Security

[Tiffany]

Hi,

I would like to know what is the best way to protect my PC from unauthorized
person. I can set password for my PC which I have already done so. But what
if my PC is stolen, any person can still access my hard drive. I read about
encryption from the internet? Is this the best way. If so, can i encrypt the
whole hard drive? What should I have in order to do so?

Kindly advise.

Thank you.

 

[Jesper Ravn]

Hi,

I would like to know what is the best way to protect my PC from
unauthorized
person. I can set password for my PC which I have already done so. But
what
if my PC is stolen, any person can still access my hard drive. I read
about
encryption from the internet? Is this the best way. If so, can i encrypt
the
whole hard drive? What should I have in order to do so?

Hello Tiffany

You can use Bitlocker in Vista *IF* you have the right edition (Enterprise
or Ultimate).
I agree that's hard to find the logic in that. Thats why no one knows about
Bitlocker in generel.
If you have the Business Edition, you can also use EFS ( Encrypted File
System).

A good alternative is TrueCrypt (freeware).
http://www.truecrypt.org/

/Jesper

 

[Gordon]

Hi,

I would like to know what is the best way to protect my PC from
unauthorized
person. I can set password for my PC which I have already done so. But
what
if my PC is stolen, any person can still access my hard drive. I read
about
encryption from the internet? Is this the best way. If so, can i encrypt
the
whole hard drive? What should I have in order to do so?

Kindly advise.

Thank you.

The other answer is to keep all sensitive data on a removable drive -
something like an encrypted flash drive, and keep that locked up....

 

[peter]

Little drastic isn't it??
unless of course you are in a very sensitive job and then your company
should supply you with the means to secure
your work. I know I would not be encrypting the whole HD only that directory
where I saved my work to, and be aware that
it does require a "password" and as such can be cracked by someone
determined enough or worse forgotten.
A fingerprint reader is a good security measure and there are programs out
there that allow you to set them up in such a manner
that once you have saved your work to a flash drive/external HD it cannot be
accessed unless use the fingerprint reader.
This way your secure work is never on the computer.
Locks only keep honest people out...any crook determined enough will get
past any lock.

peter

 

[Jesper Ravn]

Little drastic isn't it??
unless of course you are in a very sensitive job and then your company
should supply you with the means to secure
your work. I know I would not be encrypting the whole HD only that
directory
where I saved my work to, and be aware that
it does require a "password" and as such can be cracked by someone
determined enough or worse forgotten.
A fingerprint reader is a good security measure and there are programs out
there that allow you to set them up in such a manner
that once you have saved your work to a flash drive/external HD it cannot
be
accessed unless use the fingerprint reader.
This way your secure work is never on the computer.
Locks only keep honest people out...any crook determined enough will get
past any lock.

Hi Peter

Today we have our whole life on the laptop (personal data/pictures, bank,
family and friends informations)
To me that's sensitive data. So I think its a fair question.
If we are talking about a laptop I think the "fingerprint reader/USB device
solution" is breaking the design. Hint... laptop = travel/mobile device.
Also if "Fingerprint Scanner" takes place at windows login, you can bypass
it by taking the hard drive out, etc.

/Jesper

 

[FromTheRafters]

Hi,

I would like to know what is the best way to protect my PC from
unauthorized
person.

Secure space (physical security), a strong password, and a good
firewall.

I can set password for my PC which I have already done so. But what
if my PC is stolen, any person can still access my hard drive.

There is no security for a stolen computer.

I read about encryption from the internet? Is this the best way.

It is the *only* way - if it is the data (not the computer) that you
want to secure.

If so, can i encrypt the whole hard drive?
Yes.

What should I have in order to do so?

TPM (Trusted Platform Module) - this is hardware.
Operating system that supports the TPM's function.

It can be done without TPM, but with TPM is better I think.