Archive for the 'BitLocker' Category
Windows Vista: Using BitLocker on a non-TPM system, step by step
Saturday, March 10th, 2007BitLocker, a function available in Microsoft’s Vista Enterprise and Ultimate versions, let you encrypt on a system drive, something that wasn’t possible in previous versions of Windows without a third-party product. Typically, in order to use BitLocker, you need a system with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) hardware, version 1.2 or better — something that a [...]
Enable BitLocker with a USB drive
Friday, February 16th, 2007Windows Vista Ultimate’s new drive encryption feature BitLocker supposedly works with a regular USB drive. But if you pulled your hair out trying to enable it using Microsoft’s non-existent documentation (like I did), the good folks at O’Reilly’s Hackszine offer a detailed, screenshot-laden tutorial. (The secret sauce, it turns out, is in a Vista Ultimate [...]
Vista encryption no threat to computer forensics
Sunday, February 4th, 2007Security advances in Windows Vista are unlikely to frustrate cybercrime investigation, according to a leading computer forensics firm. Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Vista include a feature that provides data volume encryption called BitLocker Drive Encryption. Suggestions that BitLocker contains a backdoor allowing law enforcement agencies automatic access to encrypted volumes have been robustly denied [...]
Gartner Dings Vista On BitLocker
Saturday, February 3rd, 2007Microsoft’s decision to offer whole disk encryption in only some of the Windows Vista editions leaves many users without one of the new operating system’s most important security features, a Gartner analyst argued. "At the Vista kickoff, Steve Ballmer was asked, ‘How important is BitLocker?’ In his typical booming response, Ballmer said, ‘hugely important’," said [...]
How to use Windows Vista Boot Manager to boot Linux
Saturday, February 3rd, 2007The Web is full of explanations on how to dual boot Windows and Linux using a Linux boot manager like GRUB or LILO. If you want to dual boot Windows Vista and Linux using Windows Vista’s Boot Manager, please read on. I will assume that you already have installed Linux on your machine using GRUB [...]
A best practice guide on how to configure BitLocker (Part 2)
Thursday, January 25th, 2007A look at BitLocker from an Active Directory point of view and a look at BitLocker and TPM configuration using Group Policies and how to perform key recovery.If you missed the first part in this article series please read A best practice guide on how to configure BitLocker (Part 1). In the first part of [...]
BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows Vista
Friday, January 19th, 2007As expected, Windows Vista is loaded with system enhancements and cool new features, especially when it comes to security. Encrypting File System (EFS) never really caught on due to its shortcomings. Among other things, EFS is a file encryption method which is useful under certain circumstances, but it’s not an ideal solution when it comes [...]
A best practice guide on how to configure BitLocker (Part 1)
Monday, January 8th, 2007Windows Vista is here, and with Vista we get a lot of new exciting security features. One of the most exciting security features in Vista is Windows BitLocker drive encryption. BitLocker is a full-volume encryption tool that supports custom protection and authentication methods. However the user and support experience can be a mixed blessing, depending [...]
Windows Vista and the secret of full disk encryption
Saturday, December 16th, 2006When I talk to large enterprises, they tend to be either deploying or planning to deploy PC encryption tools, especially for laptops. This is no longer a "nice to have;" it has become a "gotta have."
With Windows XP or older versions, this means adding on full disk encryption utilities from vendors like GuardianEdge, PGP, PointSec [...]
Getting BitLocker to work
Sunday, November 12th, 2006BitLocker does work, it seems.
My queries to Dell about BitLocker and their OptiPlex 745 corporate desktop paid off, and the company this week sent me a tool to upgrade the Bios firmware of the system.
The upgrade itself is a single executable file that lets you upgrade the Bios from within Windows. This is a welcome [...]
