Protecting stored information.
WHAT IT MEANS
Data stored in a form unreadable without the key.
WHY IT MATTERS
If a device is lost or stolen, encryption is what prevents the data being read.
WHAT TO ENCRYPT
Laptops and computers Phones and tablets Removable storage holding anything sensitive Backups
THE BACKUP POINT
Backups contain everything. Encrypt them.
HOW
Most current operating systems offer full-device encryption.
Enable it. It costs nothing and performance impact is negligible.
WHAT TO PROTECT
The recovery key.
Store it somewhere separate and safe. Without it, encrypted data is unrecoverable by anyone, including you.
WHAT ENCRYPTION DOES NOT DO
Protect a device that is unlocked and in use Protect against malicious software running as you
WHAT TO COMBINE IT WITH
A screen lock and a short timeout.
WHAT TO CHECK
That encryption is actually enabled, not merely available.
