D
Deleted User
Guest
OP
There's stuff on my computer that I really don't want to get leaked. Passport scans, social security numbers, assignments (I've heard stories of people leaving a USB stick behind then getting accused of plagiarism). Storing it in unencrypted format is a disaster waiting to happen. Before this disaster happens I'm going to secure it.
But I've never used file encryption software before and don't want to make a stupid mistake which leaves my data compromised, or maybe I'm just going paranoid.
My worries include
Side channel attacks are another thing. The heat, EMF emissions and sounds from a CPU can all be used to gain access to data from a distance. I'm not too worried about these because I don't see anyone with the equipment and expertise giving me their time and attention.
Right now I think that the best way to go is to store encrypted assignments on my laptop so I can work on them in public. Everything else should be stored encrypted on a USB stick. The encryption key used for my assignments should be different to the encryption key used on my USB stick. All the free space on my hard drives should be securely deleted. This means overwriting the free space once on an SSD and six times on magnetic disk drives.
But I've never used file encryption software before and don't want to make a stupid mistake which leaves my data compromised, or maybe I'm just going paranoid.
My worries include
- The files will only be secure while they are stored and not when they are open. If Windows 10 crashes and sends an error report to Microsoft this error report may include part of the file stored on the RAM in unencrypted format.
- The program I use to view and edit the file might upload parts of the decrypted file to it's developer's servers.
- The file encryption program or the program used to view and edit the file might include a back door which could be discovered by a hacker.
- Windows is a very buggy operating system and a virus may leak the files and key to a hacker.
- Programs like Microsoft Word create draft copies of documents as they're written. The draft copy could be stored on a hard drive in unencrypted format and not get securely deleted after use.
- There's probably something else which I haven't thought of yet.
Side channel attacks are another thing. The heat, EMF emissions and sounds from a CPU can all be used to gain access to data from a distance. I'm not too worried about these because I don't see anyone with the equipment and expertise giving me their time and attention.
Right now I think that the best way to go is to store encrypted assignments on my laptop so I can work on them in public. Everything else should be stored encrypted on a USB stick. The encryption key used for my assignments should be different to the encryption key used on my USB stick. All the free space on my hard drives should be securely deleted. This means overwriting the free space once on an SSD and six times on magnetic disk drives.