Windows 10: Drive Encryption and Secure Data Wiping

Okay,

A new set of questions!

I have a 240GB SSD with Win 10 Pro, Ver. 2004, Build 19041.329 - running as sweet as a nut.

First questions.

I plan to dual-boot Linux Mint Mate 19.3 alongside the Windows installation in a separate partition (offered as part of the Linux installation as I understand it).

1) For security, the System Disk should be encrypted?

2) If so, will Linux be upset if the disk is encrypted before Linux is installed?

3) If Linux would prefer the disk to be unencrypted before installation, what effect would encrypting the drive have on the Linuz installation - or would encrypting the drive from within Windows 10 merely encrypt the Windows partition leaving the Linux partition alone?

4) For thos that have experience of dual booting Windows and Linux, are the two partitions (the Windows and the Linux partitions) treated as being completely separate and you can have one encrypted (eg Win) and the other not, the other way round (Linux encrypted) and Windows not, or both encrypted??

As part of this system upgrade (switching to Win 10 Pro from Win 7 HP and moving to SSD for the boot disk), I am re-purposing the old 5TB Toshiba X300 hard disk as a data disk.

This disk was previously acting as both the Win 7 System Disk and the Data Disk - so contains old data.

5) Can you recommend a (free) secure wipe program - FileShredder or Eraser perhaps?

6) Can I apply drive encryption to just the 5TB data drive and not the 240GB SSD System Disk? How do you go about encrypting the data disk (once sanitised?)

7) If I can, is this best done (encrypting the data drive that is) as part of a formatting process or can this be activated once the drive has started to be populated with files and folders (or doesn't it matter?)

Thanks in advance folks!

Art

Win 10 Pro, Ver. 2004, Build 19041.329

:)

 

Imation Expands Line of High-Capacity, High-Security, Hardware Encrypted USB HDDs

Imation Corp., a global scalable storage and data security company, today announced the expansion of its secure USB hard drive line with capacities of up to 1 terabyte (TB), optional biometric fingerprint authentication, and a uniquely comprehensive set of options for secure USB hard drive management.

“Enterprise and government organizations increasingly need manageable USB devices in order to provide mobile workers with the tools necessary to work where and when they want, and access the data they need in the most secure way possible,” said Lawrence Reusing, Imation’s general manager for Mobile Security. “People are increasingly turning to USB hard drives to transport large data sets. Our expanding secure hard drive offerings are in response to our customers needing increased capacity without compromising control over the devices and data.”





"Many organizations have already taken steps to encrypt and protect data on disk drives used in notebook PCs, but now need to go one step further to encrypt and protect data on personal storage devices," said John Rydning, IDC's research vice president for hard disk drives. "Imation's encrypted personal storage solutions address what is often a neglected area for data security in organizations."

Imation’s full line of secure data solutions – from USB flash drives to hard drives – allows IT administrators to provision employees with a wide array of manageable FIPS Level 3 validated secure USB devices, simplifying data security for travelers, teleworkers, and contractors.

Imation also offers IT administrators the industry’s most comprehensive device provisioning and management solutions with advanced features such as remote kill, device recycling, and compliance reporting. Imation delivers unique features and controls to meet Enterprise and Government customer needs, including:

• Up to 10 users per device with one-factor or two-factor authentication standard, with robust support for complex and custom password policies including length, special characters, and expiration, among other rules.
• Optional Imation ACCESS Enterprise device management, which streamlines provisioning, and offers customized security policies, deployment, and management of a few up to tens of thousands of secure portable devices across networks and security environments.
• Available administration with McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator software, enabling centralized enterprise device management, and an array of administrative capabilities, including US Government CAC/PIV card authentication and optional antivirus software that prevents malware from being transferred onto the device.

Imation secure hard drive features include:

• FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) 140-2, Level 3 validated security processor meeting the most demanding regulatory requirements.
• AES 256-bit hardware encryption, protecting data each time the USB hard drive is in use with the hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption implemented in Cipher Block Chain (CBC) mode.
• Single or dual-factor authentication, customers can choose models with password-only authentication, or password plus biometric fingerprint authentication through an ergonomic swipe sensor, to protect data at rest and ensure data access for authorized users.
• Unique tamper-evident aluminum enclosure that allows users to immediately recognize attempts to physically compromise the device.

Imation’s Secure Data, Identity and Mobile Workspace product set helps organizations protect against data loss and supports compliance strategies, providing users secure and convenient access to their data and applications wherever they are, while delivering managed security and ensuring compliance over a range of USB devices and removable media.

Imation’s secure mobile solutions are available through Imation’s network of channel partners. For more information, visit http://www.imation.com/en-US/Mobile-Security/Mobile-Security-Products/Secure-Data/.

 

Verbatim Launches A New Secure 'n' Go USB Drive, Introduces Special Security Features

Verbatim is launching a new Secure 'n' Go USB Drive addressing private users' needs of keeping data safe when carrying it around with them. The Secure 'n' Go Secure Data USB Drive offers a powerful 256bit-AES hardware-encryption and mandatory password with storage capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB and will be available in stores in June and will cost 29 Euro, 58 Euro and 99 Euro respectively (RRP).

No-one likes the thought of storing or archiving sensitive data that can be accessed by unapproved people. This can be true for many files, from private images, financial data, lists of names and addresses - basically, anything that would be considered private or confidential. With its new Secure 'n' Go USB Drive, Verbatim is addressing the increasing need of private users for total control of their portable data.





Verbatim’s new Secure Data USB Drive features mandatory password and 256 bit AES hardware encryption which ensures that the data on the drive is always encrypted and secure. Additionally, for added security, the USB device erases all data after 20 wrong password attempts. The Secure Data USB Drive is available in three storage capacities of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB and will cost 29 Euro, 58 Euro and 99 Euro respectively (RRP).

• Secure Data Storage
• Mandatory Password
• 100% Data Encryption
• User Interface in English, German, Spanish, Italian, French
• Compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7 (32bit version)
• More Green, Less Plastic: 90% less plastic than standard Clamshell packaging.

 

Imation Launches Newest IronKey Hardware-Encrypted Secure Flash Drives

Imation Corp., a global scalable storage and data security company, today announced availability of its next-generation IronKey S250 and D250 hardware-encrypted flash drives. Widely known as The World's Most Secure Flash Drives, the newest IronKey flash drives feature faster performance, a redesigned control panel that supports multiple languages, and new remote management capabilities in its signature rugged, high-security design.

The IronKey S250 and D250 flash drives are available in Basic, Personal and Enterprise editions for enterprise and personal use. The IronKey flash drives deliver powerful protection against data loss and are validated to meet the stringent Security Level 3 requirements of the FIPS 140-2 standard, which fully support corporate and government compliance strategies.





The Personal and Enterprise editions feature built-in identity protection that allows users to securely surf the web, and the IronKey password vault to store and protect user passwords. The Enterprise edition adds centralized remote administration through Imation's cloud security console, which supports full life cycle management for deploying and managing dozens to thousands of secure flash drives.

"While organizations are realizing the advantages of a mobile workforce, they are also coming to grips with vulnerabilities caused by lost or stolen data," said Lawrence Reusing, Imation's general manager for Mobile Security. "Imation has developed its new IronKey S250 and D250 offerings to provide choices for organizations around the world whose employees need to transport and access data remotely, while enhancing security, performance and reliability."

The newest features and functionality added to IronKey S250 and D250 devices include:

• Faster performance, premium quality dual-channel flash memory gives fast file read performance of up to 31 MB/second and write speeds of up to 18MB/second.
• Redesigned control panel, makes a user-friendly interface even easier to navigate for user authentication.
• Multiple language support, guides the user through authentication and is available in German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, in addition to English, empowering the user to access data without relying on the help desk.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility, designed for use with Microsoft Windows XP SP2+/Vista/7; Mac OS X 10.5+ (including Mountain Lion OS) and Linux 2.6+.
• Improved Remote Management Capabilities, IronKey Enterprise S250 and D250 devices can be remotely recovered, reset, and forced into a read-only mode, all from Imation's cloud security service.

The IronKey S250 and D250 secure flash drives meet security standards for high security environments, with features that include:

• FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) 140-2, Level 3 validated security devices,* meeting the most demanding regulatory requirements.
• AES 256-bit hardware encryption, protecting data each time the USB hard drive is in use with the hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption implemented in Cipher Block Chain (CBC) mode.
• Strong password protection to protect data at rest and ensure data access for authorized users.
• Unique tamper-evident aluminum enclosure that allows users to immediately recognize attempts to physically compromise the device.
• Capacity D250 capacities range from 2GB – 64GB, S250 capacities range from 2GB – 32GB.

Pricing and availability
Imation's IronKey S250 and D250 Enterprise and Personal flash drives are available worldwide through Imation's network of channel partners or Imation Sales. US customers may purchase certain IronKey Basic and Personal flash drives from the Imation Mobile Security Store at http://store.imation.com/security. Manufacturer's list pricing ranges from $US109 to $US599 for S250 and $US89 to $US599 for D250 models; reseller prices may vary.