government level snooping going on these days, then you can shake a stick at. JMO.

PD

 

PD I believe all these speed issues are connected with CPU's that do not support AES-NI.
It's not needed but without this feature encryption is slower in benchmarks, but in reality there is no noticeable slow down (after system partition encryption) if you have at least two core CPU.

 

Cripple the system? How old is your computer? FDE on a modern laptop (say...since 2006...) wouldn't cause a speed hit at all. In fact, even default services running in Windows slow down a modern PC more than FDE.

 

I use TC with full encryption on the HHD on old travel laptop. It's a Asus W5F. Intel Core 2 Duo T5600, 2.5GB ram, 100GB HDD. No issues; I noticed no discernable difference in speed. I take it abroad all the time.