Before we get too far into 2015, I want to go on record with a few predictions for the Full Disk Encryption world. Below are few things that I think will show up on a historical timeline for FDE and when we look back in five years to 2015.

• The rise of Self-Encrypting Drives (SEDs) will be a major trend that emerges in 2015 with adoption rates increasing, and eventually completely overtaking software encryption. While software encryptions like BitLocker for Windows and FileVault 2 for Mac are currently experiencing heavy adoption rates, enterprises will really begin to see the functional and technical advantages of SEDs in the year ahead, causing software full-disk encryption to completely disappear within the next 5 years at the endpoint. (The cloud is another matter.)
• End users will continue to adopt the use of file sync services like Dropbox at an almost alarming rate within the office. As it is much easier to collaborate and be productive than sharing information on USB memory sticks. The security risk is greater in storing information in the cloud than there is in misplacing the odd USB memory stick with confidential information on it.  Endpoint centric key management encryption solutions will emerge with wide popularity, as the exposed data breaches make the enterprise realize that the encryption must take place on the endpoint before the data goes to the cloud.
• 2015 will be the year that NVMe Self-encrypting drives start rolling out. Eventually they will completely supersede SATA SSD SEDs because of their advantages, primarily speed.  See “NVMe and Self-Encrypting Drives – The Perfect Match” for more details.

Happy New Year, I hope you have a great 2015.