Topic: Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks  (Read 1657 times)

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Online Nemesis

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Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks
« on: July 17, 2008, 06:51:17 am »
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They've discovered that popular programs like Word and Google Desktop store data on unencrypted sections of a computer's hard drive -- even when the programs are working with encrypted files. "Information is spilling out from the encrypted region into the unencrypted region" said Tadayoshi Kohno, an assistant professor at the University of Washington in Seattle who co-authored the study.

He believes that there are probably many other applications and operating system components that leak out information in a similar way. "I suspect that this is a potentially huge issue. We've basically cracked the surface," he said.


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The issue is not a bug in Word or Google Desktop, Kohno said. Rather, it's "a problem with the way these applications interact with these encrypted virtual disks," he said.


For serious data protection you apparently need full disk encrytption.
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Offline toasty0

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Re: Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2008, 09:02:39 am »
Now that I'm getting older, I've noticed that I too have data leaking from my partially encrypted disk...sorry, was that too much information?
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Offline Centurus

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Re: Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2008, 09:25:41 am »
Now that I'm getting older, I've noticed that I too have data leaking from my partially encrypted disk...sorry, was that too much information?

Not for me.  What kind of information is leaking?  Anything worth auctioning off on EBAY?
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Offline Dracho

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Re: Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2008, 11:52:03 am »
So far the data only contains the letter p..

 :rofl:
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Offline Centurus

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Re: Data Can Leak From Partially Encrypted Disks
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2008, 04:34:39 pm »
So far the data only contains the letter p..

 :rofl:

Then that means I might be able to sell it to major league baseball players come test time.  :-D
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