Firms take steps to head off encryption dangers

From InfoWorld: The growing call to encrypt stored data is raising questions among users and analysts fearful that a lost password or damaged drive could bury important information forever.

Some industry observers believe that a new Trusted Computing Group (TCG) standard, released last month, could lead all hard disk and solid-state drive makers to add encryption capabilities to most products within five years. Most of the top storage vendors are members of the TCG.

Corporate IT managers acknowledge the potential problems but say that steps can be taken to overcome them.

For example, AdaptaSoft, a maker of payroll systems software, requires workers to store critical data on the company's network drive rather than on laptops with encrypted hard disk drives, said CIO David Virkler.

AdaptaSoft installed Seagate's self-encrypting, 2.5-inch Momentus 5400.2 drives on its Dell laptops in October 2007 to better protect customers' financial data.

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