Encryption (device)

Encryption is the scrambling of data so that it can only be accessed by someone with a decryption key. All devices that contain confidential or sensitive information should be encrypted. The login presented at system start-up for most operating systems (Microsoft and Apple) offers a meagre level of protection if the device is lost or stolen. To protect devices, such as laptops, you can use full-disk encryption (FDE) or folder-level encryption. The latter relies on the user saving their documents to an encrypted folder or container. Full-disk encryption is safer as everything on the disk will be encrypted, regardless of where it is saved. Popular encryption applications include Apple’s File Vault and Microsoft’s BitLocker. Third-party encryption applications may offer enhanced features, such as remote wipe.