Poll: How many people use Hard Drive Encryption?

[50words]

I use TrueCrypt containers ("crypts") for my business and personal files. About 5 GB of files in two 5GB containers. My clients' information is confidential, and I believe that personal data on anything that is portable should be encrypted. Not to do so is just reckless.

Plus, TrueCrypt containers are nice and portable, and it is easy to make encrypted backups. If you encrypt on your drive, but do not encrypt backups, then there is not much point in encrypting.

I don't encrypt e-mail. I have not looked into it, but anything I use would have to be able to be decrypted without additional software or steps, or my clients will never bother to read it. I do require clients to use a personal e-mail address if they want to communicate with me, since they have little or no privacy interest in communications through a work e-mail address.

[wieman01]

Truecrypt for encryption of personal files. Enigmail (Thunderbird add-on) for encrypted email correspondence whenever possible.

And WPA2 (AES) for wireless networking.

[hyper_ch]

50words: You should also encrypt swap in that case

[Tristam Green]

We use Pointsec/Checkpoint at our business for full-HD encryption for theft-deterrent purposes.

On my Linux machine, though, I use none, and see no reason to. I change my user password regularly and the laptop doesn't leave my side. not that anything important is stored locally anyway

[AegisTalons]

Has anyone noticed any slowdowns between a computer running fully hard drive encryption and one with out? Also, for a computer that has full HD encryption, after you turn it on and after the BIOS POST screen, can you describe the load process? Does the encryption program take over right after the GRUB screen? Does it ask for your passphrase before it would load Ubuntu or after like you are logging in? I know it differs from program to program, but just the gist.

Also I understand encryption if you are an employee or if you have sensitive information on your laptop, like client information. I'm a college student and the only things that I work on my laptop are class projects and papers. I do not seen these as sensitive enough documents. Let me know what you guys think.

[isparkes]

Most things open, 1GB and 200MB of fairly and very sensitive information, using AES256 loopback devices in container files.

Looking to move over to dm_crypt/luks when I get around to it.

[vermoos]

After getting my laptop stolen in a cafe, and then *returned* several days later, I have started using encfs to encrypt important work, and gnupg to encrypt my passwords.

I still don't know what the hell I am doing though...

[Biochem]

I use Encfs for folder encryption of financial data and seahorse for unregular sensitive research info. I don't encrypt email since I don't send sensitive information by email and and nobody use it anyway at the receiving end

[hyper_ch]

Has anyone noticed any slowdowns between a computer running fully hard drive encryption and one with out?

Only when reading/writing lots of data... normal office use won't make any difference (except if you're on a really old computer and have little ram and a cpu less than 1ghz....)

Also, for a computer that has full HD encryption, after you turn it on and after the BIOS POST screen, can you describe the load process? Does the encryption program take over right after the GRUB screen?

Well, with luks/dm_crypt on a fully encrypted system you will have the /boot partition unencrypted. Linux needs to load first the kernel and encryption modules so that it actually can "uncrypt" your other stuff. You will get to the GRUB screen and then after selecting Linux you'll see the Ubuntu splash screen and in there it will ask for your password(s).

Does it ask for your passphrase before it would load Ubuntu or after like you are logging in? I know it differs from program to program, but just the gist.

It will ask your password ones it needs to load other stuff than from your /boot partition.

Also I understand encryption if you are an employee or if you have sensitive information on your laptop, like client information. I'm a college student and the only things that I work on my laptop are class projects and papers. I do not seen these as sensitive enough documents. Let me know what you guys think.

It's up to you if and what you want to encrypt. E.g. you might just be a student with not much sensitive information. But the websites you visit, the bookmarks you got etc. can tell a lot about you... pictures of you, your family and friends, your gf/bf..... it's your privacy that you don't protect... you don't have to do it but you can if you want...

[50words]

50words: You should also encrypt swap in that case

No need. I always unmount my containers before putting the laptop on standby or leaving it alone, which removes all encrypted data from memory and swap.