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0 pointsJohnFen9d ago0 comments

> Your computer is likely to be stolen and sold.

Likely? How likely is it? I've never had a computer stolen, nor has anybody I personally know. So it doesn't seem to me like it's all that likely.

Personally, I find whole disk encryption to be more risky than it's worth. I much prefer encrypting things on a file-level instead.

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4 comments · 3 top-level

trashface9d ago· 1 in thread

I knew a guy whose laptop was stolen and it had a major companies game engine source on it - which was not open source (he had done some contract work for them).

Personally I used LUKS encryption on a system76 laptop for 7 years and it worked fine - still going in fact. I was always worried about it failing especially after an update, but that never happened.

For backups to offline media I still do use file-level encryption though.

daemin9d ago

That's why I understand businesses requiring full disk encryption on their devices and on contractor devices, because in their case they are fine with losing data as they have many copies of it elsewhere.

ryandrake9d ago

OP might mean "laptop" instead of computer. Or more specifically, laptop that is regularly taken out of the home.

I'm with you. If someone wanted to steal any of my computers, they'd have to break into my house. Possible, but also statistically unlikely, as I live in a reasonably safe community and lock my doors. I don't see the benefit of full disk encryption on a bunch of computers I keep in my home. For the special case of a laptop that is frequently taken out of the home and used in public, where thieves might be? Sure, encrypt it.

Symbiote9d ago

In a small business, I've been responsible for buying laptops for a while.

In about 300 person-years, we've had two laptops stolen. Both were stolen while the staff were on trips abroad, and the staff were both rather careless IMO.

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