ESET Premium encryption

[VW00 3]

What exactly does the encryption do in the premium feature? Last time I checked, every Windows system started from 8 already has BitLocker enabled. What does it try to solve because it seems to be promoted as a small office/business solution, but Windows already has encryption on the drive when its stolen.

[itman 1,659]

BitLocker is not available on Win Home versions:

Quote

BitLocker is available on:

• Ultimate and Enterprise editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7
•  Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 8 and 8.1[8][2]
•  Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10[9]
•  Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 11[10]
•  Windows Server 2008[11] and later[12][8]

 

BitLocker has hardware requirements:

Quote

In order for BitLocker to encrypt the volume holding the operating system, at least two NTFS-formatted volumes are required: one for the operating system (usually C:) and another with a minimum size of 100 MB, which remains unencrypted and boots the operating system.

Once an alternate boot partition has been created, the TPM module needs to be initialized (assuming that this feature is being used), after which the required disk-encryption key protection mechanisms such as TPM, PIN or USB key are configured.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLocker

Eset Secure Data feature is similar to Win EFS which again is not available on Win Home versions:

Quote

When Secure Data is enabled, in the main program window, click Tools > Secure Data and choose one of the following encryption options:

•Create an encrypted virtual drive

•Encrypt files on your removable drive

https://help.eset.com/essp/16/en-US/enc_intro.html

Edited January 6, 2023 by itman

[itman 1,659]

Win EFS also has this glitch: https://superuser.com/questions/1330229/efs-file-security-not-retained-when-transferring-whats-the-point .

[VW00 3]

Actually, Windows Home has BitLocker. They just don't call it that way. Windows Home has encryption, but it is not configurable by the user, which is why they just name it as Device Encryption.

Nobody would buy or use a Windows tablet if they did not have encryption, which is default on Android or iOS as well.

Either way, I'm not sure ESET encryption tries to target Windows Home users because they don't have BitLocker. If you look at their small business plans they offer encryption on the higher plans and that those numbers, your devices are mostly likely running Pro or Enterprise anyway if they are joined in a domain or network.

I'm quite happy with Cryptomator for encryption, since I can mount local drives or even encrypt data in cloud drives like OneDrive and BitLocker takes care of the drive or external ones.