Hello All,

With the addition of the new BitLocker To Go application, Windows 7 allows for a more convenient way to safely secure USB Thumb Drives.

Listen to this approximately 4 minute audio excerpt from Windows Weekly, in which Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte discuss this innovative Windows 7 security feature, published here as a Candle Shore Podcast.  Afterwards, read the following information, below, released by Microsoft. 

Enjoy,

Mark
EP:  Security Tip: Windows 7 Brings BitLocker To Bear

BITLOCKER TO GO
Built on the Windows Vista foundation, Windows 7 will help make users productive anywhere, enhance security and control, and streamline PC management.

Help prevent loss or theft of data with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go
It is easier than ever to protect your data—even on removable drives
With the continued growth of the mobile workforce, protecting sensitive data on mobile computers continues to be a major concern of IT decision makers. In 2008, 42% of respondents to the Computer Security Institute Computer Crime and Security Survey of enterprise IT professionals report that their organization experienced theft of laptops or mobile devices. With Windows Vista, Microsoft introduced BitLocker Drive Encryption to help protect sensitive data from being accessed by unauthorized users who come into possession of lost, stolen, or improperly decommissioned computers. Windows 7 extends BitLocker protection to USB storage devices while making the original functionality even easier to use.

BitLocker To Go
In contrast to lost or stolen laptops, misplaced USB drives often go unreported—or even unnoticed. Yet prohibiting the use of USB storage devices is often impractical. Employees have valid business reasons to store data on removable USB storage devices—from sharing large files with a trusted partner to taking work home.

BitLocker To Go extends BitLocker data protection to USB storage devices, enabling them to be restricted with a passphrase. In addition to having control over passphrase length and complexity, IT administrators can set a policy that requires users to apply BitLocker protection to removable drives before being able to write to them. BitLocker To Go also allows users to more securely share data with users who have not yet deployed Windows 7.

Easier to manage
Windows 7 gives administrators more control over how data in their environment is protected. From policy configured Active Directory Domain Services integration for the escrow of recovery keys to simple and efficient hardware recovery processes, BitLocker provides an integrated management experience for IT professionals.

BitLocker To Go adds administrators control over how removable storage devices can be utilized within their environment and the strength of protection that they require. Administrators can require data protection for any removable storage device that users want to write data upon; while still allowing unprotected storage devices to be utilized in a read-only mode. Policies are also available to require appropriate passwords, smart card, or domain user credentials to utilize a protected removable storage device.

Easier to setup
Windows 7 simplifies the encryption of internal drives by automatically creates the hidden boot partition necessary to use BitLocker to protect the OS volume, eliminating the need to manually select that option during installation or to repartition the drive afterward. Best of all, BitLocker can be enabled on drives running Windows 7 with a simple right-click. Whether you need to protect internal or removable drives, BitLocker in Windows 7 makes it easy because it works with almost any drive.