Disk encryption and installing new versions of Fedora

[Robin Laing]

Mr.Scrooge wrote:
> --- Robin Laing <Robin.Laing at drdc-rddc.gc.ca> wrote:
> 
>> Mike wrote:
>>> Mike <mike.cloaked <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> Are that many people really that careless with their laptops? I think people worry too much about
> encrypting laptops. If a company has it's shit together they are not letting you go home with
> sensitive info(They should be preventing cd burning and removable media,disabling such actions
> ,even not having such devices installed, no usb ports on PC's, physical locks on PC case,no
> offline files, etc...), all data should be backed up to a network location that has strict
> security. A well thought out security scheme considers this and more. If you are among the few
> that are allowed to do so (a handful maybe?) then hopefully you are not so irresponsible as to
> leave it unsecured (by which i mean out of your sight) If someone targets you because of your job
> then its probably fair to say that you deal with sensitive info, so they will( by which i mean i
> would) be counting on encryption and be prepared to deal with it. Most of the high profile stories
> i have seen involve employees taking home info they should not have in the first place. Again the
> organization's IT Dept. should be disabling cd burning and removable media to reduce the incidence
> of such cases.Prevent the copying of files off the local volume or network location. Considering
> average "real world" user skill levels that would probably prevent most such incidents.


You are missing a point here.  Many people use their laptop instead of a 
desktop because they need to move this information and have it when they 
are away from the office.  In my job, many people work at multiple 
locations and need their information for their work.  Not all sites have 
network access (even though we want it).  Most people in my section use 
laptops like this.

There are also the telecommuters that need to have access to information 
away from the main work site.  Executives making presentations or going 
to meetings.

As a home user, I want encryption to protect my banking and other usage. 
  My wife uses the laptop instead of a laptop.  She wants her 
information protected.

As for theft.  Just going between work and home can be a loss.  You lock 
your laptop into the trunk of your car and your car gets broken into 
while you run into the store to get milk.  Electric trunk locks make it 
easy for a thief to get into your trunk and your laptop is gone.

And as said before, encryption may be a requirement.

http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14518
Make data loss a crime, say UK MPs

We all don't live in the ideal IT world.

Of course Fedora has put in SELINUX and firewalls.  All in efforts to 
prevent corruption of systems and data.  Encryption is just another tool 
to assist in this endeavor.  At least how I see it.

-- 
Robin Laing