Hard disk encryption can protect data on laptops or PCs from hacker attacks. However, there are different types of hard disk encryption. You can find out what these are and how to find the right encryption method in this article.
Hard disk encryption is a data protection measure. It prevents data from being easily copied or stolen from the hard disk.
This works by converting the data. The information on the hard disk is converted into a format during hard disk encryption. This format is completely useless without the corresponding key.
The big advantage of encryption is that systems and programs cannot simply crack or bypass it. The converted data can only be restored to its original form and used with the corresponding key. Neither other people nor other systems know this key and cannot simply find it out.
Hard disk encryption is therefore a very reliable data protection tool. The type of encryption that makes the most sense depends on what you want to encrypt.
There are basically two types of hard disk encryption: full-disk encryption (FDE) and file-level encryption (FLE). The difference lies in the selection of encrypted data and the application options.
The FDE encrypts a hard disk completely. All data on it is then protected. This also includes the computer’s operating system. However, the encryption must be removed in order to use the hard disk. This means that encryption is only active when the computer is not in use. The data is therefore only protected against physical access. Hacker attacks via the Internet are still a threat.
Windows has an integrated FLE called BitLocker already pre-installed. On Windows systems (Windows 10 and higher), the hard disk is therefore protected by BitLocker outside of operation.
With FLE, on the other hand, selected files, directories or file systems are encrypted. These are then also protected throughout. Hackers therefore have no access to these files in the event of an attack. However, they can still cause damage to unencrypted files.
It is also possible to use both types of encryption on one hard disk. Then you have double protection and the hard disk is as secure as it can be.
Finding the right method for yourself is not difficult at all. If you only want to protect certain data, the FLE is sufficient. This can be useful for a private laptop, for example, if private documents from the bank or insurance companies are stored on the hard disk.
For company laptops, on the other hand, the FDE is a good choice. There is usually a lot of internal data stored on the company computer that should not fall into the wrong hands. Complete protection therefore makes sense.
The level of protection also depends to some extent on the encryption method selected. There are symmetric and asymmetric systems that create encryption in different numbers of bits. The higher the bit number, the more complex the encryption. And therefore correspondingly more difficult to crack.
Some systems even anonymize the data to provide additional protection. Files are renamed in addition to being encrypted. It is no longer even possible to recognize what is behind a file.
Hard disk encryption is a sensible step in data protection. Whether you want to protect just a few pieces of data or your entire hard drive, encryption keeps your data safe from unauthorized access.
It is important to decide how secure the data should be, as the chosen system and encryption method depend on this.
Incidentally, the encryption of personal data is explicitly proposed in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Even if encryption is not mandatory, violations of the GDPR can result in severe penalties. Then you will wish you had encrypted the data. The GDPR proposal is therefore sensible and easy to implement with the appropriate software.
