Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#11

Post by ditoa » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:13 AM UTC

"On computers without a compatible TPM, BitLocker can provide encryption, but not the added security of locking keys with the TPM. In this case, the user is required to create a startup key that is stored on a USB flash drive."

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/BitLocker-D...

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#12

Post by thibaut_barrere » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:16 AM UTC

Yes I do (since a few months):

- http://agilewebsolutions.com/knox (one vault per client) on Mac OS X, including all db data if any

- http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password for all small-sized sensitive data (eg: production access, passwords etc), with an automated crypted backup

I'm looking for a reliable and as seamless solution for Windows at my pace (not a big need).

Something I'm also looking at is a way to securely erase all the free space on Mac OS X (to remove past data), as well as something that really works to find sensitive data (where I could define what sensitive means).

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#13

Post by thibaut_barrere » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:18 AM UTC

tooto wrote: post #2

yes .. because I can. My macbook was stolen out of my flat this year and it was a good feeling not to have to worry about the data. don't get why you would encrypt your whole disk though. the home is all I need encrypted.

You may need to ensure your databases (eg mysql) don't have data that require attention, too.

That's why I'm slowly moving from a general mysql/mongo/redis instance toward a per-folder instance that I run when I need it.

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#14

Post by bobds » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:23 AM UTC

I use Truecrypt but there's also FreeOTFE, which is supposed to be "more" open source than TC.

I don't use whole-disk encryption but I have almost all my applications on the encrypted partition, thanks to PortableApps (http://portableapps.com/). As a bonus it's very easy to backup all my PortableApps data, as well as take everything on an external drive and start working on a different computer (provided it has Truecrypt).

Edit: link to FreeOTFE: http://www.freeotfe.org/

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#15

Post by paolomaffei » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:27 AM UTC

Not meaning to be a jackass but realize that maybe if you downloaded (and maybe already deleted!) that porn video with that girl that might or not might be 18 you could be in big troubles if you don't have your full disk encrypted.

Edit: or other things that would be ok but can be used against you by law enforcement, for example what about your collection of pirated MP3s or DivX?

Is this more acceptable than accidentally downloading porn with someone that might look underage? (Or having looked at it because some trolled linked it to you)

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#16

Post by dublinclontarf » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:33 AM UTC

To those who use single folder encryption or recommend it you at serious risk. Applications leak data, they write temporary files in places you never expect etc.

Folder based encryption will not provide protection, only whole disk encryption.

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#17

Post by BTBurke » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:35 AM UTC

I use encrypted LVM on linux which works great. I've used TrueCrypt in the past and that works too, although I had some stability problems with the software in Windows.

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#18

Post by Zak » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:43 AM UTC

I started using ecryptfs on my /home partition when my last laptop got stolen. I suspect there's some potential for leakage through /tmp and swap, but I suspect most likely attackers aren't that sophisticated. Should I be concerned? Are there easy ways to plug the gaps?

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#19

Post by bobds » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:43 AM UTC

paolomaffei wrote: post #15

Not meaning to be a jackass but realize that maybe if you downloaded (and maybe already deleted!) that porn video with that girl that might or not might be 18 you could be in big troubles if you don't have your full disk encrypted. Edit: or other things that would be ok but can be used against you by law enforcement, for example what about your collection of pirated MP3s or DivX? Is this more acceptable than accident…

An encrypted disk could also get you in a position where you have to give up your password. Be careful with your porn-filled encrypted hard drive.

Re: Ask HN: Do you encrypt your laptop's hard disk?

#20

Post by sashthebash » Sun, Sep 12, 2010, 8:47 AM UTC

I am using Espionage (http://www.taoeffect.com/espionage/) on my Mac. Working great, I wanted to avoid whole-drive encryption for performance reasons and only encrypt what is necessary (my work related files, pictures, videos, etc).