How to use BitLocker in Windows 10 (with or without TPM)

Introduction

Possibly the most profound security enhancement that has become the norm for organizations in recent years is encryption. Early concepts of encryption were born in the forges of war and is most epitomized by the Navajo code talkers of World War II, where codes in the Navajo language helped the allied forces stop the threat of Nazi Germany. Fast-forward to today and organizations have turned the concept of encrypted information techniques into an information security standard that everyone should consider using. 

Not surprisingly, Microsoft has brought their BitLocker encryption feature over to Windows 10. This article will detail how to use BitLocker in Windows 10 and will explore what BitLocker is, BitLocker to go, how to use BitLocker in Windows 10 systems that have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and how to use BitLocker in Windows 10 systems that do not have a TPM.

What is BitLocker?

BitLocker is a Windows 10 integrated drive encryption feature that addresses data theft and exposure threats posed by stolen, lost or inappropriately decommissioned systems. It was first introduced to Windows Operating Systems back in the short-lived Windows Vista heyday and has carried over to Windows 10 with some minor improvements. This proprietary, easy-to-use encryption feature has two basic requirements (aside from being a Vista or later Windows OS) — a system partitioned with two or more drives and a TPM version 1.2 or later. 

BitLocker is undoubtedly an interesting encryption feature, in part because of the level of user control it allows. With BitLocker, you can encrypt entire drives or, if you are short on time, you can encrypt only the parts of drives that are being used. This can shave the encryption time from about seven or eight hours to a couple hours or less. 

BitLocker to (Read more...)