Last updated: December 1, 2021
When it comes to encryption, we have all been introduced to the topic in many ways over the past few years. Most of us are familiar with the term when we talk to others using communication tools such as “WhatsApp”, for example. In this context, communication between participants has been encrypted for quite some time. And this is also rubbed in our faces with every new contact.
Others have also gotten to know the other side of encryption unintentionally. Namely, when suddenly data on one’s own data storage devices can no longer be read due to encryption malware and one is asked to pay a ransom. In order to then more or less securely regain access to one’s own data.
The fact that encryption is difficult or impossible to crack has been impressively demonstrated by these encryption Trojans. Data recovery is practically impossible.
Use of encryption in companies
However, not only subjects with criminal energy use an encryption algorithm, but also in companies, the procedure has been used for years to protect data. As the business world becomes increasingly mobile, it must also be expected that mobile devices such as notebooks can be misplaced, lost or simply stolen. At some point, every company will be confronted with this.
It is not only the loss of the device that the company has to bear, but also the fear that in the event of theft, locally stored data can also be read or unauthorized access to confidential resources can be made by third parties. While most companies have strict security policies that prohibit local storage of company documents or confidential data, in practice there are always guidelines that are bent all too readily.
That’s why many companies play it safe and add encryption to the mobile devices they use. This also means that a hard disk cannot be removed from an encrypted device and simply read on another device. By the way, hard disk is now a term from the “IT Stone Age” for notebooks, because other storage media are now used, especially in the business sector (e.g. SSDs).
Microsoft’s BitLocker protects
The reasons why a company relies on encryption vary. However, the important aspect here is that all devices are configured with it if possible. In the case of Windows computers, Microsoft’s own BitLocker is of course the obvious choice. To ensure complete protection, it must be ensured that the software is running on every device. If this is usually the case during the initial rollout due to the pre-installation, a device may be used in the event of a repair or warranty claim where BitLocker does not run as intended. Therefore, it makes sense to perform regular checks.
Is BitLocker active on all devices?
With a reasonable documentation and inventory software like Docusnap, it is very easy to generate a complete overview of all systems on the network. And of course, it can also be used to easily report if there are any devices on the company’s network without the required BitLocker encryption. Docusnap provides us with pre-built reports for this purpose. You can see how easily this works in our video.
With Docusnap, you can monitor system-relevant settings on devices with little effort, whose area of use in and outside the network makes manual and, above all, regular monitoring difficult or no longer possible due to multiple locations. Due to the automated update, dangers are detected immediately and listed clearly in report form.