HP ProtectTools Security Software 2010 - Technical White Paper

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Fi g u r e 7. Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools
Drive Encryption for ProtectTools is based on McAfee endpoint protection technology. McAfee i s a
leading provider of powerful encryption and strong access control software that seamlessly integrates
with existing standards-based enterpr i se systems.
The hard drive on a new HP Business notebook is unencrypted. The encryption process can be
activated by launching HP ProtectTools Security Manager and selecting Drive Encryption for HP
ProtectTools. Drive encryption is supported on SATA disk drives in the internal drive bay or docking
station.
Before a hard drive can be encrypted, Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools requires that the
encryption key be backed up. This is a quick and simple process, and only requires access to a USB
flash drive. The key backup ensures that if the password is ever forgotten, it can be reset using the
backed-up key on the USB flash drive.
The hard drive encryption process is transparent and w orks in the background. The time it takes to
encrypt the entire drive will depend on the size of the partition and how the notebook is being
used. However, while the drive is being encrypted, the user can continue to work normally. If the
notebook is shutdown during encryption, encryption will continue upon system restart.
H P En h a n c e d Pr e -Boot Security
Pr e -Boot security is a feature that requires users to authenticate themselves upon turning on the
computer. This authentication takes place before the operating system is allowed to load. During
Pr e -Boot no software is allowed to run, and even booting from external devices such as optical drives