Good cryptography and encryption techniques center on several key facets of online data protection, including hard disk encryption, secure online buying, and secure online banking. Hard disk encryption, the first of these, is the method whereby electronic information stored on a computer hard drive, or hard disk, is disguised. This is also called full volume encryption, or full disk encryption. Such full disk encryption utilizes software or even hardware specifically designed to encrypt every single bit and byte of information which is stored on a disk volume. In such a way, full disk encryption inhibits illegal access to the firm or group\’s information storage. This concept of full disk encryption is typically employed to state that all elements on the disk are encrypted, also including the programs which are able to protect bootable operating system partitions. These software programs mentioned include solutions like Windows BitLocker, which can be purchased from any computer retail outlet or computer software web store. Hardware full disk encryption solutions are more common means of encrypting data these days. The Seagate Momentus FDE hard disks represent one sample of such a hard disk with pre built in hardware.

There are advantages as well as disadvantages to using these hardware encryption disks. The principal advantage of this form of encryption is that it offers a better level of security than just a password protection common on all laptops and computers any more. The downside to it is that, as of 2010, such hardware encryption has not become widespread either in utilization or even availability. In particular, notebook makers have to begin to support its use in their BIOS operating systems. Examples of systems which utilize hardware based Full Disk Encryption include the ASI C8015, the Twinhead Durabook laptops, the Dell Latitude 630/830 laptops, and the Maxtor Black Armor external drives. Those users of Linux operating systems will be pleased to learn that all of the above mentioned systems are capable of working with Linux. Where Apple Macintosh computers are concerned, all newer Apple notebook computer setups should support this type of hard disk encryption.