Full Disclosure: Re: SSD and WDE

[Abuse007 <abuse007 () gmail com>]

Hi Paul,

I'm not aware if any, though I'm sure there are some. My understanding is that there shouldn't be any major issues with 
Full Disk Encryption on SSD. Modifying files might write the new data to a new physical sector, as part of wear 
levelling, leaving a copy of the old data in the old sector. This might provide some benefit to cryptanalysis. 

Compared to having a plaintext file system and then encrypting an existing file, which will possibly leave some or all 
of the plaintext behind due to wear levelling - FDE is much better.

On 18/12/2010, at 10:16 AM, Paul Schmehl <pschmehl_lists () tx rr com> wrote:

> I've spent some time Googling and haven't found anything I wasn't already 
> aware of.  I'm wondering if anyone is aware of any academic or technical 
> studies of whole disk encryption for solid state discs.  Any issues 
> uncovered that only apply to that specific combination and not to WDE in 
> general would be of great interest.  (I'm not interested in articles on the 
> cold boot attack.  I'm already familiar with that one.)
>
> -- 
> Paul Schmehl, Senior Infosec Analyst
> As if it wasn't already obvious, my opinions
> are my own and not those of my employer.
> *******************************************
> "It is as useless to argue with those who have
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