BitLocker is a full disk encryption software that comes with Enterprise and Education versions of Microsoft Windows. It uses your Keyano credentials to unlock the disk and protect your data if the drive is stolen or booted from another disk. You won't have to log in separately to access your computer.
BitLocker primarily protects against unauthorized access to your data, but it doesn't protect against compromised credentials or malware infections. In rare cases, third party vendors may not be able to recover data if a hard drive fails, so it's important to backup your data.
BitLocker is designed to have minimal impact on your machine's performance and if your computer is turned off or goes into hibernation during encryption or decryption, the process will resume when Windows starts up.
Additionally, BitLocker has Active Directory Integration, which means that the encryption keys are automatically backed up to the central Windows domain network and are only accessible to IT Professionals. This provides an extra layer of security for your data.
In conclusion, BitLocker provides strong protection against unauthorized access to your data and has Active Directory Integration for extra security. However, it's important to remember that it doesn't protect against compromised credentials or malware infections and in rare cases, third party vendors may not be able to recover data from a failed hard drive. It is recommended to backup your data to ensure its safety.
For more information about the software, please read this Microsoft overview of BitLocker.
Info!
If you're having trouble with your computer and think it might be related to the information in this article, don't worry! You can easily get help from the ITS department.
Just follow these simple steps:
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Find the "Request Service" button: It's located in the top left corner of the screen you're on right now.
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Fill out the form: Click on the "Request Service" button to open a form. Fill out the required information and describe the issue you're having with your computer.
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Submit the form: After you've filled out the form, click the submit button and your request will be sent to the ITS department.
It's that easy! The ITS department will receive your request and will work to resolve the issue as soon as possible. If you have any additional questions or concerns, you can reach out to the ITS department for further assistance.
Frequently asked questions
Will you have to log in separately to access the computer?
No, continue to log in as you do now.
What does it protect against?
BitLocker primarily protects against unauthorized access of the data if the drive is stolen or booted from another disk. If an attacker gains physical access to the unencrypted drive or machine, it can be booted up with a USB or other disk and all data is accessible even though the credentials for that machine are unknown to the attacker.
With a BitLocker encrypted drive, that drive can only be accessed if a valid user logs in or has the encryption key. Encryption keys are automatically backed up to our central Windows domain network and are only accessible to the IT Professionals in charge of managing the machine.
What doesn't BitLocker protect against?
BitLocker does not protect against compromised credentials. If an attacker has your Keyano name and password, they can access the data on your hard drive. It does not protect against malware, virus infections, or other attacks the machine is vulnerable to while being used by an authorized user or someone with their credentials.
What risks are there in running BitLocker?
In rare instances where a hard drive fails physically, third party vendors may not be able to recover data they otherwise could because all data is encrypted. For that reason, it’s important to backup your data.
Will BitLocker slow down my machine?
BitLocker is designed to be transparent to the user and has minimal overhead during the encryption and decryption process.
What happens if the computer is turned off during encryption or decryption?
If the computer is turned off or goes into hibernation, the BitLocker encryption and decryption process will resume the next time Windows starts. This is true even if power is suddenly lost.