Is FileVault the best encryption solution?

[Yoms]

Hi,

I'd like to encrypt my whole disk using FileVault on a 2018 MBP (using recovery key and not the iCloud account).

Is FileVault the best choice? I've read that its encryption algorithm is not state of the art. Or is there a better free alternative?

Thanks,

 

[mj_]

No idea what you read and where, but FileVault 2 uses AES-256-XTS which happens to be one of the strongest encryption algorithms to date. FileVault 1 still relied on AES-128-CBC, which is also considered very safe even in 2019.

Either way that's a moot point. If you are looking at whole disk filesystem encryption there is no alternative to FileVault.

 

[Yoms]

No idea what you read and where, but FileVault 2 uses AES-256-XTS which happens to be one of the strongest encryption algorithms to date. FileVault 1 still relied on AES-128-CBC, which is also considered very safe even in 2019.

Either way that's a moot point. If you are looking at whole disk filesystem encryption there is no alternative to FileVault.

I read 128 instead of 256... But I think I got things mixed up with iCloud encryption.
Thanks.

 

[CoastalOR]

I'd like to encrypt my whole disk using FileVault on a 2018 MBP (using recovery key and not the iCloud account).
Is FileVault the best choice? I've read that its encryption algorithm is not state of the art. Or is there a better free alternative?

The 2018 MBP has the T2 chip which means your files are encrypted already.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208862
https://www.apple.com/mac/docs/Apple_T2_Security_Chip_Overview.pdf
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208344
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208198
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208330
https://eclecticlight.co/2018/11/21/welcome-to-your-new-mac-living-with-the-t2-chip/

 

[Yoms]

The 2018 MBP has the T2 chip which means your files are encrypted already.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208862
https://www.apple.com/mac/docs/Apple_T2_Security_Chip_Overview.pdf
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208344
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208198
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208330
https://eclecticlight.co/2018/11/21/welcome-to-your-new-mac-living-with-the-t2-chip/

Thanks, but at the same time Apple states:
You should also turn on FileVault for additional security, because without FileVault enabled, your encrypted SSDs automatically mount and decrypt when connected to your Mac.

Though the SSD in computers that have the Apple T2 Security Chip is encrypted, you should turn on FileVault so that your Mac requires a password to decrypt your data.

So it means that FileVault is still a worthwhile extra protection

Thanks,