Encrypting my Windows Partition

[827538]

Hi,

I know its easy and straight forward to encrypt my OS X partition as well as have a firmware password. But I also have Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 installed via bootcamp, I'm wondering what would be the best and most straight forward way to encrypt this partition?
Thanks

 

[mlts22]

Hi,

I know its easy and straight forward to encrypt my OS X partition as well as have a firmware password. But I also have Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 installed via bootcamp, I'm wondering what would be the best and most straight forward way to encrypt this partition?
Thanks

I would probably go with TrueCrypt (have to find a mirror, as it is no longer maintained, but still useful), or go with VeraCrypt. If you don't mind spending money, BestCrypt is something I have used for years.

Another alternative is to run VMWare or Parallels... both can encrypt Windows VMs.

 

[yjchua95]

Hi,

I know its easy and straight forward to encrypt my OS X partition as well as have a firmware password. But I also have Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 installed via bootcamp, I'm wondering what would be the best and most straight forward way to encrypt this partition?
Thanks

BitLocker. But I'm not sure whether it's supported on a Mac or not, because BitLocker requires a TPM chip (if I remember right).

 

[827538]

Thanks, I might just wait until Windows 10 comes out and encrypt everything then.

Is there any further steps needed after Firmware password + partitions encrypted to make this thing truly secure?

 

[yjchua95]

Thanks, I might just wait until Windows 10 comes out and encrypt everything then.

Is there any further steps needed after Firmware password + partitions encrypted to make this thing truly secure?

Nope. Encrypting every partition plus an EFI password is already the most you can do.

Unless, you don't mind creating a separate encrypted large DMG file for you to put all your data inside. That'd make it double-encrypted.

 

[doynton]

BitLocker. But I'm not sure whether it's supported on a Mac or not, because BitLocker requires a TPM chip (if I remember right).

It doesn't require TPM (you can use a password or a USB) but 7 Pro doesn't include bitlocker - you need enterprise or ultimate.

 

[yjchua95]

It doesn't require TPM (you can use a password or a USB) but 7 Pro doesn't include bitlocker - you need enterprise or ultimate.

Well...

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.

 

[doynton]

Well...

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.

Well yes, exactly. Macs don't have TPM - what is your suggestion? Solder one in?

 

[yjchua95]

Well yes, exactly. Macs don't have TPM - what is your suggestion? Solder one in?

Just use the half-baked BitLocker solution that's for systems without TPM, or better still, if the OP wants to encrypt everything completely, don't use Windows.

 

[doynton]

Just use the half-baked BitLocker solution that's for systems without TPM, or better still, if the OP wants to encrypt everything completely, don't use Windows.

A wonderful macrumors answer

"How do I do something in Windows?"

"Don't use Windows"

 

[827538]

I've not got anything to hide so I don't need national security levels of encryption. Just enough so I know that if I lose my laptop there's virtually no chance of them ever getting at my data. Some of us need to use Windows.

So to recap it would be fine to use an EFI password (as I currently do), Filevault on OS X and Bitlocker on Windows?