If you carry a laptop that has potentially sensitive information, or if you save your UCSC passwords in your web browser and/or e-mail program, we strongly recommend that you use a full-disk encryption program to protect your laptop in the event that it gets stolen.
Full-disk encryption prevents a thief from accessing any of the data on your computer. While you will still have lost your laptop, at least you do not have to worry about sensitive information being released to criminals.
- Windows offers full disk encryption through BitLocker.
- Macintosh offers support for encrypted disks through their FileVault option. More information about encryption your Macintosh's hard drive can be found on CultOfMac.
- CentOS offers the option to encrypt the operating system partition during installation, as well as several other options. For more information, please see the CentOS page on disk encryption.
- FreeBSD offers GELI and GDBE disk encyption.