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need an ssd encryption expert: concern on "data only" encryption

O

oROEchimaru

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jun 1, 2004
Messages
4,662
Hello, I am reviewing our encryption policies and want to review "every sector" vs "data only" for ssds.

The theory is that sectors need to be free for optimal SSD usage and that "Every sector would lead to problems". My concern is "data only" which appears to be a recommended setting for SSDs.

My concern is:
a. if you delete files, do those sectors remain encrypted? If not, does the "data only" mode propose a risk to recovery by apps like recuva or do the sectors stay encrypted?

b. similar to the first, if you formatted, would the "data only" sectors that had been deleted by a user (deleted documents for instance, temp files cleaned by ccleaner etc) would this also be recoverable?

If the data was fresh/never written to i'm ok with it not being encrypted. However my concern is as the sectors get free'd by the o/s (vm/pagefile changes, files are deleted, recycling bin, files are moved etc) does the encryption software keep the former sectors encrypted or does it free them up?

c. I think as long as data stays encrypted once deleted its fine EXCEPT if the ssd was already deployed and active in the environment and data was deleted by a user. Once encryption began those sectors would not get encryption and would still pose a risk to recovery.
 
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if you delete files, do those sectors remain encrypted?
Click to expand...

I would say yes. Why would it decrypt the deleted data and write it back to the SSD unencrypted?

The theory is that sectors need to be free for optimal SSD usage and that "Every sector would lead to problems".
Click to expand...

SSDs with encryption know what sectors have real data on them and what sectors do not.
 
how do they track sectors that have been "deleted by the os" like page file/recycling bin etc or do those leave a fingerprint keeping them encrypted? Thanks!
 
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