Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Disk encryption keeps criminal data from police eyes


A research paper published in the Digital Investigation journal asserts that criminals can keep their data from law enforcement agencies by simply using commonly available hard drive encryption software. The joint U.S.-UK team of researchers has found that local and federal agencies cannot access data on a hard-disk drive that can incriminate those using the computer to commit crimes.

Data encryption protects the innocent, as well as the criminals. (Photo courtesy of renjith krishnan: www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=721)   

Hollywood movies have made us believe that cracking encryption-protected disk drives is as easy as ABC. The unglamorous truth, however, is government-sanctioned hackers are unable to break the encryption, in most cases.

Researchers say that encryption is virtually heaven sent for criminals, especially for the IT-enabled variety.

Looking at the bright side, if disk encryption can help protect criminals' data, we can all take comfort from the fact that it also keeps safe data owned by the more law-abiding people like us.

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