System encryption Comparison: Vista BitLocker vs. Mac OS X FileVault

Long before Windows Vista came on the market, many people accidentally compared Apple's Mac OS X to try to compare the pros and cons. After all, there are too many similarities between Windows Vista and Mac OS from a simple point of view, for example, the Windows Vista Aero Galss interface and the Aqua interface in Tiger, such as Instant Search in Windows Vista and Mac "Spotlight" and so on. In the context of encrypting files in the operating system, the support for BitLocker is introduced in Windows Vista, which is somewhat approximate to the FileVault in Mac OS x, The two goals are basically the same: protecting the user's vital data so that it does not cause secret outflows even when the computer is lost.

Technically, both BitLocker and FileVault are a system-level encryption, but although the objectives are the same, the specific mechanisms adopted are significantly different. So, what is the best? Here's a simple comparison.

Windows Vista BitLocker

Compared to FileVault in Mac OS X, the Drive Encryption feature in Windows Vista is more powerful than BitLocker, which not only encrypts and protects user files, but in fact, BitLocker encrypts the entire system partition, including Windows system files, The application and any personal data that is stored on the system disk.

A BitLocker-enabled Windows Vista system requires that a USB disk with a key be inserted at startup or with a BitLocker recovery password, otherwise the system will not start. BitLocker uses a relatively small boot partition in the encryption process to check the key, and only detects the hard drive data to access it, so that the data in that partition cannot be read even if an illegal user hooks the hard disk on a different bootable system.

The advantage of BitLocker: not only does it fail to boot into Windows Vista, but, as noted above, even if illegal users take other measures, such as attempting to browse offline files stored in a protected drive, you cannot read data in the encrypted partition. Ensure data security to the maximum extent possible.

The lack of BitLocker: In a way, the advantages of BitLocker are also double-sided, the user must ensure that they have a key USB disk do not lose, or to save the BitLocker recovery password in a secure location, otherwise, may occur instead of themselves "shut out" of the tragedy.

In addition, to enjoy the benefits of BitLocker, users must purchase Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise version, and adjust the hard disk partition when setting, create a new boot partition, and save the key to a USB disk, and other cumbersome procedures.