Bit Locker by hunt3r4L1
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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista
BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature available Windows Server 2008 R2 and in some editions of Windows 7. Having BitLocker integrated with the operating system addresses the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned computers.
Data on a lost or stolen computer is vulnerable to unauthorized access, either by running a software-attack tool against it or by transferring the computer's hard disk to a different computer. BitLocker helps mitigate unauthorized data access by enhancing file and system protections. BitLocker also helps render data inaccessible when BitLocker-protected computers are decommissioned or recycled.
BitLocker provides the most protection when used with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 1.2. The TPM is a hardware component installed in many newer computers by the computer manufacturers. It works with BitLocker to help protect user data and to ensure that a computer has not been tampered with while the system was offline.
On computers that do not have a TPM version 1.2, you can still use BitLocker to encrypt the Windows operating system drive. However, this implementation will require the user to insert a USB startup key to start the computer or resume from hibernation, and it does not provide the pre-startup system integrity verification offered by BitLocker with a TPM.
In addition to the TPM, BitLocker offers the option to lock the normal startup process until the user supplies a personal identification number (PIN) or inserts a removable device, such as a USB flash drive, that contains a startup key. These additional security measures provide multifactor authentication and assurance that the computer will not start or resume from hibernation until the correct PIN or startup key is presented.
System integrity verification
BitLocker can use a TPM to verify the integrity of early boot components and boot configuration data. This helps ensure that BitLocker makes the encrypted drive accessible only if those components have not been tampered with and the encrypted drive is located in the original computer.
BitLocker helps ensure the integrity of the startup process by taking the following actions:
Provide a method to check that early boot file integrity has been maintained, and help ensure that there has been no adversarial modification of those files, such as with boot sector viruses or rootkits.
Enhance protection to mitigate offline software-based attacks. Any alternative software that might start the system does not have access to the decryption keys for the Windows operating system drive.
Lock the system when it is tampered with. If any monitored files have been tampered with, the system does not start. This alerts the user to the tampering, because the system fails to start as usual. In the event that system lockout occurs, BitLocker offers a simple recovery process.
Hardware, firmware, and software requirements
To use BitLocker, a computer must satisfy certain requirements:
For BitLocker to use the system integrity check provided by a TPM, the computer must have a TPM version 1.2. If your computer does not have a TPM, enabling BitLocker will require you to save a startup key on a removable device such as a USB flash drive.
A computer with a TPM must also have a Trusted Computing Group (TCG)-compliant BIOS. The BIOS establishes a chain of trust for pre-operating system startup and must include support for TCG-specified Static Root of Trust Measurement. A computer without a TPM does not require a TCG-compliant BIOS.
The system BIOS (for TPM and non-TPM computers) must support the USB mass storage device class, including reading small files on a USB flash drive in the pre-operating system environment. For more information about USB, see the USB Mass Storage Bulk-Only and the Mass Storage UFI Command specifications on the USB Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83120).
The hard disk must be partitioned with at least two drives:
The operating system drive (or boot drive) contains the operating system and its support files; it must be formatted with the NTFS file system.
The system drive contains the files that are needed to load Windows after the BIOS has prepared the system hardware. BitLocker is not enabled on this drive. For BitLocker to work, the system drive must not be encrypted, must differ from the operating system drive, and must be formatted with the NTFS file system. The system drive should be at least 1.5 gigabytes (GBs).
Installation and initialization
BitLocker is installed automatically as part of the operating system installation. However, BitLocker is not enabled until it is turned on by using the BitLocker setup wizard, which can be accessed from either the Control Panel or by right-clicking the drive in Windows Explorer.
At any time after installation and initial operating system setup, the system administrator can use the BitLocker setup wizard to initialize BitLocker. There are two steps in the initialization process:
On computers that have a TPM, initialize the TPM by using the TPM Initialization Wizard, the BitLocker Drive Encryption item in Control Panel, or by running a script designed to initialize it.
Set up BitLocker. Access the BitLocker setup wizard from the Control Panel, which guides you through setup and presents advanced authentication options.
When a local administrator initializes BitLocker, the administrator should also create a recovery password or a recovery key. Without a recovery key or recovery password, all data on the encrypted drive may be inaccessible and unrecoverable if there is a problem with the BitLocker-protected drive.
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