Software or Hardware Full Disk Encryption?

About this interactive

Encrypting single files and folders leaves the rest of the disk, including the operating system, open to tampering, and it depends on remembering to do it. Full disk encryption protects the whole drive at once, so a lost or stolen disk reveals nothing, the operating system included. It is done two ways. Software-based full disk encryption is a program running on the computer that does the encrypting: BitLocker on Windows, or tools like TrueCrypt and BestCrypt. Hardware-based full disk encryption is a self-encrypting drive, bought as such, whose own electronics encrypt everything written to it with no software involved. A TPM is often used alongside either one to unlock the disk automatically at boot, but the TPM is not what does the bulk encryption. To sort a card, ask what does the encrypting: a program on the computer, or the drive itself.

What you'll learn

Distinguish software-based full disk encryption, done by a program on the computer, from hardware-based full disk encryption, done by the drive itself
Explain why encrypting the whole disk, rather than single files or folders, protects the operating system and everything stored on it

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

1.4 Explain the importance of using appropriate cryptographic solutions.

Key terms

Full Disk Encryption: Full Disk Encryption is a method of encrypting all data on a storage device at the hardware or software level, ensuring that data remains inaccessible if the device is lost or stolen without the proper authentication credentials or decryption key.
Self-encrypting Drive: Self-encrypting Drive is a storage device with built-in hardware encryption that automatically encrypts all written data using an embedded key, providing data-at-rest protection without OS overhead.
BitLocker: BitLocker is Microsoft Windows' built-in full-volume encryption feature that uses AES to protect data on drives, leveraging TPM hardware to bind encryption keys to a specific system configuration.
Trusted Platform Module: Trusted Platform Module is a dedicated hardware security chip embedded in devices that provides a hardware root of trust for secure boot, cryptographic key storage, and platform attestation, protecting sensitive keys from software-level compromise.

Topics

Interactive Streak Sort

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