Windows Encryption Software

Fri Dec 10 15:58:48 UTC 2010

On Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 8:21 AM, Florian Weimer <fw at deneb.enyo.de> wrote:
> Software-based solutions have the advantage that they are somewhat
> more testable and reviewable.  If it's all in the disk, you can't
> really be sure that the data is encrypted with a static key, and the
> passphrase is used for access control only.  The latter approach seems
> to be somewhat common with encrypting storage devices, unfortunately.

It's not just common; it's the official standard. The API doesn't let
you set the key or read the bare data. It let's you input a password
to unlock both drive and encryption key and it let's you tell the
drive to generate a new encryption key ("cryptographic erase"). So
yes, you have to trust that the manufacturer is doing what they claim.

This caused me some concern when I first got it, but at the end of the
day I'm not trying to protect my files from someone with the resources
to reconfigure hard drives in a way that allows them to go after the
raw data without entering the password. I'm trying to protect them
from the casual roadside thief.

-Bill

-- 
William D. Herrin ................ herrin at dirtside.com  bill at herrin.us
3005 Crane Dr. ...................... Web: <http://bill.herrin.us/>
Falls Church, VA 22042-3004