Technical questions
Q: Which operating systems are supported?
A: Alertsec Xpress currently supports Windows 2000 and XP. Dual Boot PCs, Linux and Apple MAC are NOT supported at this stage.
Q: What encryption is used?
A: Alertsec Xpress is using AES 256-bit encryption where each sector is encrypted with a unique key. This offers the same protection that many Government organizations are using today.
Q: Does virus scans work when the information is encrypted?
A: Yes, as the anti-virus software reads the information from the disk, it will automatically be decrypted before being scanned and then encrypted again when written back to disk.
Q: What happens if my hard disk crashes?
A: Contact Alertsec helpdesk. When you install Alertsec Xpress, the necessary information needed to back-track the encryption is written to the Alertsec server. By contacting the Alertsec helpdesk, they will be able to give you instructions and help you to restore the information.
Q: What PC requirement do I need?
A: Generally, if you can run Windows 2000 or XP, you'll be fine. However, you will need 15Mb of disk space, of which 2 Mb needs to be contiguous. If this is not achievable, you will automatically be asked to defragment the disk at installation.
Q: What are the SW specifications?
A: Supported platforms: Windows 2000 or XP Available disk space needed: 15Mb of disk space + 2 Mb contiguous. Encryption technique: Sector-by-sector encryption. Encryption algorithm: AES 256 bit with unique keys for each hard disk sector. Performance degradation: Less than 2%
Q: What key generation are you using?
A: This is not public information and cannot be published. However, Pointsec for PC has passed the stringent third party certifications Common Criteria EAL4 and FIPS 140-1. Passing these certifications has resulted in Pointsec being considered secure enough to be used by many governments and military forces around the world.
Q: Stand-by and hibernation, will it still work?
A: Yes, stand-by is when the hard disk stops, but the memory is still running. (Normal CtrlAltDel to start again) This will require your Microsoft credentials to log in. Hibernation is when the memory also stops and writes the information to the hard disk. This will require you to login with your Alertsec Xpress credentials as the information will need to be decrypted before bringing the PC back.
Q: What does Alertsec Xpress encrypt?
A: The software is using a sector-by-sector encryption which automatically encrypts everything written to the hard drive, including Microsoft operating system. See more about this under Tech Spec.
Q: Will Alertsec Xpress slow the machine down?
A: No, you may notice a slightly longer boot time, but once you are using the machine, you will not be able to see any difference. During the installation process, you will see the processor working hard when not using the PC, which is to be expected until the hard disk has been fully encrypted. You can monitor the encryption progress through hovering over the  in the tray.
Q: Will back-ups be encrypted as well?
A: No, any information being exported from the PC will be in clear text as it is automatically decrypted when read from the hard disk. We always recommend taking back-ups at regular intervals.
Q: Are there any PCs that Alertsec will not work on?
A: Generally, Alertsec will work with all brands of PCs with Windows 2000 or XP operating systems. However, there are known issues with Norton GoBack and pre-installed "tool and restore"-partitions.
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