Available exclusively in Windows Vista
Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption is designed
to help ensure the privacy of sensitive data by encryption. BitLocker
Drive Encryption addresses the very real threats of data theft or
exposure from lost, stolen or inappropriately decommissioned PC hardware
with a tightly integrated solution in the Windows Operating System.
BitLocker prevents a thief who boots another operating system or runs a
software hacking tool from breaking Windows Vista file and system
protections or performing offline viewing of the files stored on the
protected drive.
Although the default configuration of BitLocker requires a Trust
Platform Module, the fact of the matter is that TPMs are rare in use
outside of corporate environments, but users will be able to use the
tool nonetheless, although without some functionality. With Windows
Vista SP1, the Redmond company will also allow users to encrypt
additional volumes on top of the operating system drive, protected by
default.
"During computer startup, if BitLocker detects a system condition that
could represent a security risk (for example, disk errors, a change to
the BIOS , or changes to any startup files), it will lock the drive and
require a special BitLocker recovery password to unlock it. Make sure
that you create this recovery password when you turn on BitLocker for
the first time; otherwise, you could permanently lose access to your
files", is the warning Microsoft provides with the use of BitLocker.
|
