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Best way to encrypt my windows 7?
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Best way to encrypt my windows 7?

Hello,

I want to encrypt my windows 7 ultimate in case my laptop is lost or stolen, and I'm wondering what's the best encryption tool out there?

Is it safe to use bitlocker, or maybe VeraCrypt?

Or any other suggestions?

Thanks

«1

Comments

  • Falco33Falco33 Member
    edited February 2015

    TrueCrypt 7.1a

  • it is safe to use bitlocker, infact its the defacto encryption for win.laptops where i work.
    make sure you write the keys incase you locked yourself.

    Thanked by 2Hybrid Mark_R
  • I'm alway using BestCrypt Volume Encryption from jetico.com, not free, best one of the best out there. :D Before I mixed with BC and TrueCrypt. But now, only BC.

    Thanked by 1Hybrid
  • Truecrypt or EncFS (I like EncFS because it encrypts each file individually).

    Thanked by 1Hybrid
  • BitLocker is the way to go. While it is possible that some 3 letter agency has a backdoor in it, common criminals and police can't break it.

    Thanked by 1Mark_R
  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran
    edited February 2015

    gsrdgrdghd said: common criminals and police can't break it.

    If there is a backdoor, both police and criminals as well as regular people with some effort will manage to get hold of it, it is not like MS has a spotless record there, not to mention the agencies where people work and people make mistakes or can be bought. Anything trojaned or backdoored is not safe, no matter how small is the number of the people which officially have access to it.
    OTOH, using windows and other closed source applications even on linux is even less safe, so, OP may not care for this vector of attack.

    Thanked by 2Hybrid 0xdragon
  • @Falco33 said:
    TrueCrypt 7.1a

    You know TrueCrypt development halted and their website states it is not considered secure and contains unfixed security issues. Many people took this to mean one of the 3 letter agencies forced them to weaken the software in some way and issued a gag order, so they couldn't say "Hey this shit is backdoored" but they could quit working on it and say it has unfixed issues and is no longer maintained. just something to keep in mind.

    I don't use Windows as a primary OS so I can't offer any advice, just wanted ot make sure people are aware of TrueCrypt. If it's just your average petty crooks you're worried about it's probably safe enough. Or run Linux with LUKS/LVM and keep Windows inside a VM where it belongs :)

  • im_jmz said: You know TrueCrypt development halted and their website states it is not considered secure and contains unfixed security issues

    TC 7.1a was independently verified as secure and can be obtained on https://truecrypt.ch/ . We don't know what happened to TC as company but it's likely a gag order from someone.

    Thanked by 1netomx
  • Another vote for DiskCryptor.

    Thanked by 1Hybrid
  • @im_jmz said:

    Like William said. 7.1a is been verified and is secure.

  • im_jmz said: You know TrueCrypt development halted and their website states it is not considered secure and contains unfixed security issues.

    No. It states that it MAY contain unfixed security issues. Truecrypt was audited and found to be secure.

  • Thanks guys,

    I think I'm gonna try DiskCryptor and see how it goes.

  • Good choice, I'm using DiskCryptor on several machines and even servers - it works flawless.

    Thanked by 1geekalot
  • You also have to think, why do you encrypt your computer and for who?
    If it just to secure your content if a common thief steal your computer, almost every encryption software will work, since a common thief, don't use time to try to hack your drive. They just want to delete the content on the disk, and sell the computer for a few bucks.

    If you have company or other sensitive data on your computer, are you afraid of the government stealing your computer and try to get access to them? If yes, you need to get a really good encryption software, maybe several.

  • i use linux dmcrypt and vmware or vbox for windows 7

  • howardsl2howardsl2 Member
    edited February 2015

    FYI, Bitlocker is ONLY available for the Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, the Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2008 and later. (from Wikipedia)

    If you are using Windows 7 "Home Premium" which comes pre-installed on most new computers, then you are out of luck - the Bitlocker option won't show in the control panel.

    Edit: Just noticed that the OP uses Win7 Ultimate - Bitlocker is available.

  • @bashed said:
    i use linux dmcrypt and vmware or vbox for windows 7

    ^^ This. LUKS + Linux on baremetal with unencrypted Windows as a VM -only- ... (whether Linux desktop or server, i.e. Proxmox / whether Windows desktop or Server) ........ FTW.

    Thanked by 1im_jmz
  • Maybe get one of those new'ish Samsung EVO SSD's - they have built in hardware encryption that integrates into Bitlocker (much faster than software encryption, some would say more secure). Alternatively, if your BIOS supports it, these drives can use Class 0 encryption (before the bootloader is even loaded).

  • NeoonNeoon Community Contributor, Veteran
    edited February 2015

    Do you believe in closed Source entcryption tools owned from a Company which has the NSA in there but? How the fuck can you use BitLocker.

    Thanked by 1TarZZ92
  • im_jmzim_jmz Member
    edited February 2015

    @4n0nx said: No. It states that it MAY contain unfixed security issues. Truecrypt was audited and found to be secure.

    It flat out says "Truecrypt is not secure" on the website, as it "may" contain unfixed security issues. The key part here is where the people who wrote the fucking software begin with "Truecrypt is not secure"... And I do believe they only completed Phase I of the audit, but to be honest I could care less.

    I'm not going to use software when the developer's flat out say "This is not secure" and abandon the project. That's a big red flag in my book, but feel free to use whatever you like.

  • im_jmz said: It flat out says "Truecrypt is not secure" on the website, as it "may" contain unfixed security issues. The key part here is where the people who wrote the fucking software begin

    it was all strange how it happened probably got a us govt special order. Truecrypt is quite safe.

    where they could not tell of such an order (similiar to lavabit)

  • Infinity580 said: Do you believe in closed Source entcryption tools owned from a Company which has the NSA in there but? How the fuck can you use BitLocker.

    If you have the NSA after you, there's some other variables you should consider - like who did you kill?

    Anyway, Bitlocker uses TPM, unlike the many suggestions here. This adds a whole new level of security where your password is not the weakest link. The TPM effectively prevents brute force attacks on supported hardware.

    There is no evidence that supports Microsoft has any backdoors in any of their code. Any thoughts otherwise are created from emotional fear, ignorance, personal biases, and not from logic and evidence. :)

  • @Silvenga said:
    There is no evidence that supports Microsoft has any backdoors in any of their code. Any thoughts otherwise are created from emotional fear, ignorance, personal biases, and not from logic and evidence. :)

    I'm sorry, but that is wrong.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Online_Forensic_Evidence_Extractor

  • im_jmz said: I'm not going to use software when the developer's flat out say "This is not secure" and abandon the project, while suggesting to use closed source software developed by a company that was involved with PRISM.

    yes. great.

  • SilvengaSilvenga Member
    edited February 2015

    Traffic said: I'm sorry, but that is wrong.

    That's not a backdoor, lookup backdoor on Wikipedia. Backtrack can do this easily if the user has the skill. COFEE can be see as a nice GUI for ignorant law enforcement officials without the resources of major departments. We are still at "There is no evidence that supports Microsoft has any backdoors".

  • Silvenga said: There is no evidence that supports Microsoft has any backdoors in any of their code. Any thoughts otherwise are created from emotional fear, ignorance, personal biases, and not from logic and evidence. :)

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data
    Very much personal bias when they say they have to comply with whatever they are told to do.

  • I love how you paranoid people really think encryption is going to stop the NSA. They hire people that are far more capable than you at writing and cracking encryptions far more advanced than what the average IT person uses.

  • TrafficTraffic Member
    edited February 2015

    @Silvenga said:
    That's not a backdoor, lookup backdoor on Wikipedia. Backtrack can do this easily if the user has the skill. COFEE can be see as a nice GUI for ignorant law enforcement officials without the resources of major departments. We are still at "There is no evidence that supports Microsoft has any backdoors".

    I must say you are right.

  • SilvengaSilvenga Member
    edited February 2015

    4n0nx said: Very much personal bias when they say they have to comply with whatever they are told to do.

    I'm not sure what you said, but there is a huge difference between allowing a government agency access to hosted services and adding backdoors to code. We aren't even talking about the same departments (Sysops/IT vs engineers/designers).

    Again, there is no evidence that Microsoft has coded backdoors into Windows.

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