Windows Vista Security For Dummies®

Chapter 9. Planning and Implementing Encrypting File System

In This Chapter

• Protecting sensitive data

• Recovering encrypted files

• Developing your file‐ and folder‐encryption strategy

Protecting sensitive data has never been more important. Just ask those organizations that had a data breach of customer data. Or ask those people who had their financial login and password information stolen from their computers, which were then used to access and drain their financial accounts.

Vista Encrypting File System (EFS) can help protect your sensitive information. Vista Encrypting File System helps protect your sensitive data if your computer is lost or stolen or from other unauthorized access.

In this chapter, you can discover the basics of encryption and under what circumstances EFS can help you and when you might need to turn to some other Vista or third‐party tools for more complex protection. I show you the basic principles of encrypting your files and folders, backing up your encryption keys, and how to recover encrypted files. You can also read how and when to make EFS part of your security plan. Although this chapter won't make you an EFS expert, it will provide you with the foundation that you need to get started using EFS to protect your sensitive data.

Encryption 101

To use EFS, you need to understand a little about encryption. Encryption protects certain information from unauthorized disclosure, even if someone has the information. In other words, the intent of encryption is to make a ...