Installed successfully, formatted NTFS, and accessing nicely - just connected, I didn’t install any WD software yet.
Then I wondered - is the hardware encryption turned on by default? If it is, can I turn it off?
The manual, here:
says, page 1 of the document,:
“The My Book drive’s built in 256-bit AES hardware encryption with WD SEcurity software helps keep your content private ad safe. Just activate password protection and set your own personal password.”
and on page 18:
“Depending on your location, using a password may encrypt your data.”
An ordinary reading of these says that encryption is not being used until you set a password and activate password protection. In other words, I can start filling my new drive with data without fear that it’s being encrypted. I want it on there unencrypted. But I’ve seen other threads about encryption being always on without the ability to turn it off - but I suspect they refer to other products.
WD my Book drive has a built in 256- bit AES hardware encryption which cannot be disable manually. We have placed few helpful links below providing more information.
Your statement is very clear. If only WD’s documentation were as clear. The link you provided links to the same user manual as I referenced in my first post. I can’t find anywhere in that document that says it so clearly.
For example, page 18:
“WD Security: Implements password protection and the 256-bit hardware data encryption capabilities of your supported WD hard drive.”
To me this sure seems to say that the hardware encryption is dependent on running the WD Security app. I certainly don’t read it as saying “hardware encryption is always on and cannot be altered and the WD Security app has nothing to do with it.”
