Using Disk Encryption

In this lab, you will exploit a Windows operating system using the Windows recovery console to view files and folders on the system without any type of password to the system. After using a disk encryption utility, you will no longer be able to view the files or folders on the system, thus securing the data from compromise when a user gets physical access to it.

Overview

Data integrity is one of the three pillars of the CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity, and availability). Using disk encryption will help to protect and secure data. A perfect example of this is the stolen laptop scenario. When a laptop is stolen, the data on the hard drive can be accessible to attackers under certain conditions. In this lab, you will see what the differences are for an “attacker” when data is not encrypted and when the data on the disk is encrypted.

OUTCOMES

In this lab, you will learn to: 

  1. Examine a hard drive without encryption 
  2. Encrypt a Windows partition 
  3. Verify encryption 

 

Courses

Key terms and descriptions

Encryption
The process of making data unreadable through a process of encoding. Data that is encrypted and cannot be read without the decryption keys is known as ciphertext.
Ciphertext
When plaintext data is encrypted by using mathematical algorithms, it becomes known as ciphertext. Ciphertext is encoded, encrypted data.
Plaintext
Data that is not encoded or encrypted; data that anyone can read without a decryption key.
Decryption
The process of using keys or ciphers to decode ciphertext. When the data is decoded or decrypted with the decryption keys, it is known as plaintext.
VeraCrypt
A free and open source tool for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS that encrypts volumes and disks. The tool can be downloaded free by using this link: https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Downloads.html