Resolved Is FileVault the best option for external SSD encryption?

[Populus]

Hello,

My Mac is encrypted with FileVault, the macOS native tool. However, I want to encrypt with password my external drives, which are also formatted in APFS.

The drives are Samsung T7, and they come with their own Samsung software to enable some sort of what they call hardware encryption, using their software. But I prefer not to install their software on my Mac.

So my question is, is it better to use Samsung own tools to encrypt this T7 SSDs? Or using FileVault to encrypt them is as safe as using Samsung tools?

 

[unrigestered]

the samsung software is there for people who somehow don't already have access to good encryption software
i would always use Apple's native APFS encrypted format, but that's just me and i'm sure that at least encryption wise, the Samsung one will work as flawlessly aswell.

you will just have to install additional software in case of the Samsung route and i am not sure if it will allow for convenience features like including the passcode into your keychain

 

[antoine23]

Do you know if the Samsung encryption is compatible with other OS? I think Filevault is exclusive to mac

 

[Fishrrman]

I don't encrypt drives because I WANT them to be easy to "get at".

However, if you're going to use encryption, I would go with unrigestered said above about using ONLY Apple encryption.

I would completely erase the t7 drives first using disk utility -- leaving none of the Samsung pre-installed software on them.

 

[Populus]

However, if you're going to use encryption, I would go with unrigestered said above about using ONLY Apple encryption.

I would completely erase the t7 drives first using disk utility -- leaving none of the Samsung pre-installed software on them.

Yeah, that’s what I did with one of them, and I’ll probably do the same with the rest.

Do you know if the Samsung encryption is compatible with other OS? I think Filevault is exclusive to mac

As far as compatibility, I don’t care too much, tbh. All I use are macs and iPad/iPhone. Also, my drives are APFS formatted, so that alone makes them already difficult to use with other OS.

Anyways, I have one or two mechanical drives formatted to exFAT in case I need a compatible, OS agnostic drive to copy files to/from.

 

[Isamilis]

I would use Apple's FileVault to ensure compatibility and reliability. I heard few years ago, some 3rd party encryption caused data loss due to compatibility issues with new OS version etc.

 

[madmin]

I have experience of using Samsung T5s and T7s and have used both APFS encryption and Filevault encryption with zero issues. I've never tried Samsung's encryption though.

Off the top of my head:

APFS: create the volume with encryption. If you want it to load without a password prompt allow the password to be saved to the keychain when you mount it.

Filevault: In order to have a bootable Superduper full backup you have to format with APFS non-encrypted, run a full backup and then boot to that exterior backup disk. You then run Filevault encryption while booted. Return to booting from the internal drive where you can now run smart updates (incremental) backups to the encrypted T7. You can also use the keychain to remember the Filevault password (although I don't do that so can't be 100% sure).

 

[Populus]

I have experience of using Samsung T5s and T7s and have used both APFS encryption and Filevault encryption with zero issues. I've never tried Samsung's encryption though.

Off the top of my head:

APFS: create the volume with encryption. If you want it to load without a password prompt allow the password to be saved to the keychain when you mount it.

Filevault: In order to have a bootable Superduper full backup you have to format with APFS non-encrypted, run a full backup and then boot to that exterior backup disk. You then run Filevault encryption while booted. Return to booting from the internal drive where you can now run smart updates (incremental) backups to the encrypted T7. You can also use the keychain to remember the Filevault password (although I don't do that so can't be 100% sure).

Thanks for the extensive reply!

Yes, I mistake FileVault with the APFS encrypted formatting, but although they should share the same technology, they are different procedures.

Okay, it’s all clear now, many thanks to everyone! I’ll format the drive with APFS encrypted as I already did with the first one.

Cheers.

 

[erratix]

I have experience of using Samsung T5s and T7s and have used both APFS encryption and Filevault encryption with zero issues. I've never tried Samsung's encryption though.

Off the top of my head:

APFS: create the volume with encryption. If you want it to load without a password prompt allow the password to be saved to the keychain when you mount it.

Filevault: In order to have a bootable Superduper full backup you have to format with APFS non-encrypted, run a full backup and then boot to that exterior backup disk. You then run Filevault encryption while booted. Return to booting from the internal drive where you can now run smart updates (incremental) backups to the encrypted T7. You can also use the keychain to remember the Filevault password (although I don't do that so can't be 100% sure).

Thank you for this complete explanation. This is exactly my usecase (need to have bootable, encrypted Superduper volume), and I was already wondering why Superduper created a NEW, unencrypted APFS volume when I told him to use the encrypted volume.
I looked in the Superduper manual but there was no mention of encrypted volumes.