Windows Vista - BitLocker security

BitLocker is the new way windows protects your files

Introduced in Vista for the first time, BitLocker is what microsoft says ensures your data security even if the hard drive is mounted on a different machene.

The old Privilages system was not really data encryption, simply put Windows the protector is also the software that displays, so it will refuse to show you someone else's files when they decide you should not, Surely this was in no way secure, and here is am telling you, neither is bitlocker.

Encrypting the windows volume (if you have a D drive, you can not encrypt that), Not only that, but compatible hardware (BIOS) is also requiered, Even if you have a TPM 1.2+ compatible Bios installed, that is probably not enough, more is requiered from the BIOS, so your BIOS wil have to be Vista logo compliant first (beyond the scope of this page for now), So does that mean you need a new BIOS ? Not necessarily, Motherboard/BIOS manufacturers will probably release new firmware versions to update your BIOS, but untill that happens, bitlocker will probably not work or at least not work smoothly.

Hard drive paritioning is also a variable in this, You need at least 2 partitions (even though you will only be able to encrypt the first one where windows livs), NTFS is the only supported filing system, and a bit more is requiered on how to partition the disk (The other volume should be the active partition).

So assuming that it does work, what is bitlocker all about ?

The windows drive will be encrypted, the other drive with at least 1.5GB of space will be needed to start the computer.

More on BitLocker is comming soon...