BitLocker is the short name for BitLocker Drive Encryption, it is a full-disk encryption algorithm developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating systems, it is widely used by Windows users because of its powerful features and security. Microsoft does not provide a BitLocker solution for Linux, so Linux users who want to encrypt drives with BitLocker can only use a third-party BitLocker solution, and Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux is one such solution.
BitLocker is a full-disk encryption software developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating systems. Microsoft did not develop a version of BitLocker for Linux, so Linux users can only use third-party BitLocker solutions to encrypt their drives, and Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux is such a solution, fully compatible with Microsoft's BitLocker. Tips: Terminating the program, removing the drive or abnormal power off during encryption will result in data corruption, so it is recommended that you back up the files on the volume you want to encrypt before encrypting it.
How to Encrypt Drive with BitLocker in Linux?
Step 1. Download and extract Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux.
Step 2. Open a terminal as a non-root user, go to the bin subfolder under the extract folder, then execute the 'run.sh' script to start the program.
Step 3. Right-click the drive you want to encrypt in main window, then click "Turn On BitLocker".
Step 4. Specify a password for encrypting the drive, enter the password and click "Next". You should choose a password having a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, spaces, and special symbols. Once the encryption is complete, you can access the drive using this password.
Step 5. Back up the BitLocker recovery key, then click "Next" to move on. You can save the recovery key to a file or print a copy of it. Please note that anyone can use the recovery key to gain access to the drive, even if they do not know the password, so please do not disclose it to others.
Step 6. Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux will now encrypt the contents of the selected drive. The encryption process could take a long time to finish depending on the size of the drive, so please be patient. If you don't want to wait, tick "Shut down the computer when the operation is completed".
Step 7. After the encryption is complete, click the "Finish" button to return to the main window.
Step 8. In main window, the status of the drive is now encrypted and locked, you have to mount the BitLocker encrypted drive before you can access it.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: No, Microsoft did not develop a version of BitLocker for Linux. You need third-party software like Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux to encrypt drives with BitLocker in Linux.
A: Yes, Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux is fully compatible with Microsoft's BitLocker, meaning drives encrypted with it can be accessed on Windows systems.
A: Encrypting used disk space only is faster as it only encrypts data currently on the drive. Unused space remains unencrypted but new files are automatically encrypted.
A: Compatible mode (AES-CBC) is for drives that need to be used on Windows versions prior to Windows 10 Version 1511. Newer Windows uses XTS-AES mode which is not compatible with older versions.
A: 256-bit encryption is more secure but uses more CPU resources. Choose based on your security needs. For most users, either option provides adequate protection.
A: It is recommended to back up the recovery key, as terminating the program, removing the drive, or abnormal power off during encryption can result in data corruption.
A: After encryption, the drive status shows as encrypted and locked. You need to mount the BitLocker encrypted drive using Hasleo BitLocker Anywhere For Linux with your password before accessing it.