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24) Are all of the laptop hard drives encrypted?

August 30, 2022
IT Operations
Laptop Drive Encryption
Small Framework

Answer yes if your organisation enforces hard drive encryption on all laptop devices. In the notes, please include details of the encryption algorithm(s) used and how this is enforced.

Laptop devices are often preferred by organisations as they provide employees with a good level of flexibility and the ability to work remotely.

However, due to their portable nature, laptop devices come with an increased risk of being lost, misplaced, or stolen. It is therefore important that all storage media is encrypted on laptop devices so that if the device is stolen or lost the data on it is still protected.

How to implement the control

Many devices now come with full device encryption as standard, but this should be confirmed before these devices are provisioned to staff.

Windows Machines

If you manage your devices centrally (for example, by using an Active Directory), you can enforce device encryption through the use of Group Policies.

If you do not manage your devices centrally, a local administrator should confirm and enable device encryption for each device before it is provisioned to staff. This should form part of your secure configuration checklist.

For more information on how to enable encryption, see Microsoft's support article here.

macOS Machines

If you manage your devices centrally (for example, by using Microsoft's Endpoint Configuration Manager), you can enforce device encryption throughout the estate.

If you do not manage your devices centrally, a local administrator should confirm and enable device encryption for each device before it is provisioned to staff. This should form part of your secure configuration checklist.

For more information on how to enable encryption, see Apple's support article here.

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