Apple beats Microsoft to the encryption party?

[frett]

So headlines are trumpeting the new encryption on Apple phones, and I am wondering why in the crap didn't Microsoft beat them to this? It should be "New Microsoft Encryption Will Lock Out Police" blazing across Drudge.

The secret to Apple being so successful in marketing to the masses is that they know what the masses will respond to. Most people are only vaguely familiar with the issues involving the NSA, Snowden, etc, but they sense there is a reason to have their data encrypted. And then Apple accounts got "hacked" and celebrity photos are posted and Apple shrewdly makes sure the world knows their phones are now encrypted!

Microsoft has way more brainpower than Apple and could have easily implemented encryption on its phones and OneDrive system a long time ago.

Microsoft has GOT to step up their game and get the masses to embrace their products and do more to get Enterprise features on Windows Phones. I really think they should offer Windows 9/Threshold as a free or near-free upgrade. Want everyone off XP? Then make it easy to do it. Drop the price on Office products, too.

Sorry for the rant. Just tired of seeing the potential out there not come to fruition.

 

[adrian1338]

I think they offered that already... they call it bitlocker encryption. unfortunately just active with company account on the phone

 

[ShinraCorp]

I think they offered that already... they call it bitlocker encryption. unfortunately just active with company account on the phone

I do believe Bitlocker is enabled on Developer Preview devices as well, so it's not just enterprise users.

 

[jmshub]

Bitlocker is in Windows Phones, but it would be nice if there was a way to see the state and status of it. I believe if you plug an iphone into itunes, you can check the box to turn on encryption. It'd be nice if there was a way to see and know that your phone is encrypted, especially for users who aren't on Exchange.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

Just tired of seeing the potential out there not come to fruition.

You have to use and enjoy the OS as it is, not how you want it to be.
You need to accept the fact that Windows Phone isn't a huge priority to Microsoft; even Daniel R. admitted in one of his posts some time back, that Microsoft wasn't giving WP a lot of resources or man-power.

I've still kept my Lumia 1020, but I've largely moved on to a Moto X for personal use, and an iPhone provided by my job. I still visit these boards because I'm a tech enthusiast, and I like gadgets, and enjoy following this stuff.

But the state of affairs is what it is. I came to the OS, largely for the Nokia optics and the Lumia camera, so for me, the core operating system is sub par in many areas, while nice in others.

If it's a constant source of frustration, just make your life easier and get a phone on a rival platform. It's not worth the aggravation.

 

[barnyr]

Microsoft seems to be under the impression that WP already has encryption. Below is from WP website:

Trusted boot and App sandboxing helps to prevent malicious apps from gaining unauthorized access to data. Full device encryption keeps everything from corporate data to passwords safe. Lost or stolen phones can be reliably wiped. Information Rights Management (IRM) and S/MIME signed and encrypted email protect your organization’s intellectual property from unauthorized disclosure. Control access to corporate resources with full certificate management and app or location triggered IPsec and SLL VPN.

 

[frett]

.... Full device encryption keeps everything from corporate data to passwords safe....

I did not know that. I can't find info on what type of encryption this is. Also, does Microsoft have access to the encrypted data?

And if Windows phones are already encrypted, then this begs the question why Apple gets attention for having encryption now.

 

[Blacklac]

Microsoft seems to be under the impression that WP already has encryption. Below is from WP website:

Trusted boot and App sandboxing helps to prevent malicious apps from gaining unauthorized access to data. Full device encryption keeps everything from corporate data to passwords safe. Lost or stolen phones can be reliably wiped. Information Rights Management (IRM) and S/MIME signed and encrypted email protect your organization?s intellectual property from unauthorized disclosure. Control access to corporate resources with full certificate management and app or location triggered IPsec and SLL VPN.

Corporate security requires management software most of us wont have.

Fwiw, you can have all the security in the world, but the end user needs to understand and properly USE that security. I can't tell you how many people used to proclaim the old Blackberry's as super secure yet didn't have the security settings setup properly.

 

[Visa Declined]

Google just announced that Android L will have encryption enabled by default, instead of being an option like it is now, it will be mandatory.

 

[T Moore]

Bitlocker is in Windows Phones, but it would be nice if there was a way to see the state and status of it. I believe if you plug an iphone into itunes, you can check the box to turn on encryption. It'd be nice if there was a way to see and know that your phone is encrypted, especially for users who aren't on Exchange.

You can see, go to storage sense and it will identify the phone and SD card, if it is there, as encrypted.

 

[luxnws]

You can see, go to storage sense and it will identify the phone and SD card, if it is there, as encrypted.

No, it doesn't show up in Storage Sense on a Lumia 520 running WP8.1 update 1 on Cyan. Nor does it show up in Storage Sense on a 521 running WP8.1 update 1 with DP on Black. Like others said, it probably has to be enabled with MS mobile device management tools which usually means corporate.

Apple is consumer oriented so it's no surprise they would come out with this version of device encryption for consumers first, where Apple or a third party doesn't hold the encryption keys.

 

[luxnws]

And just to clarify, WP8.1 encrypts all apps stored on the microSD card. Curiously, the Win 8.1 Security Overview says that Windows Phone stores "personal content" like photos and video as unencrypted data. So you can give your friend your microSD card which he can pop into his Windows Phone and display your personal content but not run your apps stored on the microSD.

 

[barnyr]

In storage sense on my L1520 under "phone" it show "x.xx GB used, encrypted". The encryption policy is enforced in the Exchange Admin Center policies on Office 365.

 

[Karthik Naik]

Google just announced that Android L will have encryption enabled by default, instead of being an option like it is now, it will be mandatory.

its open source wont make much of a difference

 

[Torcher Death]

Privacy,IMHO, is a myth. No matter what security/encryption is used, its only a matter of time till it is cracked open.
As for these headlines, its just a marketing ploy to salvage themselves from the iCloud fiasco & try to herd people into getting the new iPhone.

 

[T Moore]

No, it doesn't show up in Storage Sense on a Lumia 520 running WP8.1 update 1 on Cyan. Nor does it show up in Storage Sense on a 521 running WP8.1 update 1 with DP on Black. Like others said, it probably has to be enabled with MS mobile device management tools which usually means corporate.

Apple is consumer oriented so it's no surprise they would come out with this version of device encryption for consumers first, where Apple or a third party doesn't hold the encryption keys.

If your phone is encrypted you will see it.

GDR3 and the Black update allowed users to enable encryption. Apple did not come out with this first.

 

[Kevin Rush]

In storage sense on my L1520 under "phone" it show "x.xx GB used, encrypted". The encryption policy is enforced in the Exchange Admin Center policies on Office 365.

I don't see "Storage Sense"? Do you mean Settings > System (tab) > Phone Storage? I don't see anything about encryption? I have "Data Sense" but that is entirely different and doesn't relate to encryption.

Where do you see any information on encryption?

I use Office365 Pro for exchange so I would think the admin policies could/would be turned on?

I have a Lumia 822, WP 8.0, with Nokia Lumia Black.

Any help appreciated.

 

[Jas00555]

I don't see "Storage Sense"? Do you mean Settings > System (tab) > Phone Storage? I don't see anything about encryption? I have "Data Sense" but that is entirely different and doesn't relate to encryption.

Where do you see any information on encryption?

I use Office365 Pro for exchange so I would think the admin policies could/would be turned on?

Any help appreciated.

It's an app. Look it up in your app list. It should be right above Store.

 

[Kevin Rush]

It's an app. Look it up in your app list. It should be right above Store.

It isn't on my app list, Windows Button >

 

[Jas00555]

It isn't on my app list, Windows Button >

That's impossible. It's a system app, so I can't even delete it from my phone. You do have 8.1 right?