1530xps security? little protection?

I just obtained an1530 and love it so far.

However am trying figure out best way to secure a folder with files for work when I travel.

We are required to encrypt them if use a laptop.

I did not realise vista home premium did not have bitlocker the hard drive encryption that it appears only comes in the vista enterprise and ultimate versions.

And I now found out the xps 1530 fingerprint reader does not come with a TPM, a module to secure the passwords.

This leaves me with either using vistas EPS method to encrypt a folder, or buy a software package to do it.

Wish I would have know this before, yet dell sales told me this laptop would work for business file protection, grrrrr.
I really wish sales people would learn a little about the products they sell.

What methods are you folks using to protect work documents?
I have to come up with something to satisfy the IT folks, yet they are offering no suggestions at all. I am the first to even use a laptop, I dont think they like it.

any ideas appreciated

 

Pointsec..?

 

Check out this software http://www.pgp.com/

Pretty good privacy it is called.

 

I suppose this isn't good security, but the fingerprint reader's software thingymajig apparently has a feature to encrypt files into an archive. Maybe you can use that as an intermediary solution until you come up with a plan?

How this works is you right click a file, click on "Add to new encrypted archive", and then specify a password [I used my Windows log in password - but you can actually use any password] and it will create an archive that ends in .ueaf. To open it, you double click on it, and it will ask you to swipe your finger. If it is successful, it will open up the archive. Also, you can't just delete the archive - you have to decrypt it, and it will give you an option of deleting or keeping the archive.

 

If I am traveling between offices, or even on a trip and dictate or type any patient information it falls under the governments privacy and security rules.

I planned on using bitlocker which it appears is only in business and ultimate vista.

That would be heavy duty hard drive encryption.

But the 1530 would need to have a TPM for it to work.

Thx for the ideas.

 

I am really surprised that your company's IT people aren't helping in this matter. Shouldn't that be part of their job description? Business security should be one of the top priorities.

 

the best solution is truecrypt. you can encrypt full drives, files, or folders.
and the good part is that it is open source which means its 100% free.

TrueCrypt is probably one of the best encryption tools available today.

http://www.truecrypt.org/

 

thx for the info, appreciate it.

and no the IT folks say I am on my own.